Showing Empathy

Many people think that empathy depends on similarity of age, background, experience, or point of view. That’s a myth.

Empathy is the ability to connect with someone -- to see things from their perspective. Several recent studies indicate that, for many buyers, a salesperson’s ability to understand their situation is the single most compelling reason why they make the decision to buy.

Many people think that empathy depends on similarity of age, background, experience, or point of view. That’s a myth. A young salesperson can connect with and relate to someone much more senior if they can identify areas of mutual interest. It’s not hard to find common ground. For starters, both are already in the same business -- even if they are on different sides of the desk. They may have similar interests and educations: if salespeople allow the customer to talk and genuinely show interest in what they say the customer will appreciate the empathy shown.

Without understanding the customer and showing real interest in what he or she has to say, a key ingredient in the relationship will be missing and the salesperson will remain an order taker... at best.

ACTION POINT: Focus on empathy. Management guru David Maister famously said: “Customers don’t care how much you know until they know ho much you care.”

Gaining Respect By Showing Respect

Be the kind of person who brightens up a room when they enter

You don’t have to be funny to be in successful in sales, but it helps to be fun. Be the kind of person who brightens up a room when they enter, as opposed to the person who brightens up a room when they leave it.

Some guidelines for showing respect include:

• Do you show respect for your client’s space by, for example, avoiding placing objects on their desk?
• Do you show respect for their business by, for example, asking before you take notes?
• Do you show respect for your competitors? If you put down one of the client’s existing suppliers you are disrespecting the client.

ACTION POINT: Do you brighten or darken the room with your presence?

Appealing to Buyers

What do they demand from salespeople? The answers come down to three discernible behaviors:

Countless studies have addressed the central question of sales -- why do buyer buy? How do customers make decisions? What do they demand from salespeople? The answers come down to three discernible behaviors:

• Believing in your position
• Empathy
• Trust

People buy from people who know their stuff. If the salesperson can’t consistently demonstrate that he or she knows what they are talking about, it becomes almost impossible to buy from them.

Put yourself in the buying role. You want to buy a new refrigerator, but the salesperson just can’t explain why model A is better for you than model B. Chances are that you’ll be shut down as a customer; in fact, you’ll probably want to leave and go to a different store.

Knowing what you sell inside-out is a given, but your credibility extends far beyond product knowledge. You must become familiar with your customer’s business, competitors, industry, and marketplace. You need to be well prepared. It’s not hard -- almost everything you need to know about your customers and markets is readily available online.

ACTION POINT: Evaluate how much you really know about your product, customer, competitor, industry and marketplace.

Article 2. Legislative

The legislative branch is charged with the responsibility to make the laws or rules by which the corporation abides.

The legislative powers of this corporation shall be vested in its policy committee. This committee shall consist of the Executive branch and the Administrative Director.

The legislative branch is charged with the responsibility to make the laws or rules by which the corporation abides. It has expressed power to establish such laws.

All policy must be written in such a way to document clearly what the law is for every area that the committee feels compelled to regulate. Decisions concerning questions not regulated, should be answered in harmony with the Principles, and Values of this constitution.

This committee has the authority to amend or add to policy to meet the changing demands of economy, strategy, state and federal law, or the current state of affairs. This policy committee also has the responsibility for implementing the procedures required for adherence to policy. These procedures must be written in such a way to document clearly in a chronological manner how to complete the process from start to finish.

These policies will impart basic daily demands upon the corporations employees. cooperation with executive, administrative, operational, sales and marketing needs will be achieved when policy is obeyed. The membership of this corporation has the right to offer requests for policy statements or policy amendments. The method is via management, and formalized in written form being addressed to the policy committee.

ACTION POINT: Know and follow policy and procedure where it exists.

Solving Problems

The process of problem solving is also remarkably similar in its structure to that of selling

Success in selling is linked to effective problem solving. If you're good at one, the chances are that you'll excel at the other. The process of problem solving is also remarkably similar in its structure to that of selling, further reinforcing the link.

• STEP 1

PROBLEM SOLVING

Set the stage. Provide structure for the problem solving session.

NEEDS-BASED SELLING

Open the meeting. Build rapport, confirm the agenda, prepare the customer.

• STEP 2

PROBLEM SOLVING

Define the problem. Review background information and solutions already tried.

NEEDS-BASED SELLING

Determine needs. Engage with the client and tease out both their obvious and their hidden needs.

• STEP 3

PROBLEM SOLVING

Generate ideas. provide the climate where everyone can contribute creative perspectives without judgement.

NEEDS-BASED SELLING

Present products and services. Describe the feathers and benefits of what you have to sell. Impart your enthusiasm and belief in your products.

• STEP 4

PROBLEM SOLVING

Evaluate the ideas an develop the best ones. Identify the appealing aspects of an idea, then list the concerns.

NEEDS-BASED SELLING

Resolve objections. Effectively and sensitively resolve the objections that customers inevitably raise.

• STEP 5

PROBLEM SOLVING

Summarize the solution. Put together a specific action plan.

NEEDS-BASED SELLING

Close the deal. Agree on how to move forward with fulfillment.

ACTION POINT: Identify your customers problems and then work to solve them.