What would you have done?

I started a thread with poll called Internet Marketing Training or Education and received a private message that lead to the following exchange of messages.

As you can see by the final message both myself and the other party thought this would be a good discussion to bring into the forum. Minus the niceties and contact information these are the exact messages.

After reading the exchange what is your opinion... would you have asked questions or pitched an offer based on assuming an interest or need?


Message #1 - Web Marketing Workshop:

I just commented on your question about internet marketing and I truly feel there is nothing more important in business right now. You truly need to schedule yourself for an upcoming workshop. Please contact me [contact information removed]. You will not be dissapointed.

Message #1 - My Response:

The question I posted was to get an idea of what others are doing in the way of education. Nothing more.

Message #2 - HELLO HOUSTON:

I understand your question and I still feel you would benefit greatly from our consulting and one of our workshops. Give me a shout when you want to get that edge.

Message #2 - My Response:

Since we haven't met what was it about my post that led you to feel I would benefit greatly from your consulting and one of your workshops?

Message #3 - BENEFIT:

Just about everyone in business, sales, marketing, etc. is searching for insight of how to be better and how to have more presence on the internet. Your comments throughout this forum proves you have that interest as well. My company teaches internet marketing in all areas from SEO to Article Writing to true Traffice Analytics and integrates that into sales and lead generation. It would definitely be money well spent.

Message #3 - My Response:

No offense but it's a bit ironic in my opinion that on a website dedicated to sales training you would pitch a product or service before asking a single question, qualifying or otherwise.

Message #4 - IF IT IS NOT FOR YOU IT IS COOL:

Everyone needs it...not everyone accepts it. The more versed you are with the internet as it is integrated into a sales career the better off you will be. If I wrote an article that said I broke my shoelace and you happen to sell shoe laces....would you not try and talk to me about shoe laces??

Message #4 - My Response:

Before pitching any product or service to anyone I'd first ask that person a few well designed questions to determine if there was a perceived need among other things.

Message #5 - NEEDS:

I perceived the needs based on your comments from the forums. Assume the sale!

Message #5 - My Response:

No offense, but in my opinion that's exactly the type of assumptive action that gives salespeople a bad name. Assuming I have a need and asking questions to validate your assumption is one thing. Pushing product based on nothing more than an assumption is misguided at best.

Message #6 - GOOD STUFF:

We will obviously agree to disagree but I would enjoy talking with you further about this topic b/c sales is all about showing a product or service to someone that can use the product or service. A good sales person will paint a picture of how their product and service will make that persons life and/or business better. I am not going to try and sell a house to a 9 year old however, I am going to attempt to make every home owner aware that I was a Realtor. If you are a shoe lace salesperson and you run across someone that uses shoe laces as a good sales person you are going to make them aware of your product even though you know they have 50 pairs of shoe laces on back up....b/c you never know when they may want to try a different color or quality of lace.

Message #6 - My Response:

This would make for a great discussion in the forum. Would you be interested in starting a thread on what we've discussed?

Message #7 - YES:

That would be great....let's include the exact emails we have been communicating.

"After reading the exchange what is your opinion... would you have asked questions or pitched an offer based on assuming an interest or need?" -- Houston

Ask first!

MitchM

In that case....what do you guys do when you ask first and they say NO?

Houston, for example, you have a need for what I was talking to you about however, you may not have an interest....my job is to show you the value so that you get interested.

Again, Insurance Agents are not going to pitch Life Insurance to a 12 year old and Pharmaceutical Reps are not going to call on Construction Workers. True sales is about knowing your product or service and then knowing every single Business or Consumer in your territory that currently use, can use and/or benefit from what you provide.

When a "closed probe" is utilized, there is the opportunity to receive a negative response. But to assume the sale without some ground being covered in advance risks offending the suspect (you've assumed that you've got a prospect in front of you).

For the strong SR out there, it is a known fact that you can lead a suspect through a series of questions which will NOT elicit a negative response. "Open probes" are questions which tend to make the account feel that you're genuinely interested in their business.

Closed probe: "will you be making changes to your phone infrastructure this quarter?"
Open probe: "what elements are included when you cost-out a telco supplier?"

If you took the first approach, you might definitely be cooling your heels at McDonald's. You must admit that the latter probing technique doesn't leave the prospect feeling that he's being manipulated into a close. In point of fact, it is extremely difficult to find out about someone's business needs with closed probes.

The closed probe, however, is very effective when you've got a "low reactor" in front of you (simply isn't responding in a meaningful manner). Ultimatley, though, you'll find yourself back in open probes once you're over the hump.

The experienced SRs out there are seeking objections in every meeting.

Good luck & Good selling!
Pat

Originally Posted by rwilfong In that case....what do you guys do when you ask first and they say NO?

Some people in this forum believe you should ask questions to see if the prospect is interested in doing business with you.

But the effective use of questions in selling is much broader. You ask questions to engage the prospect so you can learn more about him/her and his situation, and so your prospect can develop trust in you.

I think the problem in the scenario that Houston described it is that there was absolutely no engagement whatsoever; it was a prescription without a diagnosis. Some salespeople merely look for warm bodies and when they find one, they PRESENT their product/service. A presentation should almost never occur before a needs/desires analysis. In the scenario, there was no needs analysis, just a self-centered salesperson hoping someone would hop on board.

Skip Anderson

my job is to show you the value so that you get interested." -- rwilfong

Since you define your job that way, rwilfong, describing how you would get someone interested might open this up to a telling discussion.

How will you do it?

MitchM

Outsource

Very true....without objections there is no selling. However, you cannot start getting objections without finding out who your Prospects are within your territory.

Beautiful probing questions however, let us not forget that individual is a prospect even though they may not be doing something within the next quarter. Introducing them to new Telephony applications on a regular basis by phone, email and direct mail is a necessity for your prospect base.

Rory Wilfong

Skip

Needs and Interests are 2 different things. The prospects that are in my Pipeline all have the needs for my product/service at some point in the future, it is my job as a professional sales person to get them interested in my particular products/services when they decide it is time.

TOP OF THE MIND AWARENESS!

Rory Wilfong

Mitch M

If I understand your question correctly, it is simple: I have a territory and I know every person or business in my territory that can use what I offer at some point in the future. Now that I have that list of people and/or businesses I introduce myself and business to those individuals and attempt to get as much information out of them regarding their needs and buying cycle as relates to my particular product/service.

I will then proceed to follow up with them through a CRM customized to my business and my needs so that when they are ready to ask questions and/or pull the trigger...I AM THOUGHT OF FIRST...TOP OF THE MIND AWARENESS.

Rory Wilfong

"Very true....without objections there is no selling" -- Rory

Would you say this is an absolute or law of sales success? The next question is" why are objections necessary to sell?

MitchM