Next journey stop. If it is important to consider what we see or how we see others and ourselves within the sales interaction, it is equally important to consider what we do. Part 8 dealt with perception and Part 9 will explore action.
Now let’s be real. Your action is easy. Sell stuff. Sell a lot of stuff. You probably already have product knowledge. You know the selling steps. And maybe you have been doing sales long enough to…well, whatever one might do after having done sales for a long time.
Have you ever been in a sales situation with a sales rep and just didn’t get a good vibe from that person? Maybe they were saying something that made you question if it was real or the truth. Maybe they were elusive or ‘shady’ or they seemed to make up stuff as they sold you that widget. Did you question their legitimacy? Their character?
Integrity matters in sales. You are required to makes sales. You are required to meet and exceed targets. You are expected to perform and execute to certain standards. You are measured by those expectations. The manner in which you do all of those things is what people see, hear and feel. So this is about character.
Perhaps the most classic sales scenario is when you are working with a customer and they ask something about the widget you are presenting. Now the thing is you do not have a definitive answer. The customer is leaning towards buying and they are curious. Maybe the question is not critical to sale (or maybe it is). You are stumped. What is your choice? You could fabricate an answer (another word for making something up; a.k.a. lie). You could flat out say you do not have the answer. You could offer you don’t have the answer and in the same breath make every attempt to find out an answer. What is the risk within each of those possibilities?
Risk #1: They might not buy it. And they may buy it, get home and realize you made the answer up. Then, they will most probably return it and potentially never do business with you and/or the organization again. But hey, you rung the register.
Risk #2: Honesty is good. And then what? They may or may not buy. No effort to embrace the customer’s need and investigate everything you need to get a solution will impact the experience and the purchase (then and later).
Risk #3: Again honesty is good. Effort is better. The only risk here is how you try to get the information. You could do it poorly and risk being seen as incompetent. Or you could do it with great integrity, maybe or maybe not get the sale and have a customer for life.
So what to do?
Ego. This is hard to avoid. It is human nature to want, to compete for our own needs, to aspire to get what we desire. This can be slippery. On one hand, this fuels our confidence, our awareness of strength and competency. On the other hand, it also can fuel our arrogance, self-righteousness and avarice (greed). Decide which one you want to nurture.
Let the customer lead. This is like in dancing. Who is leading? Technically, it should be the customer. They have the ultimate buying decision. Let’s be real, sometimes the customer is looking at the sales rep to practically make the decision for them. You know, “I am not sure, what do you think?” Think very carefully about your answer.
Servant Leadership. This one is big! This is a centuries old concept. It essentially says, while I may be in a position of power, your needs come before my own. In order for me to be successful, I need to focus on your success.
Wikipedia offers these characteristics as central to the development of a servant-leader:
- Listening: Puts an emphasis on listening effectively to others.
- Empathy: Understands others’ feelings and perspectives.
- Awareness: Understands their own values, feelings, strengths and weaknesses.
- Persuasion: Influences others with persuasiveness.
- Conceptualization: Integrates present realities and future possibilities.
- Stewardship: Holds an organizations’ resources in trust for the greater good.
- Community: Helps to create a sense of community among people.
- Commitment to the growth of people: Serves the need of others.
Humility is where I stand in the sale. Integrity is how I act in that same sale. Yes, they are linked. One impacts the other and vice-versa. The scenario mentioned earlier paints a picture a sales rep who takes advantage of the customer to meet their own needs. The other side of the coin may also be found. A sales rep that may have the same sales goal or target and lets the customer dictate the flow and direction. The customer’s need or needs come first, even if no sale is made.
“Do what you love with a passion for growing someone else and the reward will follow.” That is my motto. And if that is too intense, how about “Do the right thing with the other person in mind and your reward will follow.”
Cheers