Telling people how good you and your company are is easy.

Proving it? A little more difficult, though far more rewarding.

You just have to do it right.

We’ve all encountered a few “Harolds” at some point. The ones who didn’t quite pay enough attention during their sales training process. Conversely, there are others who have been trained to approach sales differently and embraced it.

Some, embracing it a little too enthusiastically.

To that point, my wife and I recently experienced a torturous, three-hour presentation, from a sales rep focused on selling us several thousand dollars of new windows for our house. Regurgitating all the selling tips and approaches he was taught.

I’ve been around the old Business Development and Sales block a few times. Recognizing his selling style and what he was doing. It was the classic, aggressive, “Close the deal fast” approach. (He definitely got the aggressive, “Close the deal” part. The “fast part,” not so much.)

For the first two hours and 45 minutes, his rapid-fire pitch was nonstop. Going from one selling point to another. Often doubling back to prove his points:

• Telling us about how good his company is.
• How good its products are.
• How the sales reps and installation teams regularly undergo extensive training.
• Subjecting us to a PowerPoint presentation, repeatedly rambling on about his windows.
• Why they were superior to his competitors.
• Assuring us multiple times he was giving us the best possible pricing allowed by his supervisor, implying it would be non-negotiable.

He was so engrossed in his sales pitch that he forgot some basics. Like listening. Or asking questions. Or looking at the clock. Or, importantly, paying attention to our body language and facial expressions. (If he had, he would have noticed my wife periodically kicking my foot, to get my attention. To make this guy stop talking.)

Then, what happened near the three-hour mark felt like a bizarre, sales-performance directional script from a Saturday Night Live sketch.

IT WENT SOMETHING LIKE THIS::

SALES REP: Tells PROSPECTS he’ll be stepping outside to the porch to give PROSPECTS time to think things through.

PROSPECTS: Staring at each other with puzzled looks on their faces.

SALES REP: Instructs PROSPECTS to flash porch lights on and off once they’ve reached their decision.

PROSPECTS: Opens door for SALES REP.

SALES REP: Exits to porch.

PROSPECTS: Talk. Make their decision. Flash porch lights on and off as instructed.

SALES REP: Returns inside. Self-assured about PROSPECTS decision. CLOSES THE DEAL.

PROSPECTS: Smile. Happily sign the agreement.

SALES REP: Thanks new customers and exits.

Well, that’s probably how the sales rep imagined the scene would unfold. But, after three hours of endless pitching. Providing us with pricing that was at least twice as expensive as his competitors. A fast close. Or any kind of close. Was not going to happen.

Here’s what actually happened.

REALITY SCRIPT

PROSPECTS: Use colorful language describing SALES REP methods and presentation. Flash porch lights on and off as instructed.

SALES REP: Walks back into the house. Expecting to close the deal.

PROSPECTS: Tell him no deal.

SALES REP: Comes back to PROSPECTS twice with lowered pricing. (Apparently forgetting about his supervisor’s “best price” authorization mentioned in hour number one.)

PROSPECTS: Twice more tell SALES REP no deal.

SALES REP: Realizes sales performance curtain closed. Gathers sales materials, preparing to leave. Upon final departure, assure PROSPECTS there will be no “hard sell” follow-up calls.

PROSPECTS: Receive three follow-up calls regarding their decision the next day.

Were his company's windows better? Could be. But after the first 30 minutes, my wife and I stopped listening. He did not convince us to “buy” anything. Why? Because he was too busy trying to “sell” us something. Make that “hard sell” us something.

Takeaway

Generally speaking, it’s important to keep in mind people want to know what something is going to cost right up front. That’s why they will go to the last page of a proposal to find out. Rather than reading all the “happy talk” before getting to the price.

They also don’t want to endure long, painful presentations. The challenge is to develop realistic, ROI-based, and memorable ways that will quickly capture and keep their attention. To make them want to listen to your presentation. Or read your proposal. Because they are intrigued by how, and what you’re communicating. Understanding and believing that what you’re communicating will provide realistic, quantifiable value benefits for them.

You can accomplish those objectives, by using a combination of verbal, and nonverbal business development and communication soft skills. Like active listening, empathy, and creativity. When appropriate, incorporating persuasive resources such as humor, storytelling, cost comparison, and anticipated outcome assumptions that reinforce relevant buying-value propositions.

The goal is simple. Make them want to buy something from you, and work with your company.

Sounds like common sense to me. How about you?

#businessdevelopment #sales #communication #customerexperience