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Being a sales professional, I have found that is necessary for me to constantly be looking for ways to improve what I do, and how I can provide the highest level of service and support to my clients. It requires a lot of reading and seeking the advice of others who exhibit a very high level of professional integrity. You may ask, isn't it the responsibility of a salesperson to sell instead of read?! I like to think that the answer to this question is “no.” Why, because the term selling has always meant to me that someone is getting “talked into” something they may not really need. It implies some sort of pressure is being put on someone, and the resulting benefits have a tendency to be one-sided, in favor of the salesperson!
I prefer to think of it in terms of acting as a business consultant. I am in sales first and foremost because I truly like working with entrepreneurs and business owners to see if there is any area I can have a positive impact on, and the most rewarding aspect of that work is when they tell me that what I “sold” them really helped their business. Oh you say, “Isn't that David such a nice guy that he does this just to help?” Now, I didn't say I don't like the money because I do, and I don't know many other professions that allow you to have such a direct impact on what you can earn. It's really about what motivates me.
So, what's all of this mean to you? Everyone is very busy these days, and it seems that we're always being asked to do more and more in a shorter amount of time. Nobody has the luxury of being able to sit and chat with a salesperson, or take the time to evaluate a proposal that may not solve the problem that brought them to your office in the first place. It can be a frustrating experience meeting with someone that's trying to “sell” you when they haven't spent the time to understand your business, to put themselves in your shoes. So, I say get to the point, and quickly.
I recently read a post by Geoffrey James on the BNET Insights “Sales Machine” blog called World's Best Sales Questions. I have found these questions to be perfect for determining if I can have a positive impact on someone's business, and if I get the answers to these fourteen questions, I will know exactly what to propose; my creative folks will have a better understanding of the client; I will have a better idea at what price I need to be; and both the client and BIGSHOT will have a firm foundation for how we will measure the success of the endeavor – thorough, concise and to the point. This saves everyone a lot of time and makes the process of hiring us so much simpler, or the decision that we're not the right fit, that much faster. Sounds pretty good doesn't it? Anyway, if you talk with me, these will be the questions I will be asking:
1. What can you tell me about your organization...and yourself?
2. What do you like about what you're currently doing?
3. What don't you like about your current situation?
4. What would you like to be enhanced or improved?
5. What can you tell me about your priorities?
6. What prompted you to start this project now?
7. What can you tell me about your decision-making process?
8. How do you handle budget considerations?
9. What other options are you looking at?
10. What can you tell me about the people involved in the process?
11. What obstacles are in the way of moving this forward?
12. How will you be evaluating different options?
13. How will the funding for the project be justified?
14. How much support does this have at the executive level?
David Soxman joined BIGSHOT with a motivation to work for a small firm where he could make a difference on the agency side of marketing, helping business owners and managers grow. Learn more about David.
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