Ask any three colleagues from work what color they prefer for a car and why and you will likely get three different answers. Even if they choose the same color, they will likely have a different reason for their color choice. Ask a group of your friends what two traits they consider most important in a spouse or potential spouse (or date) and then to rank those two traits first and second and you will likely get an unexpected mix of responses. You know these folks well and yet their answers are likely to surprise you. Why is that and what is the implication for selling and presenting, particularly to folks you don’t know as well?
Don’t Assume. Ask.
As similar as people are, they are also wildly different in their experiences, perceptions, and preferences. In selling and presenting, the more we know about how they think, the more likely the success for buy-in to our products, services, and ideas. In my experience coaching
hundreds of people,I see that in a discovery discussion, people tend to stop short of getting the information that reveals the real factors why a buyer will buy. The usual key questions that are asked uncover
- Goals/Objectives
- Needs/Challenges
- Current fixes
- Timing
- Decision-making
- Budgets
All necessary information to get, to which I would add
- What does success look like?
- What are your preferences/priorities for how we approach X? Why?
- What factors will be most important in your decision? Why?
There are different ways of asking the above questions, but getting at their definition of success, their preferences for how they see working with you, and any other factors that will enter their decision-making mix leads to a higher level conversation that helps you shape a more compelling rationale for working with you.
Anne Miller
Words Matter – Make What You Say Pay!
Do Your Sales or Presentations Stop Just Short of Success?
- Do you want to close business faster?
- Do you want to be a more compelling presenter?
- Are you a pro who wants an objective “sales & presentation check-up?”
If you answered “YES” to any of these questions, let’s get you to the next level of success for your business!
We can work in-person or remotely. Contact me today! 212-876-1875 amiller@annemiller.com
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