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No 12 February 2004 The Oldest ProfessionThat got your attention!! Contrary to what you've heard, selling is the oldest profession in the world. Long before anything else, the serpent sold Eve on the desirability of the apple. You might say she bought wholesale, because she then sold the apple retail to Adam. I say retail, because, as you know, that was a very expensive apple. Lot lost the sale at Sodom, and also at Gomorrah. Then Jacob sold Esau some soup for his birth-right. And after several hard deals, Moses sold Pharaoh on the idea of letting his people go. Selling has been going on for a long time. It's in The Book, right after "In the beginning...". "But", you say, "in my business, I am not selling anything". "I write a report", or "I do people's accounts" or whatever it may be. I would argue that every individual who is in business, as a portfolio worker or as a corporate employee must first sell. You have to sell yourself to the prospective client that you can do the work, supply the product, supply the service. To do that is selling. Anyway back to the oldest profession. Everyone knows that in order to sell you have to communicate. In every case I mentioned the second paragraph above, and in every case you can think of, nothing is sold until at least two people communicate. Webster: communicate, v, to impart, to make known. For business people and salespeople in particular, this is an unfortunate definition because it makes you think about the selling process completely backwards. One of the characteristics that separate humans from other animals is ego. Professional selling requires a method of communication that is not at all intuitive, and which is in absolute conflict with our ego. Here's a trick question: When you think of communicating with your prospective clients, do you think about your products, colours, sizes, delivery schedule, prices, product-of-the-month, and how smart you are? If you do, your selling career is doomed. Don't get me wrong. You need to know your business. But in the professional selling process, if these things are what you intend to communicate going in, you've got the cart dangerously before the horse. Here's another question: Who has the information that you need to make a sale, seal a deal: you or your prospective client? Of course, your prospective client. So why do people spend so much time in front of a prospective client running their mouth? Sadly, the mouth is the tool-of-choice of the ego. Oh, that it was the ears instead. S:U:L:SA new axiom, and a handy acronym to go with it: Shut Up - Listen - Sell! SULS. Tattoo those four letters on the palm of your hand. Unless you are a mindreader, the only way to get the $golden$ information out of the prospective client's head and onto a contract is through your prospective client's mouth. If you're talking, the prospective client is not talking. Starting to see the way this communication thing is supposed to work? You ask SHORT QUESTIONS. You SHUT UP. Prospect TALKS A LOT. You LISTEN a lot. You SELL a lot. Take another look at Webster's definition of communication. Next time you make a call on a prospective client, think about that definition this way: the CLIENT "imparts", or "makes known" TO ME. Not the other way around. Your job is to listen, and get the contract ready. SULS. Six Things To RememberVarious books have identified some of the key elements of communication that are often ignored: Maintain Direct Eye Contact The most valuable thing your prospective client can do for you is to talk about what's on his mind, and nothing stops the flow of this golden information quicker than when he thinks you are not listening. You can give that impression by your body language, including your eyes. An excellent way to get your prospective client to STOP talking is to fidget around like the teacher's pet who wants to be the first to recite the that passage from Shakespeare. (You know, the one who reminded the teacher that she hadn't given out the homework assignment.) Relax. Sit back. Cross your legs. Make your prospective client think his words are the most interesting thing you've ever heard. Because at that moment, they are. Concentrate Concentrate, concentrate on every word your customer says. Don't think about what you are going to say next. Just what the customer is saying. Recently, someone paid me what I considered to be a compliment. He said, "Tom, you listen well." When you are "communicating" with your customers and prospective clients, "listen well." Give it a try. See what happens. Keep Them Talking If you do the talking, the customer does the walking. Two of the essential things you need to be successful in selling yourself or your product are:
As long as the prospective client is talking, you are accomplishing both goals. Even prospective clients who aren't egomaniacs like to talk about themselves, the things that interest them, and their problems. Remember, the gold is in the prospective client's head. Your job is to mine that gold by keeping them talking. Their problem is your opportunity. Keep It Simple Don't use jargon - the technical, industry terms and acronyms that you use when you talk with your co-workers of peers. Most of that stuff doesn't mean anything to your prospective client; at best it will confuse them, and at worst it will annoy. Either way, you lose! Let The Prospective client Maintain The Momentum Don't ask long, convoluted questions. Once you have the customer talking, you don't want her to lose her momentum. Remember, it's intuitive to feel that you are in charge when you are talking. In selling your self, your product, your services, it's the other way around: You are in charge as long as the prospective client is talking. Wait Three Seconds While the prospective client is talking, tell yourself that no matter what happens, when you think the prospective client is finished you are going to WAIT 3 SECONDS before you say anything. If you do this, four important things will happen:
Professional selling, selling yourself or your product or service is about effective communication, which means you let the prospective client do the communicating first. It's as simple as SULS. Be a successful seller of yourself, your products, your services.
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