Finding the Answer
“People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care” - Theodore Roosevelt. This profound quote shines the spotlight on how to connect and engage with people. In sales, people often use the ditty “people like people who are like them, who like them and who like what they like”. So, how do we show we care and how can we be more likeable?
Obviously the starting point is having a genuine desire. Many people have an incredible knack for sensing the authenticity of others. For me, this is why sales is such a privileged position - you get to serve people. Discovering that sales is not about selling but rather about serving people and helping them get what they want, was an epiphany moment. It helped me replace the image of ‘pushy people trying to get you to buy stuff you did not want so they could meet their budget’, with the correct understanding that sales is a role of service.
With a genuine desire to help and to use the skills, knowledge and experience one has to better the lives of others the role of sales is one of everyday service. The challenge of course, is that one has to be able to connect with people, get past their mental blockages and images of salespeople and establish trust before you are able to help. It is here that questions come into their own as ‘tools’ in the salespersons kit.
When we ask questions with the genuine desire to understand another person and then listen attentively with an open mind and heart we create a fertile ground for trust to grow. Many people ask questions and listen to answer rather than listening to understand.
When we connect with customers, well prepared with questions that we know will help us get an insight into their world, we become trusted advisors. What are the typical pain points your customers face, what dreams and solutions do they aspire to find, what resources do they have to get there? These questions and more show that we have a deep understanding of the people we are best set up to serve. Questions hold the answers. Has your business crafted industry specific questions and built a knowledge base to help you serve well?
