Sales Moment Podcast
“Don’t Say These Words”
“The Sales Moment; Issue #108″
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Many years ago while working with a small manufacturing company we would direct customers with technical issues directly to the technician in charge of building that product to troubleshoot why the product was malfunctioning. The technician was skilled at the proper operation of the product but was lacking in customer diplomacy.
On one occasion, I received a call from an angry customer who had just encountered this prideful and over zealous technician. As the customer explained exactly how the product was malfunctioning, the technician advised, “That can’t happen!” The customer went on to explain with added expletives that he was watching the product malfunction at that very moment.
I learned many years ago, that if you want to achieve diplomacy with anyone, never tell him or her they are wrong.
Dale Carnegie covers this point thoroughly in How To Win Friends and Influence People. Here are the first three principles from Part Three: How to Win People to Your Way of Thinking:
1. The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it.
2. Show respect for the other person’s opinions. Never say, “You’re wrong.”
3. If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically.
Jesus said two thousand years ago in Matthew 5:25A, “Settle matters quickly with your adversary.”
If you want to feed your ego by being right, then go ahead and argue, however, you can diffuse an angry person by allowing them the opportunity to speak their mind. When they feel they have been heard, they will be open to other possibilities.
Have a great week!
Pierce
“What You Do Speaks So Loud…”
“The Sales Moment; Issue #107″
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A Psychological study I reviewed suggested that seven percent (7%) of the effect you have on others depends on what you say from the mouth, thirty-eight percent (38%) the manner in which you say it and fifty-five percent (55%) by your body language. So, ninety-three (93%) of your message and emotion is being conveyed without saying the actual words.
“The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said.” ~ Peter Drucker
Nonverbal communication is a two-way street. The moment you meet someone, they begin forming an opinion of you. Here are a few things to consider when creating a great first impression:
- Appropriate dress: Clean, neat and conservative will always relate to more people.
- Posture: Stand and sit up straight. Think “up.” Convey energy
- Smile and Make Good eye-contact: Be positive and confident.
- Firm handshake: Avoid a limp hand or squeezing too hard.
- Hand gestures: Keep your hands relaxed and avoid excessive movements.
- Tone of voice: Speak clearly and confident.
You must also consider the body language of the other person. A common mistake many people make is to ignore the other person’s reaction while they are concentrating on the message they want to deliver. The other person may be fidgety, anxious, angry or bored. To ignore these clues could lead to less than desirable results.
When I notice any of these clues, I ask questions to engage the other person. If it is appropriate, I will ask if we need to cut the meeting short and reschedule. My goal is to minimize stress and create rapport and trust. This cannot happen if the other person is distracted and busy with another issue.
You can increase your credibility and success by recognizing positive and negative body language in the people you meet. We will discuss this in more depth in a future issue of The Sales Moment.
Have a great week!
Pierce
“Know When To Stop Selling”
“The Sales Moment; Issue #106″
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I speak often about the importance of knowing when to talk and when to listen. One mistake many salespeople make is to keep talking after the customer has said yes. This is a good time to talk about the logistics of delivery, scheduling the first session or the weather, but do not KEEP SELLING!
Many people want to negotiate and up-sell after the customer has said yes. I believe you should make the first experience exceptional and build a solid relationship, then you will get an opportunity for future business.
I am not against a good salesperson making reasonable suggestions to enhance my purchase or auto responders online that make other recommendations on my way to the shopping cart. In each of these scenarios I can say no and move on. What I cannot stand is a face-to-face stand off that may never end.
I am a huge fan of The Shark Tank that airs on ABC on Friday night where entrepreneurs pitch their business to a panel of wealthy investors. On a recent episode, a contestant boasted of his exceptional selling skills and had created a sales training program for large companies. Mark Cuban made him an offer and the entrepreneur continued to sell to the other sharks and failed to say yes to Cuban’s offer. As you can probably imagine, Mark chose to teach him a lesson and told him he should have taken the deal when it was offered.
Recently, I watched the movie Moneyball. A true story about Billy Beane played by Brad Pitt as the General Manager of the Oakland A’s. In one scene, Billy is closing the deal on a player trade with another team and hangs up immediately after he hears yes. Billy advised his assistant, “When you get the answer you want, hang up!”
I would never advise you to hang up on a customer, however, when they say they are ready to buy, shut down the presentation and move to the next phase or you may miss the chance.
Have a great week!
Pierce
Check out my Shark Tank Fan Podcast where I recap the businesses, presentations and reactions from the Sharks. You can also find some exclusive interviews with some of the contestants.
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