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To understand what makes a great salesperson it is important to
put yourself in the shoes of your customers. Only then will you
truly understand how to distinguish between a great sales person
who can have a significant impact on the customer's bottom line
and the conventional "Commission Seekers".
Begin by asking yourself, as a business-to-business customer,
what do you expect from the sales professionals who are asking
for your time? This is a question you may not have considered. If
pressed you'd likely say, "Well, I expect them to answer my
questions, sell me the product or service I need, charge a fair
price, deliver on time and follow through on promises." This
sounds reasonable for the most part, but as you know, in today's
complex business world, the rules of selling have changed.
The salesperson whose role once centered on polished
presentations and glossy brochures (often self-serving
propaganda) must now function as a valued and trusted advisor
and be a source of competitive advantage. If they're not, you will
likely see your margins eroding as even your most complex
products and services are treated as simple commodities.
There are many, many companies that claim to offer the products
and services your customers need. Yet, all too often the strategy
of the sales force is to battle the competition on capabilities and
pricing in order to capture the customer's business. Reality is that
succeeding in today's marketplace is not about price. It's not even
about products. Instead, success means being able to understand
the very real, very complex problems that customers face and sort
through all the available alternatives. The right salesperson
should be able to help the customer do so, and to create a
solution that the customer would not have been able to come up
with on their own.
It is this characteristic, the ability to collaborate with the customer,
stimulate their thinking and create revenue-building solutions that
they don't have the time or the wherewithal to create for
themselves, that the customer should look for in sales
professionals who they want to work with. This kind of salesperson
is able to provide a competitive advantage for the customer's
company. They don't sit across the desk from the customer,
spewing information and hoping for a commission. They actually
become an integral part of the customer's business, making their
life easier and contributing to their measurable success. It is the
savvy salesperson who knows that the sales process is not "done
to the customer," but "with the customer."
So how do you become a top sales professional from the
traditional sellers?
They diagnose the customer's problem. When a sales
professional launches into a description of his "solution" without
first establishing a clear understanding of the customer's
situation, be wary. A great salesperson never assumes that he or
the customer understands the very real, very complex problems
the customer faces. Instead, like a good psychologist, he
methodically questions and diagnoses until he uncovers the
problems, the goal or the need and expands the customer's
awareness. Once they both clearly understand the problem, and
the customer perceives all the ramifications of that problem, then
the salesperson is justified in making recommendations. After all,
if the customer is not feeling any pain, why would they want to
change? Diagnosis takes time and hard work. A credible
salesperson proves that he is willing to provide both.
They ask questions, rather than tell stories. Conventional
salespeople tell stories about their solutions, not to mention
proclaiming the superiority of their company's brand, history and
reputation. Prospective customers expect to hear these stories
and rarely take them seriously. (Think about it: do you?) Chances
are your customers will take salespeople seriously when they
display concern for the problems they may have and the expertise
to solve them. This is demonstrated by asking questions,
questions that the customer would not have thought to ask
themselves. The true professional's activity is additive to the
customer's knowledge as well as his or her own. How else could a
sales professional acquire the raw information needed to make an
accurate diagnosis and design an efficient solution?
They let the customer set the pace. If a salesperson is truly
there to serve the customer, he will not rush them, pressure them
or manipulate them. The last thing he will want to do is create
mistrust or a confrontational atmosphere. Therefore he will let the
customer discover, understand the impact of and take ownership
of problems before he discusses solution options. This will take a
while. Your customer will know they have a great salesperson if
they find themselves feeling emotionally comfortable and
communicating openly. This state of being is the only way to do
mutually beneficial business.
They help the customer calculate the cost of their problem.
It's not enough for a salesperson to say, "You have a problem
and it's costing you money." She must say, "We need to
determine how much this is costing you and see if it make sense
to pursue a solution." Vagueness is a red flag. If a salesperson
shies away from establishing an accurate cost, it's either because
a) she doesn't know the cost (or is too lazy to do the work to find
out), or b) she's afraid the cost will be too low to justify the
solution she's offering. Generally, the second reason is the most
likely one. And maybe the customer's problem isn't significant
enough to justify the expense. A great salesperson will suggest
that and respect that outcome. As a manager, isn't that what you
want - salespeople who are focused on accounts where real need
exists.
They don't let the customer fall into the "creeping
elegance" trap. Let's say the customer becomes enthusiastic
about the potential value of the solution that a salesperson is
offering and they drop into the "as long as we're going to do this
we might as well also do-that" mode of thinking. A conventional
salesperson might let the customer run up your wish list, all the
time counting up the extra commissions in his head. A great
salesperson will ensure that the customer doesn't expand beyond
reasonable financial parameters. He knows that because complex
sales by their very nature involve more than one decision-maker,
if the customer unnecessarily expands the scope of a solution,
one of his or her colleagues could shoot the whole project down.
The result could be losing all of the business and the customer
loses the benefit of the solution.
A truly good sales professional is worth his or her weight in gold.
He will function as a consultant for the customer, a strategic
partner, and even an advocate. He will give the customer the
competitive advantage. Having salespeople of this caliber will shift
your company's relationship with its customers. Instead of their
reluctantly dealing with a high-pressure adversary, they will find
themselves forming a partnership based on mutual trust and
respect - a partnership that is long lasting and beneficial to both
businesses.
As your sales force begins to apply this approach, the difference
will become apparent. Your salespeople will focus efforts where
true need exists. They will form trusting, yet impenetrable
customer relationships; and their close ratios will increase. To
your advantage, managing their efforts will be more effective;
forecasts will be more predictable; and fewer midstream
challenges will occur.
