A few weeks ago we released our case study on a technology company and how we helped them to turn their company around using our sales force evaluations. Hundreds of people have downloaded this study and many have raised their hands as a result and asked for help.
But what they each liked about the case study was different.
Where they saw the lessons fitting in were unique.
How they might have seen us helping was relative to their position.
So although the call to action for each of them was the same the underlying motivation was probably different. That is simply how our business works and we need to work within that reality. Yes, regardless of your role we can help provide clarity - for example CEO's have their own special needs and sales VP's have a whole different set of concerns. We need to adapt our offerings not only to company we are talking to but also to the person we are speaking with. We need to shift the focus to their needs, passions, concerns, frustrations and goals!
Many companies do something similar to us when it comes to generating inbound leads and they have a nice pool of prospects to fish. They generate whitepapers, e-books, webinars and blog content that subsequently will turn into "interested" suspects. However, many of the sales people that we work with struggle to adapt to the variety of suspects that many companies are now creating - instead they have a rigid script, they have some experience selling to one type of person in one particular industry and they head down that road regardless of the signs that they should really be taking them somewhere else. This causes some real problems, just watch this sequence.
1) Failing to ask questions ....... Means
2) Don't learn about the client ....... Means
3) Don't build the relationship ....... Means
4) They don't trust you or share the compelling reasons ........ Means
5) You don't connect your solution to their issues ........ Means
6) They don't see value or differentiation ........ O.K, you get it!
Unfortunately to add insult to injury a sales person can follow the above sequence and because they got to present and talk about themselves for an hour they feel the call went well. When in reality it was a dismal failure.
When a sales meeting starts with presenting far too early there is only one place to go - down!
Don't start the downward spiral. Ask questions that help you understand their needs first. Qualify the demo or the presentation and then adapt it to their concerns. Refuse to present if you don't understand.
If in reading this you are asking "how can we sell if we don't present our great offering?" then please let me know and we can have a conversation.
