Do you want to learn one of the secrets to better sales calls. Spoiler alert: it is not talking faster.
I don’t particularly enjoy talking to machines. The electronic sales calls that throw pitches at you like a baseball are downright insulting. It feels like I’m being treated as if I don’t matter before I even decide to buy from a company. Who on this earth thought it was a good idea to take the personality out of sales?
Don’t get me started on call centers. Most of the people there don’t take the time to understand what they are selling. They launch into their sales pitch without even figuring out who you are. The other day, I heard about a call center trying to sell car insurance to someone who doesn’t even own a car. People are not just data points on a spreadsheet.
If you want to be successful in sales, focus on building relationships. Get to know your clients before delivering your sales pitch. Everything feels so impersonal nowadays that people genuinely appreciate sincerity.
Getting to know your client doesn’t mean you have to spend hours learning everything about them. It simply means listening to them. Don’t start rambling before you have heard their concerns or problems. Ask questions.
You may have heard the expression: “If you want to sell something, solve a problem most people are having.” My question is: How can you solve a problem if you don’t even know what it is? Additionally, every person perceives a problem differently. Talking to a client means discovering how they perceive their issue, then tailoring your pitch to resonate with them. Here’s an example:
**The Problem:** Both clients need flour.
**Client A:** She has a small bakery and has a huge order of cupcakes to fulfill by tomorrow. She just dropped her flour on the floor. Her car is in for a service, her husband is out of town, and the rest of her family is unavailable. She only has enough money to buy the flour and can’t afford public transport. The shops are too far to walk to and will take too much time.
**Client B:** She also runs a bakery and needs to make some bread for her shop. She still has some flour on her shelves, but she needs more to stock up. There’s a huge festival in town over the weekend, and she is expecting many hungry customers. She has both the time and the money but is a perfectionist who wants everything ready ahead of schedule.
Do you think I could sell flour to these two people in exactly the same way? To provide the best service and keep the client happy, I need to know all the relevant facts. This understanding can only be obtained by asking a few simple questions: What? When? How? Do you think I can gather the necessary information by asking these straightforward questions upfront?
What do you need?
When do you need it?
How can I help you get it?
This is a simplified version of the 5ws and a H model (Rudyard Kipling). You can read more about it here: https://business.adobe.com/blog/basics/project-management-101-the-5-ws-and-1-h-that-should-be-asked-of-every-project. For sales and cold calling, the simple version will do. The other 3ws (when, where and why) will follow in conversation. The questions may vary by industry, but the fundamentals remain the same. Take the time to figure this out; it will be worth it.
You can try these questions with any of your clients. Create a mock scenario that comes up often and answer the WWH questions to see if the magic happens. Your mind will automatically generate solutions to their problems.
Don’t overcomplicate things. Only ask relevant questions that will help you reach your sales goal. Nobody likes to play “20 Questions” at work. If there’s something else you need to know, the client will let you know. For example, Client A will probably ask for delivery because of her situation, while Client B might prefer to pick it up but wants it ready upon arrival. When you get this right, your clients will come back for more.
Sure, there are more complex deals, but these questions are the foundation. Moving beyond this basic line of questioning becomes easy. You can figure it out together with your client. They will be much more open to working with you when you understand their needs and make the sale about them.
I hope you found this interesting. Let me know your thoughts. I look forward to hearing from you.