I have written at length about the things a good salesperson must do to remain at the top of their game: making lists, constantly improving product knowledge, being excited about what you're selling, and on and on. But perfecting all of these traits will not make anyone a great salesperson.
Before getting into sales, I was a teacher. And, as a teacher, I believed one thing absolutely: if a student didn't understand what I was explaining, it was NOT the student's fault. It was mine. I always marveled at the teacher who blamed the students for not understanding the subject matter they were teaching.
All while I was teaching, I was watching the students' eyes. If I saw blankness, I knew I was on the wrong track and needed to change direction.
A great salesperson gets into the shoes of their customers--literally. A great salesperson is not "pushing their product". A great salesperson is ultimately a teacher trying to understand the needs of the student (the "customer") and only then working with the customer to make sure the product solves the problem.
The route to greatness is to really understand your customer. You are the teacher, they are the student. And if your "pitch" elicits blank stares, you are going down the wrong road and need to evaluate yourself. You have a product and you need to be able to explain how it benefits them. And if they don't believe it benefits them (if the stares remain blank), then blame yourself and fix the pitch or move on.
A few years ago, I was tutoring a young man for his High School Equivalency test. He was struggling with math, but loved go-cart racing. So I started from that position: "you have a one mile track, your go-cart goes 10 miles per hour. How long will it take to go 1 mile." He answered in seconds. And, as we changed the track length and the speed of the go-cart, each time he computed the answer instantly. I got into his shoes and he succeeded.
So, you're dealing with a Facility Manager of a manufacturing plant. What are his issues? How can you help solve these issues?
You've heard this before: "don't sell products, sell solutions". But you can't sell solutions if you don't know what the problems that your customer is facing.
So, now change the scope of your list: who is my customer; what does he do in the company; what are his issues; what are the company's problems; how can my product help them. Get to deeply understand your customer, like understanding the young man who didn't think he understood math, but did, in fact, when it was related to go-cart racing.
This need to know your customer is required no matter what you're selling. Homeowner says "I need a new refrigerator." How you respond is critical. "What is it you like about your current fridge?" "What things would you like in a new one?" And the response tells you everything: "Oh, I want the freezer drawer on the bottom and I want double doors and I want it counter deep". Now you're getting somewhere and your customer appreciates your concern.
You're selling oil water separators and the plant manager has a problem with equipment leaking oil. You need to get into the plant and understand the problem, and only then can you recommend a solution. Does the separator need to manage the whole facility, or can it be placed close to the leaking equipment? Can one large separator solve the problem, or a few smaller ones which are easier to install and may be less expensive?
I'm familiar with a company that manufactures a product that measures the permeability of packaging materials. This is a very sophisticated, technical sale. There is absolutely no way to sell this product without understand how important packaging is to particular customers. Potential customers may be more or less interested in the permeability of their packaging. And who in the company is responsible for testing packaging permeability? So many questions that the salesperson must answer before even talking to the customer for the first time.
Get into your customer's shoes. Be empathetic to their problems. Make sure you're talking to the right person.
And only then can you propose a solution.
The salesperson who sits in an office and never visits the customer will never understand (read "empathize") their needs or the urgency of their requests.
Real sales is "eyeball to eyeball": looking into your customer's eyes, recognizing their needs and then, and only then, proposing a solution. The questions are: how can you save the customer money and how can you solve the particular problem the customer has?
A self-absorbed salesperson is an oxymoron. A self-absorbed salesperson cannot succeed. A great salesperson must put the customer first, not the sale.
The importance of empathy for the online salesperson will be the subject of my next post.
