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Customer Relationships
Last Updated: Sep 5th, 2005 - 19:34:16
Customer Relationships
Selling to Customers with Their Own Agenda
Sep 5, 2005, 19:32
Customer Relationships
Selling to Customers with Their Own Agenda
Recently a Quantum Leaps subscriber wrote me about how to deal with difficult buyers who are in the process of evaluating several competitors. His situation is so universal and problematic to those of us who sell that I asked him if I could publish his question along with my response. So here it is.
Mark's Sales Scenario:
A prospective customer calls us in for a meeting - they've heard of us through a reference or general marketing flyer. I go in with questions trying to figure out how we can help, but they have a fixed agenda. With checklist in hand, they're unrelenting and totally focused on getting their own questions answered. They want to talk price before they even know if what we offer is beneficial to them.
They want literature from me and don't want to talk "fit" or benefit. They're disinterested in talking about anything that's not on their "feature functionality" list or comparison survey form. I try to find the needs that are driving their decision to change, but they keep the discussion from going there.
I expect this is a "low hanging fruit" situation but we have gotten business from this kind of "interrogation". Typically, though, I don't get add-on business or get to know the client very well.
Any thoughts or suggestions here? . . .
Sep 5, 2005, 19:32
Customer Relationships
Are You Making Liars Out of Your Prospects?
Consider this scenario:
A sales rep gets nowhere on a prospecting phone call. Because he thinks he's doing something productive, or he's in a rush to minimize the pain and get off the phone, he uses one of these laughable lines:
"Well, keep us in mind, OK?"
"Here's my number, write it down just in case."
"How about I give you a call in six months or so?"
When I'm the prospect, I really do feel quite guilty (OK, maybe only slightly. All right, not the least bit of remorse) when I respond with an "OK, I will keep you in mind," or when I'm pretending to write down their number. "What was that second number again?"
These phrases make liars out of prospects.
Face it. They have no intention of "keeping us in mind," let alone writing down our number. These phrases don't accomplish anything positive, and give no reason for the listener to ever want to consider "keeping you in mind" or calling you.
But you can and should salvage something from these calls. Here's what you should do and say instead . . .
Aug 15, 2005, 16:11
Customer Relationships
What Do Your Customers Really Think?
Do you have formal and significant ways to recognize your best customers? Do you appreciate their loyalty? Do they know you appreciate them? Do you sometimes forget that they are your most valuable assets?
It’s not unusual for salespeople and their organizations to take customers for granted. In fact, I was recently consulting with a very well known company whose salespeople told me that they regularly hear comments like, “We helped to make you and now you don’t even talk to us,” or “We got you where you are today and now you’re even forgetting who we are.”
This all-too-common problem can be the first sign of an on-setting decline for your business. Taking customers for granted can be a function of a lot of things – a tremendous desire to grow market-share while hoping your base doesn’t erode, constantly seeking more profitable business, arrogance, a failure to appreciate existing customers, short term thinking, indifference or just plain laziness.
The bottom-line? . . .
May 23, 2005, 16:14
Customer Relationships
Their Lack of Commitment Wastes Your Time
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While pouring myself a cup of coffee in the break room of a company where I was doing some onsite training, I couldn't help but overhear two women in a spirited conversation.
"Yeah, he just couldn't make a commitment."
"Oh, I hate those kind."
"What a wimp. Every time I tried to get a definite answer, he would get all wishy-washy with me."
"I know the type. I've had those too."
"So, whaddja do?" . . .
Apr 5, 2005, 11:09
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