What is the key that unlocks the sale?
Probing?
Presenting?
Talking?
Assessing?
Closing?
Manipulating?
The key to selling is not manipulating, it’s harmonizing.
But you’d never know that from most salespeople’s actions.
Selling is about understanding the other person and their needs. Prospects and customers have different motives to buy, and it’s the salesperson’s job to uncover them.
RULE OF SALES: No two sales or sales presentations are alike.
They must be adapted to uncover the motives and objectives, understand the opportunities and barriers, meet the needs and desires, harmonize with the person and the personality, and satisfy or fit within the financial parameters of the buyer.
All my sales life I’ve been exposed to — no, no, frustrated by “systems of selling.” And all my sales life I’ve fought them as being hokey, outdated, bogus, non-realistic, manipulative processes that people learn, but never really feel comfortable using – or at the least manipulative.
Not that they are “totally wrong” – more that they don’t always “fit” the situation. And that the salesperson focuses on the execution of the system to make the sale, rather than focusing on and harmonizing with the prospect to make the sale.
No one system will work all the time – BUT specific elements of any system may be applicable. I’m NOT saying don’t learn systems – all sales knowledge is valuable. I am saying be yourself in the sale, not the system.
RULE OF SALES: Prospects don’t always want to buy the way you have been taught to sell.
Here are some “more” clues:
THE RULES OF “THE MORE THE MORE”
As a sales master, your job is to take the characteristics and needs of the prospect and blend them with your skills and understanding to determine the reasons the prospect is buying. This will motivate and inspire the prospect to act.
Harmony is understanding, not manipulating. It’s sensing the tone of the situation, and comfort level of the prospect. It gives the prospect enough confidence to buy. Harmony converts salesperson selling to prospect buying.
Even though I don’t believe in or subscribe to a “system of selling”, I am still searching for “the best way” to make the sale. And what I have discovered along the way are elements, mostly personal (non-manipulative), that when mastered will create an atmosphere where people (your customers and prospects) will be compelled to buy.
Here are four of them in an acronym that ties the introduction to the point – AHHA! Four elements to master are Attitude, Humor, Harmony, and Action. These elements, when mastered, are the surest (and shortest) sales formula to long-term success. And they have nothing to do with systems, manipulation, or sales pressure.
Every salesperson I have ever come in contact with wants to build better customer relationships – and the best way to do that is never manipulate them. Manipulation makes people defensive, reluctant, and distrustful. Harmonize baby.
Mastering these elements will make prospects attracted to you, like you, trust you, believe you, have confidence in you – and then – buy from you.
Free GitBit: Want a more defined aha!? Go to www.gitomer.com — register if you’re a first time user — and enter the word AHA in the GitBit box.
Jeffrey Gitomer, author of The Sales Bible, and Customer Satisfaction is Worthless, Customer Loyalty is Priceless. President of Charlotte-based Buy Gitomer, he gives seminars, runs annual sales meetings, and conducts internet training programs on selling and customer service at www.trainone.com. He can be reached at 704/333-1112 or e-mail to salesman@gitomer.com
2003 All Rights Reserved – Don’t even think about reproducing this document without written permission from Jeffrey H. Gitomer and Buy Gitomer
