Setting Yourself Apart (CONT’D FROM PAGE 46)
tomer must feel understood in order for you to differenti- ate yourself from your competitors. While the process for achieving such an outcome is not simple, below are some basic questions that will help you organize your approach to exceed your customer’s ex- pectations relative to their sense of your understanding of their organization: • Aside from you, who at your facility deals with whom at the customer’s facility? • Who, within the customer’s organization puts pressure on your point of contact there, as relates to the prod- ucts and services your company provides to that cus- tomer? • Who are your customer’s customers? • How is your customer’s customer affected by the prod- ucts and services your company provides to your cus- tomer? • What pressures do your customer’s customer place on your customer, as relates to the products and services your company provides? To gain your customer’s trust that you are a different sales person representing a different sort of supplier, start with discovering the answers to these questions. Focus on helping the customer to succeed and be honest in your self-examination and you increase the probability of suc- cess – not just for yourself but for others as well. When you have accomplished this, you will stand out as a valued and trusted resource.
the customer, setting as a primary goal that your company is dedicated to understanding the challenges and goals your customer faces. The team typically consists of members from Sales, Customer Service, and Design. Team Selling: The Three-Legged Stool Think of the team as a three-legged stool. You want the stool to rest solidly on the ground, balanced and ready for any weight. Working together, you must be clear on the goals you are setting for the sales team and then be willing to share your observations and ideas with each other on an ongoing basis. Never forget that it is the customer who is sitting on the stool. Is your sales team’s three-legged stool wobbly or secure? How comfortable is your custom- er when sitting on it? Strategic Selling Versus. Tactical Selling Are you focusing on capturing the immediate opportu- nity or are you working to understand your customer well enough to help them in the long-term? To be perceived as a long-term resource, worthy of trust and loyalty as a sup- plier, at the very least, you must be aware of and sensitive to the relationships between your customer and your cus- tomer’s customers. If you are only focusing on your own need to get the next order, you will find it very difficult to get the information you will need to be effective in your job. It is not enough to understand the customer. The cus-
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March 30, 2020
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