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Editorial

Trust trumps features and benefits FIRST, SEEK TO UNDERSTAND. THEN SELL

By Rick Phillips

According to the United States Bureau of Labor StatisIt’s important to make a positive connection with your custics, there are more than 150 million people currently tomer, or potential customer, as soon as they become engaged. employed in the U.S. Out of all those hard-working The most effective way to do this is by taking a genuine interest people, about 15 million or so consider themselves to in the specific problem they are trying to solve. This not only be salespeople. So, essentially, one in every 10 workgives you credibility, but also helps establish trust. Once the ing Americans is out there, trying to sell something for a living. customer knows you have their best interest in mind, and are

Now, let’s play a word association game. If you took a random not just trying to sell them something, the conversation changes. survey and asked people on the street to think of a salesperson, what words do you think might come to mind? “Trustworthy?” SLOW IT DOWN “Professional?” “Knowledgeable?” Perhaps someone with their By far, the most common error salespeople make is to jump “best interest” in mind? Probably not. right in and start trying to “sell” features and benefits before

In fact, you would likely hear something a lot less flattering. understanding the customer’s needs. In Steven Covey’s book, According to Daniel Pink, in his book, “To Sell Is Human,” nine “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”, Habit No. 5 is “seek first out of 10 people have a negative perception of salespeople and to understand, then be understood.” He talks about empathetic generally don’t trust them. Moreover, he listening and creating an atmosphere of found that most salespeople don’t even trust caring and problem-solving. When you other salespeople. The fact is, there are a lot are able to achieve this level of trust with of salespeople out there, but not all are of the same caliber. BUYING DECISIONS ARE HEAVILY a customer, you are no longer viewed as a salesperson. You are viewed as a trusted THE CAUTIOUS CONSUMER INFLUENCED BY A PERSON’S advisor. Take time to discover as much as possible In 1962, President John Kennedy introduced something called the Consumer Bill of Rights. BEHAVIORS AND IMPULSES, about the customer’s problem before trying to present a solution and close the sale. The This was specifically designed to protect the consumer against malicious business practices. AND EVEN THEIR MOOD. more time-invested in discovery, the less time will be needed for presentation. Trying to Despite this, a lot of people still feel a little compensate for a lack of understanding by sense of “caveat emptor,” a Latin phrase that selling harder is a quick way to lose credmeans “buyer beware.” It’s based on the premise that the seller knows ibility and destroy trust. The customer will respond with stalls much more about what’s being purchased than the buyer, so it’s up and objections. This, of course, is typically countered with some to the buyer to perform due diligence before making a purchase. sort of additional discount or other concession in an attempt to

There are many resources available for consumers to utilize. preserve the sale. Sound familiar? We live in the most marketed society in the history of the world. People are busy. They just want to do business with someone It’s a very competitive, very crowded and very loud market. There they can trust and not have to worry about being taken advantage is so much information out there that most consumers are as of. In today’s competitive environment, with countless brands confused as they are informed. looking for ways to stand out, being a trusted brand is a great

People are naturally skeptical of salespeople because they make differentiator. The more trust your customers have in you, the a living competing with other salespeople for their attention and riskier your competitors seem in comparison. money. And make no mistake: The competition is fierce — to You are busy, as well. There are a lot of things competing for the point that many times, “selling” is now defined as “winning.” your attention. Make sure you prioritize effectively. Paying proper Consumers hear this and wonder which role they are supposed attention to your customers’ needs and earning their trust should to play in the winner/loser equation. be at the top of the list.

KNOWING VS. CARING

Sell well! ■

Consumers are not as rational as they like to think. Studies show that buying decisions are heavily influenced by a person’s behaviors Rick Phillips is CEO and president of Disruptive Concepts Consulting LLC, a Sandler Training firm based in San Antonio, Texas. He has 40 years of sales and marketing experience in the and impulses, and even their mood. They act on emotion and tire industry working for Yokohama Tire Corp., Triangle Tire USA and various independent then justify their actions with logic. tire dealers. For more information, visit www.disruptiveconcepts.sandler.com/about.