When we work with salespeople, we often start out by asking them to give us their pitch. We would say that well over half the time, they start out something like this:
“Thank you for inviting us here today. We would like to start off by telling you a bit more about who we are and what we do. Our company has been in business for 45 years, etc., etc.
” Stop right there! You have just killed the meeting. Why? Because people don’t want to see pictures of “your kids,” they want to see pictures of “their kids.” Put another way, they do not want to hear about you . . . they want to hear about themselves . . . their goals, their fears, their problems and your solutions.
But how do you know where to start? With a pretty simple but incredibly powerful concept . . . ask them!
At your next meeting, after the small talk and introductions are complete and you are ready to bear down, try this one:
“Mr./Ms. Buyer . . . we have prepared a lot of material today about ways to collaborate on addressing your goals and objectives, but before we get started, what is the most important thing you want to make sure we cover today?”
This approach kills several, huge birds with one stone:
- It empowers the buyer . . . always a good thing emotionally.
- It allows the buyer to guide you right into the sweet spot of the deal.
- It changes a “presentation” into a “conversation,” always the most powerful means of communicating.
The buyer knows what he wants and so can you if you just ask him/her!
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