March. 2006 The Magic Bullet?

Many of my clients ask “Have you got a magic bullet?". Of course the answer is an emphatic "No”. But in my experience, there are very few organisations that actually need a magic bullet. Most can achieve radical improvements by making a series of small but significant adjustments which, when taken together, have a meaningful and lasting effect. Perhaps the most significant of these is how, when and exactly what they question.

I have just been working with two clients on this issue. At the first we focused on the most fundamental of all sales questions; and at the second we concentrated on a change to the process which would bring a dramatic result.

Intend to sell!

Everyone Knows, or ought to know about open and closed questions. And they really should use a framework like SPIN® to manage their sales meetings. But right at the end they forget why they are there. Sales isn’t about fast cars, big expense accounts or extravagant lunches. It is about asking for and obtaining customer commitment. So next time you visit a prospect, go equipped. Make sure you have the means to obtain a commitment. Intend to sell. If appropriate, take an order form or pro forma letter; and whatever you do, ask simply, politely but directly for the business. (e.g. ...can I assume that if you have no further questions that you are now happy to go ahead?)

Aim right!

The second client was asking the right question, but of the wrong people.

At an exhibition you get multiple chances to run through the sales cycle. However despite having a great approach line, boundless energy, endless enthusiasm and a really good product, he just wasn't getting the results he expected. Then the penny dropped. He had been addressing his beautifully crafted and well formed value proposition to smart, well dressed business people. Unfortunately, despite appearances, these people just weren't buyers and so he spent hours politely listening to their years ago, all these people would have been senior decision makers, today they are self employed consultants. The real buyers turned out to be casually dressed younger women and men who were in genuine need of the product; if only they were asked properly. As soon as he realised what was going on, he switched tactics and his hit rate went skywards.

In both of the cases above, a radical change was obtained with a simple but well targeted change in behaviour. Try it and see what it does for you.