Principles Established by Wisdom II

Any enterprise built by wise planning, becomes strong through common sense; and profits wonderfully, by keeping abreast of the facts. - Living Bible

If we were to look for one motto for building and operating our house, this would be it. A motto is a short expression of a guiding principle. The proverbs that follow are short sayings drawn form long experiences. We must build our house on wisdom. The foundation is the most important part of any structure. Without a sound one it will soon crumble under it's own weight or be destroyed by the environment around it.

For the purpose of application we have divided these words of wisdom into five main categories. Each set of principles are important for achievement of our goals. The five categories are: Attitude, Personal, Fraternal, Intellectual, and Spiritual.

ACTION POINT: Seek a foundation of wisdom for anything that you build.

Reading between the Lines II

However, all customers -- however company-focused they may be -- are to some extent influenced by personal needs.

Selling would be a far easier task if customers could be relied on always to buy fro sound business reasons -- such as return on investment, quality, value, and competence. If the buyer always made his or her decision dispassionately, rather than based on how that decision made them feel, reading their requirements would be straightforward.

However, all customers -- however company-focused they may be -- are to some extent influenced by personal needs. These delve into areas that are harder to quantify -- security, connecting with others, ego, and comfort. For this reason, showing empathy with the customer will bring you rich rewards.

Business needs are measurable while personal needs are subjective. Below are some examples of each to illustrate the differences between the two.

BUSINESS NEEDS PERSONAL NEEDS

Reduce Cost Look good in front of peers.

Increase efficiency Gain recognition

Shorten production time Get that promotion

Become more effective Minimize the risk

Increase profitability Boost personal status

Improve turnaround time Decrease stress

ACTION POINT: Recognize motives by looking out for customers who are risk averse, or who appear to worry abut how they are going to appear; they tend to be driven more by personal needs.

Reading between the Lines

So your task is to look for the needs behind what the customer says.

Sometimes your customers will tell you exactly what they need. All you have to do is listen and respond. But if you address only these overt needs, you are not adding much value to the client, and you are doing no more than any of your competitors would do. Where you can differentiate yourself -- and win the client's respect and trust -- is by hearing and responding to implied needs. So your task is to look for the needs behind what the customer says.

For example, if the client complains about his boss constantly second-guessing him, he may be expressing a need to have a solid, tightly reasoned explanation for his buying decisions. Successful sales professionals know how to uncover these implicit needs -- indeed, it is what drives their long-term success.

ACTION POINT: After each meeting, ask yourself what the customer didn't say. You'll probably unearth some needs they did not consciously know they had.

Separating needs from Solutions

You'll be amazed at how taking one step back will leave you two steps forward.

Whenever you find yourself offering a solution to a customer, ask yourself what the need is that led to this solution. You'll be amazed at how taking one step back will leave you two steps forward.

In the early 1980's, Citibank was one of the first major financial organizations to attempt the creation of a unique sales culture. The Consumer Banking Group interviewed many of the largest sales training companies, but -- to the surprise of many -- hired a young, small, and virtually unknown firm to lead the charge.

When the decision-maker was asked why she chose that firm, her answer was simple: "Of all the firms we interviewed, they did the best job of demonstrating that they understood our needs. And if that's what we want to teach our people, lets go with people who practice what they preach."

ACTION POINT: Approach some sales calls as if you were "selling without a product." This forces you to focus strictly on the customer -- a productive habit to get into.

Seeing the Nature of Needs

"Nobody needs a drill, they need a hole." - Theodore Levitt

Before you start questioning your customer to uncover his or her needs, it helps to know what these needs might look like -- and how they are likely to present themselves. You'd be surprised at how even the most seasoned sales professionals have difficulty recognizing needs.

The respected Harvard economist Theodore Levitt famously said: "Nobody needs a drill, they need a hole." In other words, peoples real needs are sometimes hidden behind apparent solutions.

A simple example may help illuminate what Levitt was getting at. Image you own a travel agency. A customer walks in days before winter vacation; he's in a panic because he hasn't arranged that big vacation he promised his wife an children. You listen patiently. he says the family is so excited but he's worried that he's left the arrangements too late. He tells you that the vacation is hard to plan because his three children have such different interests -- from going to museums to rock climbing -- while his wife just needs to have some down time. he bras abut how the cost issue is not a big deal to him.

When salespeople hear stories like this, many immediately start thinking up solutions. "What can we offer him that will address all his issues? If he wants to spend more, let's help him -- it's more commission for us. 'What your family needs, sir, is a spa vacation in Dubai.'"

This might indeed be a satisfactory solution, but the salesperson has done little to understand the customer's needs. a little analysis, and further questioning might reveal that the client has a need to impress and be respected by his family; to act quickly; to carve out some adult time on his vacation; to have a safe, supervised environment; and many other needs besides. Taking this longer approach has real benefits: the customer feels understood and valued; he'll buy this vacation from you, and come back for your guidance and advice, year after year.

ACTION POINT: Take time to understand and hear the needs of your customer before offering up solutions.