Image credit: rore_d CC license

A recent IBM ad says, “Stop selling what you have and start welling what they need.”

Even if you can’t change your product line you can still sell what they need by listening to what they say.

Steve Roesler has a great example of how to lose a sale; as Steve points out, “Language can communicate or obfuscate.”

The problem is that salespeople may be slow to change their approach if it’s been working, but dumping them because a candidate shows up who tells a better story is rarely a good solution. In most cases you’re better off to invest time and effort in the person who knows your products and markets.

But you need to invest differently when MAP (mindset, attitude, philosophy™) is involved.

In Steve’s example it’s far more than language that cost the losing vendor the sale—it was the guy’s MAP that did him in.

Talking TO a customer is as bad as talking AT one. The only TO should apply to listening—when it comes to talking the apropos word is WITH.

Arrogance doesn’t play well in any market and the tighter the market the less it plays.

MAP change is much more than responsive language or better listening skills. MAP can be changed, but the need for that change must be acknowledged, desired and done by the person because she wants to change, not because the boss suggested it or the sales training recommends it.

MAP change is internal and has much in common with the horse and the water.

So when you’re evaluating your sales people’s performance be sure to differentiate between approach and MAP and then act accordingly.

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This entry was posted on Monday, September 29th, 2008 at 4:30 am and is filed under Business info. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
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