*The following is an excerpt from Mark Bishop's book, The Trusted Seller; the foundation for the What Buyers Want sales training program. Contact us for more information.
The traditional sales model alone isn't enough. Sure, the best sales reps follow the traditional sales model by identifying suspects (likely prospects), prospecting, addressing needs, overcoming obstacles, gaining customer commitment and ultimately closing sales. But their focus isn't on this model. Instead, they take a buyer-focused approach to absolutely everything they do.
Let's take a closer look at the behaviors that make up this buyer-focused approach and are used throughout the lifecycle of the business relationship. The best reps employ all 10 winning behaviors all the time. While it's true that certain behaviors play a more prominent role at certain critical points in the buyer-seller relationship, the very best sales reps demonstrate all 10 winning behaviors throughout the life of the relationship.
The behaviors that help them build rapport and earn buyer trust are ones they exhibit from the very first time they contact a buyer until the relationship finally ends. And, the behavior that finally helps the top reps win buyer loyalty is actually one they exhibit repeatedly throughout the relationship.
But how specifically do they win over buyers? Good question, grasshopper! The very best salespeople consistently exhibit 10 key behaviors – distinct, definable behaviors that carry predictable weight with buyers.
These behaviors, illustrated at left, are also very effective at helping to break through the barriers described in a previous chapter.
We'll cover examples of how to demonstrate these behaviors later – along with specific tactics that the top reps employ when exhibiting each behavior.
But for now, here's a more thourough look at how the best reps LIVE each day – the behaviors they exhibit on a daily basis in their interactions with buyers and their importance in building a business relationship:
Be targeted in all communications. The very best salespeople target their communications – every single communication – to the buyer. They target their message to the company, they target their message to the end users of the product or service, and they target their message to the buyer personally. A buyer who receives a targeted effort walks away with the impression that the rep is talking to him personally and that the rep cares – not only for the buyer's business, but for the buyer on a personal level.
Be relevant. Excellent salespeople make their communications relevant to buyers. They share only meaningful information with buyers, such as statistics relevant to the buyer's industry, success stories the buyer can relate to, and/or sales literature pertaining to the buyer's specific needs. Simply put, they make it easy for the buyer to see exactly how they can satisfy the buyer's needs.
Why is this important? Well, I can illustrate the point best by sharing a contrasting example. The rep who forwards a 66-page Powerpoint® presentation does not share relevant information with a buyer. However, the rep who forwards the Powerpoint® presentation with a note identifying the three slides most relevant to the buyer makes the message more relevant. (The best reps "translate" – or decipher – all mass corporate communications to make them relevant to the buyer.)
Your job? Make it relevant: Send short, simple and to-the-point communications to your buyers.
Be purposeful. The top sales reps prepare and plan. They spent time up front crafting the message they want to convey. They figure out ahead of time what supporting materials they want to share with the buyer. They develop a plan to get their message in front of the buyer repeatedly without becoming repetitive or intrusive. The buyer needs to know what's coming or where to go for more information. Many times, buyers don't take action or respond to seller communications because it's not clear what should happen next. (Ironically, what ends up happening is that the buyer assumes the seller will follow up, while the seller waits patiently for the buyer to call if interested! Both the seller and the buyer potentially miss out.)
Be persistent. The best sales reps put forth an admirable effort in earning the buyer's business. By making frequent buyer contact and building upon each previous effort, they demonstrate their knowledge of the buying organization and help the buyer become aware of the potential for a mutually beneficial relationship.
The top salespeople know that you have to touch a new buyer repeatedly – up to eight times – just to get a first appointment. They know you must touch the buyer up to 27 times before a buyer can recall the message. They know there's a lot of competition for the buyer's attention, so they touch the buyer consistently with targeted, relevant and purposeful communications.
Be personable. Top-performing salespeople create satisfying encounters with buyers because they share bits of themselves by disclosing personal stories relevant to the conversation. When done skillfully, you can also give a buyer great insight into your values, your personal faith in the supplier and your dedication. These disclosures, combined with positive body language, good eye contact and active listening, all make a salesperson more likeable in the eyes of the buyer.
Demonstrate benevolent intentions. The best salespeople make their intentions clear and never leave buyers wondering about a possible hidden agenda. Sales reps who demonstrate their sincerity and genuine interest in identifying the best solution for their customers earn buyer attention and appreciation.
Be benevolent; explain how you are taking the buying organization's best interests into account every time you communicate with the buyer.
Demonstrate credibility. Having the best of intentions for your buyer doesn't mean a thing if the buyer has doubts regarding your ability to fulfill promises. You can offer the moon, but if you can't deliver it, your words are empty. The top salespeople make sure the buyer knows they can live up to any and all commitments made.
So, how does this translate to success in sales? Well, the rep who shares actual case studies and/or real-world experiences with buyers demonstrates their knowledge and ability to exert influence over colleagues. Buyers want proof that a seller is credible. And when a rep shares specific examples of how she's solved problems for other companies, the buyer begins to consider that this same rep could potentially deliver a similar value to his buying organization.
Be adaptive. The top salespeople demonstrate flexibility by adapting to buyer needs before they ever make the sale. They work to understand the buyer's position and then do everything within their power to best serve the buyer's needs – even when the solution involves convincing the vendor organization to make policy changes or product modifications to better accommodate the buyer.
This willingness to adapt before ever making the sale suggests a willingness to respond appropriately to post-sales issues. Will your company modify rules to keep its customers happy or force the customer to bend to its policies? Whether the supplier chooses to support its reps is all the evidence a buyer needs to gauge whether your company is customer-friendly or bound by red tape. Your company must demonstrate its adaptability by standing behind the commitments made at a rep level.
My advice? Adapt. Show the buyer that you are customer-friendly. Show that you are more interested in modifying your policies for the customer than you are in making the customer conform to your rules.
Be responsive. The best reps are informed, perceptive and committed to customer satisfaction. They never assume they're safe from competition. Even in buyer-seller relationships that seem very secure, the best salespeople consistently treat their customers with the same care and concern as they did when first trying to earn their business. They respond to all post-sales issues and demonstrate initiative when solving buyer problems. The vendors that demonstrate terrific responsiveness demonstrate an exceptional ability to recover from post-sales service or product failures.
To this day, it amazes me how many companies make it difficult for customers to resolve the post-sales problems that inevitably arise. Why would any company that wants repeat business put a customer through hell instead of simplifying matters for someone trying to resolve post-sales problems? The companies that respond to customers' post-sales issues are the ones that earn the repeat business.
Your job? Respond. Prove to the buyer that he won't be forgotten after the sale. Treat post-sales problems with the same attention you'd provide to any issue that arises prior to writing the order.
Be an advocate (the ultimate goal). The very, very best sales reps develop incredibly strong relationships with their customers – sometimes to the point where both buyer and salesperson become advocates for one another in their respective organizations. Reps who advocate on behalf of their customers get problems resolved quickly and without causing their customers any pain. Few sales reps achieve this level. But those who do achieve a most enviable buyer-seller relationship.
Does it matter that much? You bet it does. From a buyer's perspective, I can tell you that the most readily identifiable distinguishing factor reported by buyers who described their top-performing sales reps was their tendency to advocate on behalf of the buyer. In fact, this single characteristic has come up every time a buyer has described a top-performing salesperson. Buyers recognize the value of salespeople who actively represent their issues or concerns within the supplying firm – which is exactly why they become loyal to those salespeople!
Now, I don't want to give you the impression that advocating is guaranteed to win buyer loyalty, simply because the buyer may not get what he wants within his organization. There may be other higher-ups within the buying organization who have a say in who receives the business. But I can assure you that the more you advocate on behalf of a buyer, the more likely you are to win over those higher-ups at some point. How can you dispute the value of a rep who consistently advocates for the buyer's needs? Advocacy is proof that the vendor does care about the buyer's best interests and that the vendor does take the buyer's concerns into account.
Your job? Advocate for your customer; represent the buyer's interests and needs when taking requests back to your employer. Eventually, the buyer will reward your efforts with his loyalty.
And that's it? Seems straightforward enough doesn't it? Well, the salespeople who consistently exhibit these behaviors cultivate trust and earn loyalty in the buyer-seller relationship.
In the next section of the book we'll look at the tactics that can be used to demonstrate these crucial selling behaviors. Sales tactics that you can work into your customer interactions that will position you as a trusted seller!
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