Two Things That Can Shape Sales Relationships, And Four That Won't
Cook
Selling has evolved over time. When I started, it was a transactional discipline. The feature/benefit presentation was the norm, and salespeople were evaluated based on their pipelines of opportunities and their ability to close deals.
Around the mid-1980s, sales evolved into “solutions selling." That is, stop focusing on what you're offering and start focusing on what the client gets from your product or service. Sell the solutions; sell the ROI. Features became passé and benefits were all the rage.
Now fast forward to today. Selling is evolving once again. The solutions-oriented salesperson is the commodity salesperson because everyone is doing it. Clients know that when a salesperson crosses their threshold, they need to bring solutions to the table. The client expectations are that the solutions are the baseline for consideration. Solution selling is no longer unique.
In the world of instantaneous access to information, clients are as well prepared as the salesperson regarding the solutions available. If a client doesn't know the answer, a simple online query to Google, or a question posted on myriad social networking platforms will invite more information than the client really ever needs.
In today's world, the strength of the relationship with a client is the sustainable differentiation. Without a strong relationship, you're like every other salesperson who pitches a solution and hopes for a “yes” response.
What defines our relationships are our actions and the associated perceptions and reactions by the client. Across the sales spectrum, there are six actions salespeople take, and the corresponding perceptions and reactions those actions generate among clients.
• Tell and Advise.
Telling someone something is perceived as advice. It's an attempt to gain power over someone, with the hope of controlling the situation and outcome. Reactions can range from contrarian to indifference to acceptance without commitment. This does not build a relationship.
• Sell and Pitch.
This is an old-school action. “Buy my car because it is blue, and you know old Henry Ford only sells black cars.” Ignoring is the usual reaction. With luck, you might connect with the 1 percent of the population who want blue cars and, at that moment, are focused on buying a car. This also does not build a relationship.
• Persuade and Rationalize.
Persuasion is the first step toward a solution. Salespeople try to persuade with convincing arguments, ROI calculations, and rationales that they hope resonate with the client. The client's perception or reaction to persuasion is usually defensiveness, resisting the arguments in order to keep oneself safe. This defensiveness does not build relationships.
• Giving a Solution.
One would hope that giving a solution reflects a measure of effective listening by the salesperson. If the client is heard, the solution should align with the client's needs. The perception is still on the defensive side of the ledger because the client is not involved in the development of the solution. The relationship is one-way.
• Talking Through Solutions Together.
Talking through solutions showcases a relationship that has evolved to the point where there is actual collaboration and effective communication. The client trusts the salesperson enough to work with them as opposed to just receiving from them. Working together toward a common goal reflects a relationship that separates a salesperson from the majority of the competition.
• Coaching Toward a Mutually Agreeable Solution.
A salesperson who coaches a client is one who is confident in the strength of their relationship. Also, the client trusts them enough to give permission to be coached. Coaching is a very interactive and collaborative process. The outcome is that the client owns the solution and has a deep level of trust in the salesperson that helped him or her get there. When you coach a client, you have a relationship that has no competition.
Spend time thinking about how you interact with your clients. It may help you understand the strength and level of trust in your relationships with them.
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Ken Cook is founder of Peer to Peer Advisors and developer of The Rainmaker System. Learn more about this relationship-based business development program at www.peertopeeradvisors.com.
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