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Buyers Sound Off

By Joseph Guertin
Joseph Guertin & Associates

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How do you irritate a professional buyer? All too easily, apparently. The folks at Media Life Magazine put the question to their readers who regularly buy ad media, and compiled a list of turn-offs:

1) Salespeople who call too much (Buyer's response: "I'll get back to you when I have something to say.")

2) Salespeople who put on the hard sell (Buyer's response: "we both know your readership...don't exaggerate")

3) Ignorance of the client (Response: "Do some research!")

4) Going over the buyer's head ("I hate when they try to speak to my supervisor!")

Now, before you start thinking "I've got a list of my own for THEM," I see opportunity written all over this. If there's so much self-serving, look-alike-sound-alike service out there, just think of how you could position yourself head and shoulders above the rest.

Here are a few tips:

1) Balance phone contacts with passing along useful or interesting articles of interest by mail (the operative word here is useful or interesting). And, when you do call, always have something new to pass along, never ﾑjust checking in to see if you have anything."

2) Do that research. Don't work to impress the buyer...it won't happen. But be ready to intelligently discuss their company, industry trends and the like. As a result, you won't be the one coming in the door with "commission eyes" (fixated on the sale).

Next time: What buyers like, and hate, when we make presentations. Stay tuned.

HEY, I KNOW YOU

How much should you know about a company before that first meeting? Plenty!

I put that question to a group of sales managers. Responses included "as much as possible," "everything," or "all the hot issues."

Critical information would include industry and market challenges.

• What are those 'hot issues' they're facing right now?

• Who are their customers,

• What are the trends that could affect future business with those customers?

Key personnel names are important, too, from owners to company officers. Having the names of decision-makers is a must.

Fortunately, a lot is available online. Many companies are an open book, with web sites providing names, recent news, mission statements, even links to state and national associations who deal with the issues facing their industry. Many trade and business magazines are online, too. Access them, and you can usually access archives of articles and news stories on industry issues and statistics.

Can there be a downside to this information explosion? The only one our manager group voiced was that some salespeople "spend so much time on line that they rarely meet face to face with prospects." Like our customers, our time is at a premium. Set aside some 'research on-line time' in the evening or on weekends. That's using your own time well, and will save you time when opening the doors of new business.

HOT SALES IN THE SUMMERTIME

Most of the nation has since cooled down, but some Streetfighters really took advantage of the recent hot spell...and passed along some of their Beat the Heat ideas. Gary in Texas says on a recent 100 degree day (of which there have been many), he stocked his car with ice-packed soft drinks and ﾑmade the rounds' of customers and prospects. He'd walk in and pass them around to parched employees. No selling, no business. Just a ﾑstay cool' message. Very cool.

PLEASE LET ME FINISH

O.K., I apologize for any negative tone I'm setting, but here's another "no-no" list.

Do you know one of those people who like to finish other people's sentences? Salespeople, like any professionals, should regularly give themselves a ﾑcheck-up from the neck-up' (per Zig Zigler) and take an accounting of personal habits. These nasty little habits thrive before our very eyes and nobody...except our clients...can see them. A recent report said that the top most irritating communication habits included:

• finishing another persons sentences

• being too eager to jump in with an opinion or answer

• frequent uh huh uh huh uh huh's (a sign of impatience)

• talking too loud...or too quiet

• lip smacking or gum-chewing

• an artificial or forced laugh

At your next meeting, be extra aware of what you say and do. It's a great way to tune-up your delivery.

Revised: 08/17/2006 - Article Viewed 626 Times

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Biography

Joe Guertin is president of Joseph Guertin & Associates, a speaking, training and consulting firm specializing in helping businesses grow their sales and their people. From more than 24 years of outside sales and business ownership, he brings personal experience and fresh strategies for success, and his humorous stories and experiences

Prove that he's 'been there.' Joe is the author of more than 100 sales-boosting articles, plus a monthly ezine, "Monday Morning Madness."

Joe's central theme, Streetfighter Selling, not only educates, it challenges. He specializes in new revenue-building strategies, helping today's salespeople boost their bottom line sales in spite of an unstable economy.

Contact Information

Joseph Guertin
Joseph Guertin & Associates
joe@joeguertin.com

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