From the ArcaMax Publishing, Business Success Newsletter:
http://www.arcamax.com/news/businesssuccess/s-295634-842355
It is much easier to tell than sell. It is much easier to teach than
to coach. Selling and coaching require more listening, and listening
takes time. And yet, one of life's great lessons is that people rarely
resist their own conclusions. If we want to influence thinking, we
need to take the time to draw out the person whose thinking we're
trying to influence and whose behavior we're trying to change.
In this conversation between an SM and a consultant, you'll discover
vicariously the power of not telling people all of the answers, even
if you're right.
"I require my salespeople to make ten new business calls a week," said
the sales manager.
"Hmmm, that's an interesting standard," said the consultant. "How is
it working?"
"We have a tremendous amount of new business activity," allowed the
SM.
Said the consultant, "With your 17 people, you're getting 170 new
business calls each week. How are new business sales?"
"A little slow."
"If I'm one of your salespeople and I make my ten new business calls
this week, what happens if I have three or four good prospects in that
group?" asked the consultant.
"You would follow them up, of course."
"So, I would follow up those four and make six other new business
calls?" reasoned the consultant.
"You'd make ten new business calls plus the four follow-up calls.
Because you've already seen the four, they are no longer new," the SM
reasoned back.
"So if it takes three or four calls to close a new piece of business,
only the first call counts as a new business call in your system."
"Now you've got it."
"So theoretically, in the fourth week of the cycle I could be
following up 16 or 20 prospects in various stages of the process in
addition to making my ten new business calls,"
"It takes you a while, but you do catch on," said the SM . "When you
were selling, did you ever make ten new business calls in a week plus
follow up 16 hot prospects?" asked the consultant.
"Well, no, but that's different. I had a better closing ratio than my
team did."
"Perhaps that was because you prioritized and persisted professionally
with fewer prospects," suggested the consultant.
"Are you suggesting that I change my standard? That I not require ten
new business calls a week?"
"That's an option you have. What if you keep the standard and change
the definition of a new business call?"
"You mean count follow-up calls to advance the sales process as new
business calls?"
"It depends. Do you want new business dollars or new business
activity?" asked the consultant.
"I think I'll take your advice," sighed the SM.
"I didn't give you any. I just asked you some questions, and you came
to your own conclusion."
"I wonder if this approach would work in sales. Could we train
salespeople to draw out prospects about their needs, instead of
telling them about our cluster?" mused the SM.
"As I recall, they used to call that the 'consultant sell' or
something. Of course, at today's pace of business, it's hard to get
people to sit down for such a thing," said the consultant, taking a
contrary position.
"Hold on just a minute. Maybe it's not our clients. Maybe we have to
slow down ourselves and ask the questions."
"Hmmm. You may be right. What would be the consequences of taking more
time up front to ask questions?" asked the consultant.
"I think it might make the process a bit more fun, and it would cut
down on all of the media kits and rankers we send out. I think I'll
bring it up in the next meeting."
"Why not let the salespeople discover it for themselves?"
"You mean ask instead of telling a sales meeting too?"
"You said it, not me."
"Thanks. Here's your giant check," said the SM.