Know Your Clients

As part of continuing my masters degree through Ball State University - The Center for Information and Communication Sciences we have read through You Can’t Teach a Kid to Ride a Bike at a Seminar, 2nd Edition: Sandler Training’s 7-Step System for Successful Selling. I have been able to relate to and learn some great tips for working with whatever type of clients we work with within our career.

“You must present a solution that will get rid of the prospect’s pain.”

When someone is looking for a product of any kind they are looking to be able to alleviate a “pain” or type of problem they have that needs a solution. There are times in which the client knows what the pain or problem is and then there are times they don’t know exactly what kind of solution they are really looking to get. I think one of the most important things to do when you are in sales is have a genuine interest in getting to know the client so you know what their needs are and how what you are selling might fit those needs.

“Questions enable you to obtain information that otherwise wouldn’t be forthcoming.”

Questioning is the best teaching strategy that took me some time to realize just how important it is when working with people. When you question you are allowing yourself to find out more about whoever the "client" is for whatever it is you are doing or selling. Questioning is something we use all the time in teaching and in the profession of teaching what we would call our “client” would be that of the student. To take it a step further I think there are also times in which the “client” in education would be the parents, community, and the school board. Each of those stakeholders at any given time could need some “selling” and when approaching any of them asking questions is critical. 

“People love to buy, but they hate to be sold. Consequently, the professional salesperson leads prospects to close themselves. The salesperson does so by using a technique that I call Negative Reverse Selling.”

When I read this the translation that I would make when it comes to teaching students would be we should help the students make discoveries. It works the same when I think about selling. When we are presenting a solution to a client I think it makes more sense to have the client realize the solution versus anyone trying to pressure them to make something fit. When learning anything when we are able to make the discoveries on our own the learning sticks with the student so much more than just being told the solution. The same works when thinking of selling something to someone. When the client can make the connections and solutions they will be much more vested.

“When you learn how to struggle, you will immediately begin to make your prospects and customers feel better about themselves. Take that away from them, and what’s left? The revolving door. Make someone feel Not-OK, and you’re history. Help them feel OK, and you’ll become a part of their history.”

I can't help but see how this is also a strategy used in teaching. When used we work on getting students to feel comfortable through a way of having them learn with us and making it seem as though the answers are through the collaborative process. I think the more in teaching and also the more in selling we can help the “clients” see we are human and we make mistakes it helps to be relatable. We can’t be inept and seem as though we don’t know what we are doing, but I do think there is value in relating in such a way that they realize you are there with them.