| Jeff Gitomer coined the phrase at a
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| | goals, industry, problems, his way of
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| recent convention: "It's not about what
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| | thinking, how he makes money, his
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| you are selling, it's about what the
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| | customer's customers, and ultimately,
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| customer is buying."In reality, the
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| | their problems. Again, it's about what
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| customer is not buying your product, he
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| | the customer is buying.Caution: The
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| is buying fulfillment for a need.
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| | Solution May Not Be What it SeemsThat is
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| Salespeople need to diagnose customers'
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| | why it is important that the "Sales Force
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| business needs and create solutions that
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| | of the Future" understands the customer's
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| help improve customers' business
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| | customer and the customer's industry.
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| performance. What is the customer really
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| | Sometimes a solution that seems obvious
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| buying? Thomas Winninger, America's
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| | is obviously wrong. My eight-year-old
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| marketing strategist states it simply
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| | grandson, Zayne, drove that point home to
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| with the following examples:"BMW doesn't
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| | me just last week. We got in the car to
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| sell cars, their customers buy a driving
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| | go down to the store. Being a responsible
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| experience.""Kodak doesn't sell film,
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| | grandfather, I put him in the back seat
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| their customers buy a magic
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| | and told him to buckle his seat belt.
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| moment.""Hertz doesn't rent cars, they
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| | "Gee, Grandpa we're only going down to
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| get you out of the airport
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| | the store on the corner. Do I have to?"
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| faster."Nowadays, salespeople must be
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| | "Zayne," I replied, "It's a proven fact
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| problem solvers able to generate
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| | that more than 75% of accidents happen
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| solutions for customers in their time of
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| | within 20 miles of your home." With the
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| need. Therefore, they must possess a
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| | seriousness and pure innocence of an
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| great deal of knowledge about their
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| | eight-year-old, Zayne looked at me
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| customers' business. Often, they must
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| | puzzled and said, "Then why don't we just
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| actually define what those needs are
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| | move? "Finding the PainBe more
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| because the customer may not know, nor
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| | knowledgeable and conscious of your
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| take the time to explain.Customers want
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| | customer's problem. You're no longer
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| the "Sales Force of the Future" to have
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| | selling a product, you're selling a
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| the knowledge and intelligence to
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| | solution to make their life easier,
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| comprehend and analyze their problems
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| | happier, better, less complicated, or
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| before showing up at the door. Customers
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| | more fun. By understanding the customer's
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| will listen and buy from the salesperson
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| | business and his customers, you help them
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| that finds the "pain" and takes it away.
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| | make a profit through both cost
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| They want solution providers, not the
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| | reductions, improved efficiencies,
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| "coolest technology" with three
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| | increased value and increased sales.
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| adjustable speeds.The "Sales Force of the
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| | Those solutions come in many forms and
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| Future" recognizes that it's not about
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| | may have nothing to do with your product.
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| what you are selling. It's not all about
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| | That's okay. Look for the pain regardless
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| the product. They are knowledgeable about
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| | of what it is and focus on the
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| the customer's problem, what he/she is
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| | solution.Customers don't want products,
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| really buying, and translates the
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| | they want profits - or ways to make
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| solution into the sale.Old and New
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| | profits. They want satisfaction, feelings
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| FormulasAs today's sales environment
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| | of comfort, pride, praise and
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| leans toward a more multifaceted
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| | self-esteem. They are people just like
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| atmosphere, salespeople must become
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| | us. Well, maybe they don't have the same
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| strategists with a plan. This plan
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| | crazy genetics that we have as
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| requires more knowledge about the
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| | salespeople, but they are just as smart,
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| business, better relationships and better
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| | just as caring and have similar personal
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| solutions. Some old school salesmen may
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| | needs and feelings.So, how do salespeople
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| believe they know what it takes. They
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| | find the customer's pain and identify the
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| have the experience. They've been around
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| | problem? How do we figure out what they
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| a long time. They also may be wrong. The
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| | are really buying? You gain much of this
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| world is changing. The "Sales Force of
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| | knowledge by listening. I mean really
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| the Future" is doing things differently.
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| | listening. You don't focus on pushing
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| They recognize we can't afford to become
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| | product. You focus on the customer and
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| complacent. Complacency destroys
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| | what he is telling you. You research his
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| competitive advantage. As sales
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| | industry. You talk to his customers and
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| professionals, we can't become full of
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| | even his competitors, but carefully. Once
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| ourselves, no matter how long we've been
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| | you have this knowledge and understand
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| in the field, no matter how much
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| | your customer completely, you can provide
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| experience we have. Thomas Winninger
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| | intelligent solutions to almost any
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| emphasizes my point in telling the story
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| | challenge. You have raised your
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| of the tortoise and the hare.In the fable
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| | customer's expectations of you and your
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| The Tortoise and the Hare, the tortoise
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| | company, which creates competitive
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| didn't win the race. The hare lost it. He
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| | advantage. It's all about value - not the
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| lost it because he was stupid. He was too
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| | value-added built into your product or
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| busy looking over his shoulder wondering
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| | your service, but it's about adding value
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| what the tortoise was doing instead of
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| | to a situation, to your relationship. Do
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| taking advantage of his strengths. He was
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| | this and you create a real partnership
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| better, faster, quicker and smarter - but
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| | with your customer and his company.It's
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| he forgot, he became complacent.On the
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| | Not Rocket ScienceSteps to
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| flip side, the "Sales Force of the
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| | follow:1. Relationships are still very
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| Future" understands that everyday is a
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| | important - Build them.2. Analyze the
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| new learning experience. In the old days
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| | situation - Understand the customer's
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| when I was a salesman growing up in
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| | problem before you talk about the
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| distribution, sales success had a simple
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| | solution. Listen, listen, listen.3. Be
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| formula: Relationship Selling. A mentor
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| | familiar with the customer's past,
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| of mine drilled that formula into my
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| | present and future goals and adjust
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| head.Formula of Past Success: Develop a
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| | accordingly.4. Put yourself in their
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| strong relationship with your customer,
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| | shoes. What would you want to hear? What
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| make friends with him, and he will find a
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| | would you do?5. Talk to the "head man" -
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| way to buy from you.Relationships alone
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| | the hub - the one who makes the decisions
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| will not get you the sale today. Of
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| | and knows the company inside and
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| course, they are still very important,
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| | out.6. Know the industry - Talk to your
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| especially to get a chance to even apply
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| | customer's customers.7. Do your homework
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| today's formula for success. Today's
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| | - Surf the net and do research. Learn
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| formula is just as simple as in the past,
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| | your customer's business, his market, his
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| but remember, it's not about what you are
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| | competition, how he makes a profit, his
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| selling, it's about what the customer is
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| | customer and, most importantly, his
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| buying. Figure out what he is buying -
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| | personal pain in doing business.As stated
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| what solution the customer needs.
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| | earlier, relationships are still
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| Formula of the "Sales Force of the
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| | important. In fact, there should be
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| Future:" Figure out what the customer is
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| | multiple layers of relationships between
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| really buying. Become a total solution
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| | your customer's firm and yours, not just
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| provider by taking away the pain.Find the
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| | one. What's the difference today? The
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| pain and make it go away, even if it has
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| | relationship is just the ante to play in
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| nothing to do with your product. It's
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| | the world of professional sales. Once
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| about being a total solution provider.
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| | we've established those relationships, we
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| Today's formula works because it creates
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| | must manage them well to provide maximum
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| competitive advantage. It is the secret
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| | value to our customers.The lone wolf
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| to success for the "Sales Force of the
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| | sales approach of the past, the one I too
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| Future."In times past, salespeople were
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| | grew up using, won't work in today's
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| trained to focus on their product. They
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| | environment. The "Sales Force of the
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| knew everything about it - what features
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| | Future" understands that. Times have
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| it had, the benefits, how long it could
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| | changed. Consolidations continue to
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| last and what the red button did when
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| | occur. Purchasing is a profession.
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| pressed. Salespeople talked about the
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| | Customers are smarter. They gain more
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| product until they were blue in the face.
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| | market power everyday. The "Sales Force
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| Armed with brochures and warranties, they
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| | of the Future" understands that it is no
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| were ready to attack. But, in today's
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| | longer about Power & Politics, it's now
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| environment, customers want more, not
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| | about Principle & Process. Success for
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| just the latest technology and the best
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| | the "Sales Force of the Future" depends
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| "widget" a person can buy. They want
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| | on an architecture aligned with
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| complete solutions to all their problems.
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| | customers' needs and profit
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| Suddenly, the brochure and other
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| | opportunities. Remember, it's not about
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| marketing materials are simply support
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| | what you are selling!Dr. Rick Johnson ()
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| functions. Buyers are more educated, more
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| | is founder of CEO Strategist LLC. an
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| professional and seek more than just
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| | experienced based firm specializing in
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| products. They want efficiencies, market
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| | strategic leadership . CEO Strategist
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| share and profit generation.As Jeff
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| | works in an advisory capacity with
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| Gitomer says, "You cannot puke all over
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| | company executives in board
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| your customers with features and
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| | representation, executive coaching,
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| benefits." In the old days, we were
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| | education and training to make the
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| taught to spray the purchasing agent's
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| | changes necessary to create competitive
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| office with talk about these features and
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| | advantage. You can contact them by
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| benefits. When they asked questions we
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| | calling 352-750-0868, or visit for more
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| were trained to watch their lips, and
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| | information.
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| when they took a breath, that was our
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| | Rick received an MBA from Keller
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| sign to talk some more. In contrast, the
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| | Graduate School in Chicago, Illinois,a
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| "Sales Force of the Future" needs to
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| | Bachelor's degree from Capital University
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| LISTEN more than 80% of the time.
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| | and his PhD in strategic leadership.
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| UNDERSTAND the customer's behavior,
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|
