Peady’s Selling Engagement

Recently on his LinkedIn blog, a friend of mine, Mike Brunel quoted the late business coach and author  Dan Kennedy who said: “never assume your customers remember what you’re all about, why you’re different“. He urged salespeople to regularly re-tell their customer “who you are”.

It’s so true. Back in the eighties when my friend, Jason Jennings consulted to ARN and made that group into a direct sales powerhouse, he taught us to use a ‘point of difference’ as part of a structured sales call. In other words, ‘why’ a customer should hear us out or what value we personally bring to the meeting (and the future business relationship).

Welcome to this week’s post on sales and selling success.

Do you practice this? Do you tell your ‘story’?

Firstly, by using a ‘value statement’ or ‘point of difference’ to introduce yourself to potential customers? Then regularly reminding them about it and driving your value?  

Cut through

I can assure you it’s not egotistical to do this. Business owners and operators are busy, they see lots of salespeople – you need a way to stand out. Yes, customer service is obviously one important way to stand out, but you have to make a sale to provide customer service. 

You therefore need to demonstrate your ‘why’ to cut through and gain a competitive advantage so you can make that sale.

BUT…and there’s always a but. Once you have explained your ‘why’, you then need to tether it to the customer by saying “…and what that means to you”.

Here’s a very simple example:

​“Just so you know a bit of my background, I’ve been worked at XYZ-FM for two years and prior to that was with the Downtown Bulletin for three years. That’s given me an opportunity to work with many local businesses like yours and help them gain awareness with their customers, drive traffic to their shopfront or website and then grow turnover. 

“What I have learnt is that measurable advertising results using some kind of trackable ROI is critical.

“So, what that means to you is I understand many of the challenges you are facing”

A great opportunity to ‘re-tell’ your point of difference could be at the meeting to present the proposal. 
 
Something like:

“As you know Mr Customer, I’ve helped local businesses with their marketing for over 5 years and now I want to demonstrate what I told you at our first meeting – measurable advertising results using trackable ROI while dealing with some of the challenges we discussed”

Your sales toolbox

As a professional salesperson you should have a variety of skills and different approaches in your toolbox. Using the correct ‘tool’ at the right time can help elicit the action or feeling you want from a customer. The “who you are” introduction and “what that means to you” as part of your face to face discovery meetings will make a significant difference.

Get out of your comfort zone

Let me leave you with a quote from Roy T Bennett: “If you always do what is easy and choose the path of least resistance, you never step outside your comfort zone. Great things don’t come from comfort zones”

I’m about to take a break, to you and your family best wishes for the Christmas season and good luck for a fantastic 2020. May your goals, dreams and wishes become a reality.

Until next time, good selling!
 

About the author 

Stephen Pead is a media industry veteran of 30 years with significant experience in direct sales, sales management and general management. He is based in Sydney and specialises in helping SME’s market their businesses more effectively and providing training for salespeople and sales managers.

He can be contacted at [email protected]