29 Nov The Hidden Sales Piece That Strikes a Chord

There are several variations of the number of steps involved in the selling process and there are countless books and courses on selling. Millions of people have read the books and attended the courses, so why do companies continue to struggle closing sales? Perhaps comparing the selling process to learning  an instrument – let’s say a guitar, can help to understand what’s missing.

How many people do you know that own a guitar? How many play their guitar? You see, owning a guitar can be like owning a fitness machine. The difference being that a guitar holds a lot less laundry. We buy things like guitars and fitness machines because we have a vision of who we want to become, however, we quickly realize that there is a lot of work involved… and then we hang it up.

Learning to play guitar requires an education about music and notes. It requires knowledge of finger placement, pressure, movement, timing and even how to hold the guitar and pick. You need to know the anatomy of the guitar, how to re-string it and how to tune it. There is picking, strumming, chords, open chords, power chords, rhythm and timing coordinated together to make music. Once you learn the basic fundamentals you are ready to begin. Plan for 30 minutes 4-5 times a week for 4-6 months and you should be able to play a couple of songs comfortably. It’s that easy!

Selling is a similar beast. The books and courses will cover the steps and the knowledge, and you can determine how much time you want to put into practicing each of those steps, but what about the rhythm and timing? Where do they fit? You can’t just follow along with notes from a text book to make the sale. There is a space in the selling process where you must interact with your customer, intertwine the notes and produce the “music”.

The magic is in what you see and hear during your conversation. It has been noted for centuries, that regardless of culture or ethnicity, complex human personalities can be divided into 4 elements. There are variations of the methodology and terms dating back as far as 370 BC, but let’s use Dr. David Keirsey’s more current and simplified model. Dr Keirsey has proven that a persons’ natural behavior can be primarily grouped into one of the following temperaments:

1. Artisans –  trouble-shooters, performers and competitors
2. Guardians – preservers, good citizens and helpful
3. Rationals – non-conformists, visionaries and problem solvers
4. Idealists – romantics, poets and nurturers

There are several methods of determining personality types. Some common ones are DISC, MBTI and a color temperament theory called True Colors. What’s important is that each one provides a series of questions that will identify a personality type. Temperaments can be further derived from the style of wrist watch, clothing, eyeglasses, shoes, quality and quantity of jewelry, and even the hair style a person wears. Understanding a customers’ temperaments will unlock the mystery of what, why, and how they buy.

Another hidden gem in the conversation is recognizing the impact of body language; yours and theirs. The classic kids’ song “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes” is a good reminder of areas of impact regarding body language. At first engagement, every movement and reaction speak volumes about how a person feels – including your own. Establishing baselines and building rapport are key precursors to successful sales pitches. If done right and with patience, it will comfort your customer and allow you to guide the direction of the conversation.

The textbook notes for selling are as valuable to a salesperson as musical notes to the musician, however, it’s how you blend the notes together that make the music sound good. Recognizing and understanding how to use the information you derive from mining human behavior will increase your customers comfort level, allow you to steer the conversation, and smoothly close a sale. Selling isn’t simply delivering value at a reasonable price. It’s about comforting your customer, so that they feel they are receiving value at a reasonable price from someone they like and trust, hence the evolution of a repeat customer.

If you are looking to increase the size of your bank account, you can begin by uncovering and developing the tools to build easier and larger sales while establishing repeat customers. Whether you are a sales person, or a sales team; an individual, or an organization, visit www.smilingrhino.ca or email info@smilingrhino.ca for customized training that will provide positive results, both personally and professionally.

Written by Paul Hobbs