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Category: Sales
Making courage contagious
Have you ever been to a meeting and afterwards heard someone say, “I was going to say something.” Too bad. What if there comment or suggestion that could have increased the profitability of the company, or even saved it from bankruptcy? Idea fluency is vital in a fully-functioning organization. How do we create an atmosphere that encourages even the most reserved to speak up? Here is an example that demonstrates how:
I have a client who sells heavy duty manufacturing equipment. Last week he went to visit a customer, and he gave two different presentations. The first was to the top management team. As you would guess, meetings are a regular thing for them. Each participant had their questions, and they had a hearty product discussion with Carl (My client).
For the next meeting, Carl addressed a group who worked in manufacturing. These people are the ones who operate the machines. This group rarely attends sales presentations and they were reluctant to speak up and ask questions. Carl could sense their reluctance. The seating was in a horseshoe formation, and Carl walked inside the horseshoe to make a more intimate interaction. While respecting personal space, he asked a question to one of the more shy people. At first the participant was nervous, but he soon overcame his fear and started to ask questions and give input. That opened up the floodgates. One by one, others began giving their comments, and Carl could feel the temperature of the group rise. It was a lively discussion. Carl had strengthened trust with the group and received valuable input that proved very helpful in writing his proposal. Carl valued and respected everyone’s input, and he got it. Remember to EN-COURAGE others to build a more collaborative team by creating an environment that opens them up.
A must for a good first impression
Here is a situation I’ll bet we have all been in: We are at a party or social event and we meet someone. We say our name. They say theirs. We begin a conversation. A few seconds later we find ourselves in a minor panic because we have forgotten their name. We want to personalize the interaction by using their name. We can’t because we forgot it. Now what? We have two options: First, we can avoid calling them by name since we can’t remember it. If we do this, we run the risk of making the conversation stiff. Our second option is to ask the other person, “What was your name again?” This means we are admitting we weren’t listening. How does that work for making a good 1st impression?
It is an old cliche worth repeating, “There is no second chance to make a good first impression”. First impressions can easily make the difference in a sale. I once remember a top-producing salesperson say, “In most cases, I can predict the probability of the sale in the first five minutes.” Do you think learning and using a person’s name could be important in those first few minutes? It sure is! What can we do to helpus remember names better when being introduced or introducing ourselves? Here are some thoughts:
First, slow down when you first hear a name. Pretend like you are driving through a school zone. If you did not hear the name clearly, ask them to repeat it. The other person won’t be irritated. Their name is important to them, and they want people to get it right. With this added effort and focus, you will remember more names and help avoid having to admit you didn’t pay attention. And don’t try to be clever! Once I forgot a name, and I asked, “How do you spell your name?” There was a long pause and she replied, “SMITH“. Ouch! That exchange did not go so well.
Slow down, pay attention, remember names, and get off on the right foot.
Play games with your customers at your own risk
A couple weeks ago my wife showed me a box of toothpaste. It was the normal family size I had known for years. Joyce opened up the box, and inside was a tube of toothpaste about 3 inches shorter that the box. First I was amused, then I was offended. My first thought was, “They actually think we are so pre-occupied that we don’t notice the difference?” If you want to make a small tube of toothpaste, put it in a box that is commensurate with its size. Wait…I’m not finished yet:
Last month we bought a box of snack bars, yet the size had become so small it was like a Mars mini-bar. I had the same reaction as with the toothpaste. There are companies that make full-size snack bars and sell a true family size of toothpaste. These companies will get my business.
I realize these two examples are seemingly trivial things, but let’s look at the big picture: Successful companies know how to build trust in their brand and with their customers. Deception and playing games erodes trust, and creates resentment. Let’s put our customers first (including our team).
Good leaders find the sweet spot
Leaders are motivators. Have you ever been in a situation where someone was trying to get you excited about something, and the incentive they were using was something you simply didn’t care about? If we want to be about winning hearts and minds, we need to be sure we know their “hot button”.
When I think of this ability, my thoughts go immediately to an incident I experienced in 5th grade. I received a test paper back, and I was pleased to see there were no red marks. I got my first “100” for the year! That meant it was time to celebrate. I got to put a gold star next to my name on the wall chart. After that, it was customary to go to Mrs. Pearson’s desk and ring the bell in front of Serapina the Cat. (Seraphina was a book Mrs. Pearson had read us)
As I was basking in my glory, the person seated next to me (Chuck) wanted to look at my paper. He had gotten one question wrong, and he wanted to know the right answer. When he looked at my answer, he exclaimed, “Hey, you had the same answer I did, and Mrs. Pearson marked yours right.” Smugly, I replied, “Too bad”. Chuck blew the whistle on me, and soon Mrs. Pearson had my paper in hand. She affirmed that my answer was wrong, and she was going to subtract the appropriate points. Then she said, “We have to take your star off the chart, but I’ll still let you ring Seraphina’s bell. Big deal! I was not excited. If Mrs. Pearson was trying to appease me, she actually made things worse.
A few decades later I found myself as a training facilitator of a 12-week leadership course. Those who had perfect attendance recieved a gold medallion sticker on their certificate when they graduated. At the beginning of each training series, I got everybody excited about that gold sticker. The result: I had the highest percentage graduation of any instructor on the team. I remembered my experience in Mrs. Pearson’s class. We love those stickers and stars, and they get us “fired up”.
Making new customers lifetime customers
If you are a homeowner, you have professionals and tradesmen you count on to keep your dwelling fixed, cleaned, and updated. You have air-conditioning, heating, appliances, and lawn equipment. You protect your physical and financial well-being with professionals like dentists, doctors, and accountants. We establish relationships with these people that often last many years. We trust them. When they retire, we have a gap to fill.
Two years ago, my HVAC guy retired. When he did, he gave me the name of another company I could connect with. The next time I needed help, I called this company. They were on time and solved my problem for a fair price. We were off to a good start.
This year, I decided to do some preventative maintenance, and I had the new company out for a routine AC check. I had the AC on, and it was humid 90-degree day. The tech got out all his equipment and cleaned the coils and grill in the outdoor unit. Next, he went to check the refrigerant. He shut down the AC to clean it. When he went to turn it back on, nothing happened. The unit would not receive power through the 32-year-old junction box. So let me get this straight: You come in on a hot, humid day, my AC is working fine, you work on it, and now it is not working. Hmmm…
At this point I took a step back, set aside the “dinosaur” part of my brain, and began asking questions. As it turned out, the tech was following normal procedure, and when he shut off the breaker, it failed. Now we needed a new box. Paul, the tech felt badly about what happened, and said he would talk to the boss.
About 1/2 hour after the call, I called the owner of the company. He knew all about my situation and was very understanding. He said, “Paul was following the right procedure when he turned off the power outside. If that had been me, I would have turned off the power downstairs since the box was so old” In other words, Roger (the owner) was backing up his tech, and admitted that the problem might have been able to be prevented. Roger’s transparency and empathy convinced me I had the right “go-to” person. He was fair with the charge, and I plan to buy a new unit from him this fall. Roger dealt with my crisis well and used it as an opportunity to strengthen our relationship.