Why “I” Will Miss Sales
How can we achieve our mission in business when we are so focused on our own ideas and preferences? It simply is not about us; rather, it is all about the customer. The more you know about your customers, the more effective you can be in making the sale.
Every missed sale can be traced to a glitch in the interview process – and all too often it is the interviewer’s use of the pronoun “I”. Really. Next chance you get, listen to one of your colleagues interview a customer and record the number of times you hear the interviewer use “I”, as in “I” think, or “I” am going to tell you, “I” read, or “I” heard.
“I” interviewers fail to grasp that the purpose of the interview is to learn about the customer. What does the customer think? What does the customer want? Once we know the customer’s life patterns, we can assist in discovering his or her needs. When the customer’s needs are realized, we can then present our products and services as solutions.
Ask your questions in a conversational mode, paying close attention to the responses. Use both your eyes and ears. Watch the body language when the customer is talking. Since 55 percent of all communication is non-verbal, the lesson here is to be observant. (Read the book Body Language by Julius Fast to learn how to benefit from observing body language.)
Keep a journal of the customer objections you most often hear in an interview. Replay the interview in your mind to locate the glitch during the discussion. Was it an “I” statement? What question should you have asked the customer instead? If you need some alternatives for those typical “I-deas” for handling objections, email Jan@JLKelly.com. In the meantime, remember there is no “I” before “C” in successful selling.
Dealer Marketing , July 2005, p.23