| I recently got a "thank-you" call from a man who | | | | their brand ambassadors.Who are the sales people in |
| read my new e-book Buying Facilitation."Boy," he said, | | | | a company? At UPS it's the delivery people. At the |
| "this method sure helps me close more deals and | | | | phone companies it's the customer service reps. At |
| make more money. Thanks!""Glad I could help. Is that | | | | banks it's the tellers. At service and repair companies, |
| all you're looking for? To make more money?""What | | | | it's the techs. In doctors offices it's the admin, or the |
| do you mean...all? What else is there? Sales is about | | | | payment officer. Every person who touches a |
| closing deals and making money, right?""I'm surprised | | | | customer is doing a sales job, and by definition must |
| you didn't notice the value of becoming a trusted | | | | carry the values of the company. Every person.I've |
| advisor, or how you can use the seller's role as one | | | | recently had a spate of calls from banks and financial |
| of a servant-leader to lead your clients to discover | | | | institutions seeking to expand their environment from |
| their solutions quickly.""Well, I noticed all that. But it's | | | | one of a service environment to a sales environment. |
| all in service of me closing deals and making money, | | | | I have asked them all the same question:"What are |
| right? I don't mind doing it nicely if it gives me better | | | | your criteria for training up your people?""To increase |
| results. But what's sales about if my job isn't about | | | | revenue.""Is that all?""What else? We do service well. |
| me making money?"I'm wondering how many people | | | | Now we just have to bring |
| out there still believe sales to be a job that is | | | | in more revenue."Sales people - all of the people |
| focused on making money? Or only about making | | | | who touch customers - are in a prime position to |
| money. All of us want to get paid fairly for what we | | | | teach customers how to:- make their best decisions |
| do. The question is: how can we make money and | | | | efficiently;- differentiate between vendors and |
| make nice.Most people get paid for doing a day's | | | | products;- recognize and organize their own unique |
| work. But most sales people get paid for the results | | | | internal issues so they won't face chaos when they |
| of their work, not necessarily for a day's work. This | | | | make a purchasing decision. |
| leads to the tendency of sellers to have a different | | | | Sellers are also in a prime position to become |
| focus in their jobs than their non-sales colleagues: | | | | trusted advisors - even on short telesales |
| they often focus on 'closing' a sale rather than on the | | | | calls.Because sales has been based on getting |
| results of the interaction, or on 'doing a deal' rather | | | | products sold and using product data as the main |
| than making sure the client has all their ducks in a | | | | vehicle (Tell me who among you has never assumed |
| row prior to making a purchase. As a result, sales | | | | that because your product is terrific that buyers will |
| practices and sellers can be seen as aggressive, | | | | know how to buy it.... once you explain it, present it, |
| pushy, eager to get immediate results, and less | | | | advertise it, and pitch it brilliantly??), ethics have often |
| aware of the other person in the interaction.What | | | | been ignored.For me, the answer to the question |
| causes money, greed, manipulation, and self-interest | | | | that my caller asked - "But what's sales about if my |
| to prevail at the expense of serving? What's | | | | job isn't about me making money?" - is serving.For |
| stopping sellers from using their jobs to promote | | | | me, the responsibility of sales people, as the |
| respect, integrity, servant-leadership, collaboration, | | | | representatives of companies who touch customers |
| and trust - for their customers, for their companies, | | | | daily, is to create an ethical foundation on which |
| and for themselves? Why is there a belief that it's | | | | companies can flourish. Without business healing the |
| not possible to serve and make money? To support | | | | world can't flourish. And sales is the foundation on |
| and be aggressive? To be a trusted advisor and | | | | which companies stand: without selling product or |
| close rapidly?I once began a Buying Facilitation(R) | | | | touching customers there is no need to have Boards, |
| program at a major brokerage house. As I was being | | | | or to discuss leadership, for example, because the |
| introduced, the manager mentioned that my program | | | | companies won't exist.We can use the job of sales |
| was the precursor to the program they were having | | | | as the way to promote, offer, exhibit our company |
| the following week on 'closing' techniques. I was | | | | values; a way to show our customers and our |
| dumbfounded."You won't need that! You'll be able to | | | | partners, our vendors and our teammates exactly |
| close twice as many accounts in half the time after | | | | what we stand for.WHAT DO WE STAND FORAnd |
| this program. What else do you need?""I know you | | | | what, exactly, do we stand for? As companies? As |
| say that's possible, but I don't believe it. It's one thing | | | | employers? As product manufacturers?If we don't |
| to have values. It's another to make money." After | | | | know, we shouldn't be in business. If we don't want |
| the program, the decision was taken to delay the | | | | more than to sell product, if we don't enter into |
| 'closing' program and give it 8 weeks to see what | | | | business with any idea other than making money, we |
| the results would be from using Buying Facilitation(R). | | | | are losing a big opportunity of using our position to |
| It turned out that the brokers had a 25% increase in | | | | make a difference.I believe - and I'll go out on a limb |
| closed sales - the first month after the training. They | | | | here - that those companies who thrive by creating |
| cancelled the 'closing' program.Given our business | | | | values-based organizations will fare better over the |
| climate today, and the need to bring values | | | | next decade then those that don't. In my definition |
| throughout our corporations, and into our interactions | | | | of values-based, I include:- caring about people - |
| with staff and clients, let's discuss how the actual | | | | employees, customers, vendors, partners;- caring |
| function of sales can be used as a major delivery | | | | about the environment and how the manufactured |
| vehicle of ethics.CONSULTATIVE SALESAs a start, | | | | product supports the earth rather than destroying it;- |
| let's look at the model and beliefs that modern sales | | | | caring about the world - finding a way to use some |
| folks operate from.Fifteen years ago, Consultative | | | | profits to give to groups with need.Most large |
| Sales found its way into the sales culture. The | | | | companies have community out-reach programs and |
| promise here was to move away from just pitching | | | | have their favorite charities. But some large |
| product and include buyers into the process by asking | | | | behemoths that we all know give large sums to |
| the buyers questions - to help a buyer actually | | | | world health and education, while their sales force |
| recognize a need for themselves so they'd clearly | | | | remains greedy, manipulative, and aggressive.For me, |
| understand that they have a problem.I'm not | | | | giving with one hand and taking with the other is out |
| convinced that the addition of Consultative Sales has | | | | of balance. It is not only possible, but necessary, to |
| changed the equation any; the process is based on | | | | run a sales force that turns over large amounts of |
| the theory that if the client discovers a need, he'll | | | | business while serving its customers with respect and |
| make a purchase. The questions are therefore | | | | exceptional care. And for me, if you are just pitching |
| manipulative: they are cleverly rooted in those areas | | | | information, or posing questions, with the hope of |
| in the client's environment that the seller knows will | | | | making a sale, rather than using that opportunity to |
| come up lacking, based on the seller's understanding | | | | be a servant-leader, you are losing an opportunity to |
| of the buyer's environment and probable needs."Why | | | | exhibit your company's values.As worker-bees, we |
| do you ask questions?" I repeatedly ask consultative | | | | have a responsibility to our customers, our staff, our |
| sellers?"To discover what the client needs.""And, | | | | Boards and shareholders, to serve them with respect |
| what will you do with that information once you have | | | | and care and make money. As sales people we are in |
| it?""Understand their environment better.""To what | | | | the primary position to connect in a way that will |
| end?""To help them solve their problems [with my | | | | make it all possible - to make money and make |
| product]."And there you have it: the assumption that | | | | nice.BUYING FACILITATION(R)As a wrap up, I'd like |
| just because the buyer may have a need in the | | | | to put a plug in here for The Buying Facilitation |
| seller's product area, they will be ready, willing, and | | | | Method(R). I created Buying Facilitation(R) as a result |
| able to align all of their internal systems and variables | | | | of selling in a manipulative world, and as a way to |
| in a way that will allow for something new to enter | | | | bring my own spiritual, ethical values into my daily |
| their system.Let's look at the above assumption. On | | | | workplace. I believe I'm part of something bigger - |
| the face of it, consultative questions seem to be | | | | my company, my family, my relationships, my |
| supportive of the buyer, ostensibly showing care | | | | country, my world - and that I have a responsibility |
| about the buyer's needs. But if a client has a need, | | | | to be in service at all times (well, as often as I'm |
| does that mean she'll make a purchase? Does it | | | | humanly able). And I like money. I like what it buys, I |
| mean that all of the internal deciding factors are | | | | like to pay bills, and I like giving it away.To that end, |
| ready to do something different? That the client | | | | Buying Facilitation(R) was developed to help sellers |
| wants to follow the path that your product will | | | | reach more customers more efficiently, support |
| lead?Doesn't the buyer have a string of decisions to | | | | customers ethically as true Advisors and Coaches, |
| make that are independent of the seller's product?If | | | | and help customers buy quicker. When I created |
| the buyer has a need in one area, it is only part of a | | | | Buying Facilitation(R) I discovered a secret: that no |
| systemic issue that must be solved internally and | | | | matter how I sell or how great my product is, buyers |
| systemically, and it can't be solved by the simple | | | | absolutely cannot buy until they align all of the |
| addition of a product. Not to mention that the buyer | | | | variables - the people, the systems, the initiatives - |
| may have a specific time factors to weigh, partnering | | | | that create their current situation. Sales just doesn't |
| issues, strategy issues. We have no way of knowing | | | | work.Buying Facilitation(R) will find you more buyers. |
| the micro elements that maintain and create the | | | | It helps people who need your product (but didn't |
| problems we perceive.When sellers assume their job | | | | know they need it) understand how to buy. It will |
| is to understand the buyer's needs and solve them, | | | | help them close quicker because the time it takes |
| they are committing the ultimate disrespect:- that an | | | | buyers to discover their own answers is the length |
| outsider knows more than the insider;- that the | | | | of the sales cycle, and Buying Facilitation(R) helps |
| insider has been unsuccessful in solving his own | | | | them find their own answers.This Method is not a |
| problem;- that the problem is a simple one (and | | | | sales method - it's a facilitative communication model |
| eschews all of the politics, partnerships, initiatives, and | | | | rather than a sales technique. It's a way to serve by |
| personalities that have created and maintained the | | | | helping people make more efficient, systems-centric |
| problem) and can be solved by purchasing a new | | | | buying decisions that include all of the people and |
| 'something';- that all of the internal variables contained | | | | variables that get touched by the purchasing decision. |
| within the prospect's culture will easily assemble | | | | The Method uses a collaborative, servant-leader |
| around the seller's solution in a way that will serve | | | | process that is ethical and truly consultative in the |
| the organization's mission and strategic vision.In other | | | | truest sense. And, best of all, it crosses contexts: it |
| words, at the point that sellers believe they have a | | | | can be used by managers to communicate with |
| solution for their buyers before the buyer has | | | | staff, with coaches to work with clients, with Board |
| discovered all of the systems pieces that need to be | | | | members to use with each other, for customer |
| lined up, and before buyers can specify all of the | | | | service reps to use with annoyed customers, for |
| systemic components of what a solution would need | | | | nurses and docs to use with patients, for parents to |
| to look like, they are committing the ultimate act of | | | | use with children.It is indeed possible to use ethics in |
| disrespect.VALUESSales people are in a primary | | | | our daily communication. It's not only possible, it's a |
| position to be a company's ethical representative: | | | | necessary component of our lives.Sharon Drew |
| they are the primary emissary who touches clients | | | | Morgen is the author of NYTimes Best seller Selling |
| daily. Sellers hear clients' needs and concerns; they | | | | with Integrity. She speaks, teaches and consults |
| share thoughts and ideas. Sellers are also in a position | | | | globally around her new sales model, Buying |
| to convey client information back to the company. | | | | Facilitation. 512-457-0246 Morgen Facilitations, Inc. |
| Successful companies understand that their sellers are | | | | |