This podkast with Mike Fisher discussed asking questions on the front-end of a conversation. Determine what the customer’s needs are early in the process rather than “showing up and throwing up.” Mike has been training business development teams (teaching sales representatives to fish!) across the globe for about 20 years.
The discussion centered on “closing deals.” The goal of every sales leader, wanting their team to close deals and bring in new revenue for the company. Mike teaches from looking at the selling perspective. He teaches the sales representative to “hear” the customer and get the customer to articulate what they like about your product.
As the customer continues to dive into selling themselves on the product, they ease their own way toward closing. Part of this critical technique is sincerely listening and not talking. Once a sales representative learns how to listen and not talk, business increases naturally.
Mike talks about he used a Manila folder when he was selling books. His was a unique idea and tactic that ended up onboarding new clients. It wasn’t a “technique”; it came out of his sincerely listening and reading what the customers were saying, uncovering desires. There is clear value in sales representatives knowing how to differentiate their products. Articulating their value proposition translates to uncovering and solving their customer’s needs.
Listen as Greg & Mike discuss the merits and pains of requiring sales reps to be fully trained on their organizations’ products. This podkast will have sales representatives wanting to rewind and listen again!
