Who is your sales presentation about?

#51

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My two cents; even with a laydown the customer let's you know what they want.

True, Fred - that's a good point. -Skip Anderson

#52

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JC, I suppose nothing is totally universal in selling.

But here's the point I was trying to make: Call it whatever you want, but dialogue about needs and wants of the prospect is as universal in the process of selling as anything. I'm not talking about "my" sales system, I'm referring to teachings of top sales trainers and sales managers and sales experts, and the behaviors of top-performing sales professionals.

Having said that, I'm aware that there are contrarians in every field of endeavor (that small group of people who goes against opinions of the masses in order to stand out - Ann Coulter and Dennis Kucinich in the political realm in the U.S. for instance). There are contrarians in the sales field, too, and lots of those contrarian views about selling are discussed profusely in this forum. So some contrarians believe some very out-of-mainstream ideas. So maybe that's what you're referring to: that contrarians don't see understanding prospect needs as necessary. But let's focus on the mainstream views of the sales industry, not the small group of contrarians. That's as close to "universal" as we're going to get.

[I always smile when someone says they don't want to debate, but then proceeds to debate. But hey, debate isn't bad, as long as it's done respectfully, which you did and hopefully I do. That's part of the value of this forum, that we can debate issues to learn, share, and persuade.]

I don't understand how your soda machine analogy fits our discussion, as a can of coke is not sold by a salesperson. This forum is not devoted to discussion about "selling" hamburgers at McDonalds or toothpaste at Walgreen's or toilet paper at Target or Coke out of a machine at SalesPractice because there isn't a salesperson involved in selling those products so I don't get why you brought that up in your post.

Regarding your reference of a "laydown:" At that point, of course, a salesperson becomes an order-taker and writes up the order and then moves on. Of course a needs assessment is not in order in that scenario, but neither is any other "universal sales step" necessary in a "laydown" scenario.

Very well said! -klozer

#53

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I don't understand how your soda machine analogy fits our discussion, as a can of coke is not sold by a salesperson. This forum is not devoted to discussion about "selling" hamburgers at McDonalds or toothpaste at Walgreen's or toilet paper at Target or Coke out of a machine at SalesPractice because there isn't a salesperson involved in selling those products so I don't get why you brought that up in your post.

Coca-Cola and McDonalds are two of the largest sales orgs in the history of business. How could you say there's no salesperson or selling involved? -bluenote

#54

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Coca-Cola and McDonalds are two of the largest sales orgs in the history of business. How could you say there's no salesperson or selling involved?

Joe Closer referred to a Coke machine. I don't have a salesperson standing next to the Coke machine that I frequent. Do you? -Skip Anderson

#55

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Very well said!

Thank you klozer. -Skip Anderson

#56

Haha- So much for a respectable discourse...

I wonder if a coke machine would have a better close ratio if it tried to "up-sell" you a snack at the same time...

Robotic voice:
"Would u like the Coke Combo with your beverage? How about a 40oz for .25 cents more?"

Hmmmmmmm.... -klozer

#57

Respectable discourse?

The bottom line is there are people who know how to make real money and the rest that don't.

Are you going to argue with that or are you one of the the elite? -bluenote

#58

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Respectable discourse?

The bottom line is there are people who know how to make real money and the rest that don't.

Are you going to argue with that or are you one of the the elite?

Real money? Let me guess, your watch cost more than my car??

Haha

You probably carry around a set of "brass balls" in your briefcase...

Good grief. -klozer

#59

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Is "needs and wants discussion" the turf you are defending, or is really a view that selling requires heroics, or a measurable effort?

Selling doesn't require heroics, but it does require that the salesperson understand the needs and desires of the prospect, thus the need for dialogue about them.

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Contrarians and mainstream---more labels. The majority in selling, what you refer to as mainstream, either fail or just get by. You can't truly understand selling unless you understand buying. Two of the sales trainers that have posted here, more well known than yourself, have demonstrated their knowledge of how people buy. I'm referring to Morgen and Werth.

As I said, my previous comments weren't about me or "my selling system" they're about mainstream thought in the community of sales experts & high performers (minus contrarians or fringe people). Don't take my word for it:

"We all know by now that the success of our sales presentation depends upon serving the needs of our customers. Regardless of your product or service, regardless of your industry, your company, the economy, geographic location or any other factor, there are five basic steps you must take to develop and understand your customer's real need. You must identify the problem before you can solve it."

-Tom Hopkins & Pat Leiby in "Sell it Today; Sell it Now"

"...you build credibility when you skillfully match your product features and benefits to the specific needs that have been identified in your questions..."

Brian Tracy in "Advanced Selling Strategies

"Good questions help you identify needs. Questions pay off both sooner and later. Over the long term, they help you get to know the full range of needs that you customer has so you can satisfy them"

-Linda Richardson in "Stop Telling, Start Selling"

"Questioning is such an important communication skill that it not only simplifies your job but makes your job possible. Without the information provided by your prospect, you cannot function as a non-manipulative salesperson. The proper questioning will give you tremendous insight into your customers' needs, motivations, business climate, and fears. All this information will do two things: serve your clients as well as you can, and it will increase your sales.

-Alessandra, Wexler, and Barrera in "Non-Manipulative Selling"

"The more accurately you can diagnose the needs and wants of your customer, the more appropriately you can prescribe the right product or service. Don't ask just any questions, but questions that will help you to understand the needs, wants, and situation of your buyer"

-Jim Cathcart in "Relationship Selling"

"Success of the larger sale depends, more than anything else, on how the Investigating stage of the call is handled. Investigation is the most important of all selling skills. In our research, we defined a need as 'any statement made by the buyer which expresses a want or concern that can be satisfied by the seller"
-Neil Rackham in "Spin Selling"

All of these people are more famous than the two people you mentioned.

-Skip Anderson

#60

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Do you have a clue on branding and the history of business and sales?

Perhaps you should stay with the Mr. Rogers sales philosophy Skippy.

We weren't talking about branding and the history of business of sales. We were talking about buying a soda out of a machine.

There's no need to get personal in your postings. -Skip Anderson

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#62

Gee, I missed the fireworks and I am glad.

I too have been sucked into, what started out as a discussion, and ended up as a high-school debating team contest.

My position is that it is okay for people to defend "the sales process" as if there is only one sales process. The "main stream” sales process started out as "Needs Selling" in the 1950's and is now called "Consultative" or "Solution" selling by its advocates. In spite of all of the world’s monumentous changes in past fifty plus years, the main stream sales process has hardly changed at all.

While some people might say that is a good thing, it overlooks an important consideration. That sales process has enabled sales to gain the number one position among all major business functions as having the highest failure and turnover rates. No amount of verbose, clever arguments can change that fact.

When you convince new salespeople that there is only one correct sales process, how does your conscience deal with that fact? Of course, I am aware that there are fundamentalists and true believers in many fields who can only see one reality. -JacquesWerth

#63

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mainstream thought in the community of sales experts & high performers

Skip, that's an oxymoron.

Do you really believe that sales experts and high performers act, think, and behave, like the mainstream? -Joe Closer

#64

Skip, you impress me as a sincere person who loves selling and wants to give something back to his profession.

In your well-written and positive blog, you use the words "typical sales-speak bull".

Explain the difference between "mainstream" and "typical".

You've credited the mainstream as having a handle on effective sales conversation, ie. needs/want. How does that correlate with your referring to "sales speak bull" as typical? -Joe Closer

#65

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JC, thanks for your nice comment.

Without giving it a great deal of thought, I would say that "mainstream" and "typical" are synonymous. Do you agree?

Your post raises seems to raise two separate issues:

1. What is "bull" and what isn't "bull"?

My opinion is that bull is bull. Period.

2. What is mainstream and what isn't mainstream.

This discussion in this thread started with your earlier post where you asserted that a "Needs and wants discussion is not a fixed principle of selling."

To review my opinion: I believe it is universal in mainstream selling (and we've already had the debate about what is and what isn't mainstream - so I don't know if we want to go there again). #2 has nothing to do with #1, in my opinion. -Skip Anderson

#66

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In your well-written and positive blog, you use the words "typical sales-speak bull".

Explain the difference between "mainstream" and "typical".

You've credited the mainstream as having a handle on effective sales conversation, ie. needs/want. How does that correlate with your referring to "sales speak bull" as typical?

Was the response to Joe's commentary (above) intended as an example of "typical sales-speak bull," or what? -JacquesWerth

#67

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Was the response to Joe's commentary (above) intended as an example of "typical sales-speak bull," or what?

Jacques, I'm going to take the high road here and not respond to your post.

Skip -Skip Anderson

#68

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Jacques, I'm going to take the high road here and not respond to your post. Skip

Most of your previous posts are exceedingly verbose, feature thorough defenses of your positions, and sarcastic remarks aimed at those that disagree with you.

Could your sudden move to the “high road” mean that you can no longer defend your contradictory statements? -JacquesWerth

#69

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Okay, Jacques, so you choose the low road. I get it. And I'm not surprised.

Jacques, identify one contradictory statement I've made.

Skip -Skip Anderson

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