PART 2

APPLYING THE FUNDAMENTALS TO TYPES OF SALES

As a sales professional, you keep companies alive. You are the reason they can continue to exist. We don’t just mean the company you work for, either. Your customers count on you to solve problems and help them identify opportunities for improvement in their businesses.

How you sell puts the prospect’s or customer’s focus on the value of your product, service, or idea—and on your value as a resource.

All approaches to selling that involve more than one contact with a person have relationship selling as a component if not a primary approach. In addition, the solutions, insights, expertise, profitability, and reliability you can bring to the meeting spark appreciation for your contribution to the improvement of their business.

You are a welcome addition to that person’s team.

Each of the different types of selling we explore has some unique challenges. We cover how you deal with these challenges. We emphasize how you can use body language, questioning techniques and conversation motivators, and other interpersonal skills to progress toward a satisfying end with your prospect or customer.

In each of the approaches, the dynamics shift as the conversation moves through questioning, listening, presenting, countering, and so on. The following chart suggests the usual starting points in terms of authority. We also include price-based selling—an area not covered in these chapters—to give a comprehensive look at the strength in position a sales professional holds at the start of a meeting:

The balance of power—who has the edge in terms of authority—is bound to change in the course of a sales encounter. Before the meeting even begins, the buyer has the upper hand because that person has the ability to grant or refuse an appointment. The buyer also has more authority in the early discovery phase by being the one who describes the need or issue you hope to address. The big shift occurs when you outline and demonstrate your ability to solve a problem and/or create an opportunity for the buyer. That point of highest authority for you might be something you sustain, or it might come in waves, depending on how the conversation flows. Ultimately, though, it’s the buyer whose authority level rises at the moment of decision.

Technology can sabotage your ability to assume the authority position you should have during the meeting. Relying too heavily on visuals can make you seem almost inconsequential in the process. You could have emailed the slide deck and stayed at home. Your body language is critical in forging a connection with the prospect and overuse of technology prevents you from using it to your advantage.

In virtual meetings, technology can also sabotage you by distorting your body language and voice. If you use webcams to establish visual contact, invest the money in the highest-quality equipment possible. Remember, too, that body language includes appearance, and that means the appearance of your office as well as your dress and grooming. At a virtual meeting, the visual aspect of communication takes center stage, so be sure to bring the full range of your body language skills into the picture. And just because you are probably sitting at your desk in front of a computer, don’t forget that you have arms. Use of illustrators remains important whether your meeting is in person or virtual.

As you now delve into the discussion of different sales approaches, always keep in mind that you have the ability to create value for people, so your authority in a meeting is justified. Your skills and knowledge are needed. Use your body language to reinforce the fact that you are confident, competent, and trustworthy.