REWRITING THE RULES OF SELLING
By Tom Stoyan
Rewriting the Rules of Selling
Learn the insider secrets of Canada’s fastest-growing companies
By Tom Stoyan, HoF
Let’s face it, as a meeting planner your reputation is only as good as the last speaker you hired. You really can’t afford a so-so client experience especially during these tough economic times.
With fewer meetings, it’s now more important than ever to “wow” them at each and every meeting/event. Your speaker selection is often the biggest factor in providing them that “wow” experience.
A Hyundai will get your client to their wedding but is that the experience they are looking for? That next meeting you’re planning may be the equivalent of someone’s corporate “wedding” day.
When the client presents you with a budget, ask them specifically what they want. Some clients are explicit and provide lots of detail. Others want you to look after everything. And then there are those who think you are a mind-reader and should know exactly what they want.
So what do you do? Use questions to identify their needs and their values.
I understand you like to be “in the moment” with your client. And so, on some days, you may ask better questions than on other days. The problem, of course, is that “the moment” sometimes doesn’t show up. So, how do you ensure you ask the right questions?
ENGAGE THEM
Help your client make a better buying decision. That’s your job, and you can do it by simply asking some tough questions. By doing so, you will exceed your client’s expectations and, in turn, enhance your reputation. This will also keep their competition in the cold.
You also need to understand the reason why you’re hired. People come to you because they’re looking for a memorable experience. On some level, they know they are not confident enough to do it themselves. Just as the dentist, the surgeon and the stylist knows things about their area of expertise that helps create the total customer experience – so do you.
Some of your clients may not recognize they don’t have your experience, background and judgment to know what it takes to match their need with a professional speaker. This is especially true when talking about budget.
If matching their needs to the speaker’s value meant only getting someone to fit the budget, your client might wonder if they could do it themselves the next time. You should want your client to only think of you when it comes time to plan for the next event. You want to be seen as the professional planner who invests the time to educate and speak to your client’s real values.
So how does this show up in the real world? Your doctor, lawyer or dentist isn’t concerned if you think the questions they ask are relevant or not. They know better. They know those questions will provide vital information to help with their decision-making process. Your clients expect the same from you.
The real professionals in our society have a checklist of questions they ask before they proceed. The pilot doesn’t take off until the flight
checklist is completed. The surgeon doesn’t begin stitching up a patient until all the instruments are accounted for. What are you doing?
The following insider questions (customized for you) are used by the largest corporations in Canada in more than a dozen industries to help provide even more value by helping their clients with their decisions. I know because they have hired me to develop, train and coach their sales teams.
INSIDER QUESTIONS
The following questions will help you provide both a higher-level of service and a more meaningful experience to your next client.
• Why should they buy the speaker you selected?
• Why should they buy this speaker through you?
• Why should I buy this speaker now or in the near future?
• Why should I buy the speaker you selected at this price?
Write down as many reasons as you can think of for each question (aim for a minimum of five). As you know firsthand, people buy for their reasons and not ours.
Now, here’s the key: turn each of your reasons into a question. These questions become the basis for more meaningful conversations with your clients.
People move the conversation to price because they don’t know what else to talk about. Consider adding these to your discussions to help your clients with their buying decisions: depth of knowledge, years of experience, specific skill set(s), quality of research and customization.
There is a misconception that people will only pay the lowest price (and because of our experience with a few clients, we sometimes let our thinking get distorted). Do you live in the cheapest house, drive the cheapest car, buy the cheapest shoes, watch the cheapest TV? When we are presented with demonstrated, meaningful value, price becomes secondary. The same is true for the vast majority of your clients.
Don’t cheat your clients. Don’t let them focus on price. Instead, discover with them the total customer experience they are looking for and clarify the criteria they need to consider to enable you to provide a “wow” experience.
Known as Canada’s Sales Coach, Tom Stoyan, CSP, is the author of a number of books and articles. Tom’s sales and marketing strategies have been used by numerous diverse groups including RBC Insurance, Air Canada, KPMG and many more.
info@coachingandsalesinstitute.com
I would like to express my appreciation for your post. That’s really great to know that there are such people like you who do their job very well and with such enthusiasm.