One of the key aspects of success in sales is for the sales professional to build a professional and credible rapport with his prospect quickly when he meets with him. This not only applies to a first meeting with a client but also for subsequent follow up meetings after the first call. Anyone can build rapport quickly and establish a framework for success in selling. However doing so requires some hard work and effort. Have you thought much about how you will compete more effectively as a salesperson? Have you considered the role of doing some hard work before meeting with your prospect? When I was 19 years of age I had a job as a door to door salesperson and we called this pre-approach. Pre-approach was learning as much about the customer before you knocked on their door so that you could anticipate their needs and position the product most effectively based upon what you already knew about them. It seems so obvious that everyone would take this approach in selling, but you would be surprised how many sales “professionals” do not do their homework before their first meeting with their client. See what Jeff Thull says about this subject in his book Mastering the Complex Sale:
“Successful salespeople take the time to prepare for the initial conversation with potential customers. They construct external and internal profiles of the customer’s organization and ensure that those profiles match the profile of the ideal customer. They identify the driving forces and perspectives at work in the customer’s organization and become familiar with the customer’s goals. By completing this work, sales professionals lay the groundwork for a successful initial conversation. They create a basis for engagement that enables them to speak with customers using the customer’s language, frame the initial conversation around issues of importance to their customers, and build a perception of professionalism in the customer’s mind that clearly differentiates them from their competition”.
Consider the following before your first meeting with a prospect:
- 1. What is the purchasing environment regarding the company that I am selling to?
- 2. What are the drivers for the decision maker/s that I will be talking with: quality, price, delivery, technical support during the sales process, all of the above?
- 3. How many decision makers will be involved in the purchasing process?
- 4. Who make the final decision about the solution being presented?
- 5. What language does my client use to describe their needs?
- 6. Will I need to bring in other members of my sales team to construct a solution for my client?
These are but a few of the many questions that you can ask yourself regarding how to build credible and professional rapport quickly with your prospect. Doing this is a must in today’s competitive selling environment. Answer these questions before you meet with your next 10 prospects. Measure your results during the sales cycle. Let me know how your sales increase! mack@mackpowers.com
Happy Selling!
For sophisticated veteran sales professionals this post might seem a bit sophomoric. However, hang in there with me and see if there isn’t some truth that resonates with you regarding my analysis. Here is an unusual question regarding your sales success. What can a dog teach you about sales? Quite a bit!