It’s Time To Change Your Focus!

Published on September 2, 2002

Facts: You need to make quota!

You need to get your manager off your back!
You need to make bonus!
You need to pay your mortgage!
You need to buy new clothes!
You need to buy a new house!
You need to send your kids to college!

Okay, you get the point. You have needs and therefore you must close the next sale! The problem is if you go a sales call with this mindset, you will rarely close the sale. You will just talk about what you think is important to the customer in hopes of getting the deal.

While most of us truly wish the best for everyone, the fact is we are more concerned with our own issues. Going on sales calls possessed by what you need is not going to get you closer to your customer. You must forget your needs for the time being and concentrate on your customers needs. You do this by asking the right questions, actively listening to their responses, and not worrying about how you will be affected by what they are saying.

So after you make your next sales call, take time to ask yourself the following 7 questions:

1. Did you do most of the talking?

2. Did you start telling the customer what you think they needed instead of asking the right questions first?

3. Did you make your own assumptions based on what you thought the customer was saying?

4. Did you forget to uncover the consequences your customer would face if they did not solve their problems?

5. Did you avoid dealing with any objections because you were afraid it would kill the sale?

6. Did you discount your price too fast in hopes of getting the sale?

7. Did you follow a script and not respond directly to the questions your customer asked of you?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you were probably self-focused.

Bottom Line: If you operate from a self-focused mindset you greatly reduce your chances of getting the deal. The best sales people today are customer focused, not self focused. They strictly worry about their customers and are there for them all the time. They know if they help their customers get to where they want to be, their payback will be greater than they ever anticipated.

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