Selling Is Not Telling
When I took my first sales class, 25 years ago, the answer to that question was: “They don‘t ask for the business.” Over the years, sellers have gotten very good at asking for the business. So, that’s not the biggest mistake they make.
The biggest mistake sellers make is that they continue to talk too much. Sellers love to focus on the companies they represent, the products they sell, and the amazing features and benefits they can provide to their customers.
Think of this scenario: Have you ever walked into a store and immediately salespeople descend upon you and ask “Can I help you?” “Can I show you something?” “Do you have any questions?”
How do you feel when salespeople treat you that way? And we always ask our clients, “Would you ever treat your prospects and clients that way?” And immediately they say, “No! We’d never do that.” But is it any different when, too early in the conversation, we turn the focus to us, our company, or the product we sell.
Selling is about serving…it’s not about you at all.
The answer to what you ought to do is as old as the problem. Selling is not telling is a saying that has been around for years. It focuses on the need to ask questions as opposed to talking. Selling is about serving. Selling is about them—the client, the prospect. It’s not about you at all. The more you focus on them, the better off you’ll be when you’re selling.