I had just gotten back from two weeks of corporate training and I was pumped up. I had booked eight prospect appointments for that 1st week in the turf and was ready to take all of them through the six steps of the sale.
Monday afternoon, looking polished in my new suit & tie,
I had my first prospect call – Jerry’s Diner.
It was just after the lunch rush and I slid into the faded green booth
across from the owner. I gave him my
card, and attempted to ‘build rapport’ (step 1), making polite chit-chat about
how long they had been in business. I
then set an agenda (step 2), and off I went into my memorized company overview
(step 3) – excitedly telling him how we’re the largest, oldest, most well-respected
company in the industry, 600,000 clients can’t be wrong, etc, etc…
Before I could begin he ended it by raising his hand toward
me and saying, “Whoa, whoa buddy... you’re
in the wrong place. Thanks for stopping
by.” Without a handshake or second
thought he was back in the kitchen and I was alone in the booth.
I got two big lessons my first day out…
Understand your
audience – meeting with the owner or office manager? Top 50 law firm or Jerry’s Diner? Before you step into their door you better know
how to be dressed and the questions you’d like to ask. Seek understanding on their:
·
Website
– is it crisp & new, or was it built in 1996? Shows you their image and positioning in the
marketplace, if they value technology, and their history.
·
LinkedIn
– what associations are they active in? Hobbies? Where did they go to college? Find a common thread and think about what
motivates them. Conversely, maybe they
don’t share much on LinkedIn or any social media platform – chances are they’re
going to hold things a bit closer to the chest.
·
Obvious
Clues – type of industry, their job title, how you got in (referral or call
call?), “About Us” section of website.
Adapt your style
& rhythm. Every conversation has a
pulse to it; a cadence. Your job is to
create flow, which helps display competence and builds a foundation of trust. Matching your prospects energy &
intensity level is a good start. If you
can tell they’re more reserved, don’t be pushy.
Energetic & Fun? Show them
your biggest smile. Do they expand on
questions & ideas, or do they seem like they need to be somewhere else in 5
minutes? With your questions in hand, prioritize
and don’t interrogate. Use phrases like Really?, Tell me more…, No kidding?, How do you
mean? to encourage people to share.
Don’t be afraid if the topics & questions wander a
little – as they say, you never know where the conversation may go (hopefully
toward a 2nd meeting). Understanding
your audience & adapting your rhythm will develop your sense of empathy and
help you better connect with people during those first crucial steps of the
business cycle. In the end, seek first
to understand, then to be understood.
