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This is the first part of a 5 part series about What I Wish I Knew More About…Sales. I will cover 5 different areas that we all confront in sales. I hope you enjoy the journey.
“Sales is not an attempt to convince someone of something. It has nothing to do with trying to talk someone into something. You are not even trying to get someone to agree to something. Sales is about causing a new possibility to be present for another, such that they are touched, moved and inspired by that possibility. If the new possibility occurs this way, then the sale is made.”
Naveen Lakkur
President & CEO, Compassites
Too often in today’s marketplace salespeople are too focused on making the sale solely on price. Too often sales managers stress the importance of selling the value of their product or service and how they differentiate from the competition when they don’t really understand their marketplace. Too often though, no one is listening to what the customers concerns are and creating an offer that inspires them to not only accept your product or service, but to continue to accept your offers in the future.
In today’s tough marketplace, many companies are taking the approach of gaining revenue and customer share by lowering their prices. This might get customers in the door as you manipulate them with marketing blitzes and discount offers, but it won’t get them to stay. The only way to build customer loyalty is through inspiration and the way to create inspiration is by involving your customers in how you do business. The key in building and growing this relationship is by listening to your customers. We salespeople tend to push our products or services to customers without first listening to what our customers concerns are. By opening yourself up and allowing your customer visibility in to your business and simply listening to them will set you apart from your competition in the marketplace. You have to learn to step back every now and then and take off our blinders so that you can create offers that are unique and specific to your client’s needs. This in turn will create marginal value in your offer as it will be uncommon and more powerful than what is being provided by your competitors.
These types of interactions with your customers can spawn creative ideas within your organization in turn keeping you ahead of your competition and in turn growing your company. Having open dialogues with your customers not only inspires them but it can also inspire those within your own organization as you work to create these new offers. Over time, as you continue to have these dialogues with your customers and they begin noticing that you continually are able to take care of their concerns, you will start to build loyalty with your customers as they begin to see you as their trusted advisor. This is when you know you’ve inspired your customers. Inspiration coupled with customer loyalty is what makes small companies in to big ones.
Note:
Logo was created by Stacy Driscoll who is a freelance designer based in South Florida where she continues to provide her clients with innovative design solutions while continuing to grow her client base and skill set. More of her work can be found at her website www.stacydriscolldesign.com.
This article was contributed by Robert Driscoll, co-founder of Active Garage. You can follow Robert on Twitter at rsdriscoll.
A new entrepreneur almost always gets an idea and thinks it is the coolest and the greatest idea. He safeguards it and when someone asks him he would say we are in “stealth” mode. He dreams of how he would be on the covers of Fortune, Fast Company and Inc when his idea clicks and takes off. The truth is no one really knows whether the idea will click or not. About 