The #4 Mistake Sales People Make

Craig Elias | January 13, 2009 - 7:43 pm

The number four mistake sales people make is believing that sales are won based upon on logic – like return on investment (ROI) calculations – not emotion.

The first seller a decision maker contacts, after they experience a Trigger Event that makes them a highly motivated buyer, is five times more likely to win the business than ANY of the follow-on people who get contacted AND this decision of who they call first is based upon emotion.

One way to get called first when a buyer experiences a Trigger Event and increase your close ratio as much as 5X is to become the buyer’s Emotional Favourite aka ‘go to’ person.

My question, to be answered by commenting below, is “What can you do to become a decision maker’s Emotional Favourite aka ‘go to’ person so you get called first, when they experience a Trigger Event?”

Win $1,500 worth of my time to help you become the Emotional Favourite in your target accounts by getting the most votes for your answer. Answers are voted on by clicking on the Top Seven Mistakes in Sales Voting Button - Trigger Event Selling button that appears at the end of each answer and voting ends on Monday February 2nd.

Comments/Answers need to be approved – to avoid spam – which typically takes just a few minutes. Call me (+1.403.874.2998) or Skype me (Craig.Elias) if you don’t see your comment approved within a few minutes of posting it.

Stumble!, Digg, Tweet, and email your friends so you get the most votes, because the voting system I use does not allow you to vote for your own answers.

Have an EVENTFUL week!

Craig

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  • http://www.typetek.fi Pasi

    I’d like to keep it very simple; don’t be anything else than you’re – be yourself, listen and solve the pain.

    The decision maker is like the best date you’ve ever had a chance to go out with. No overacting, few things here and there, solve the problems, and smile:-)

  • http://www.automaticappointments.com Rick Dassler

    The question is, “What do you do to be the emotional favorite BEFORE the trigger event happens?”

    1) Contact and build rapport
    2) Build credibility and be valuable by providing information in a consultative way
    3) Stay in touch through REGULAR and CONSISTENT connections through written correspondence, calling and meeting
    4) Care

  • http://www.go2resources.com Michael Hudson

    In a B2B business setting a busy decision maker is looking for expertise and trustworthiness. Being very knowledgeable about your product/industry and offering solid unbiased advice, will set you apart from your competition. Offering these two services while speaking strategically (avoiding tactical issues and language where possible) will make you a valued part of the decision maker’s team.

  • http://www.marcusevans.com Leslie

    I want to make my DMs feel at ease with me. Whether they are experiencing a high or low point in business or life, I use humor, honesty, and passion to empathize with them.
    Regardless, of how senior-level a decision-maker may be, they are still a human being. In my experience, most people want a genuine, trustworthy, and understanding relationship with a business partner.

  • http://www.new-methods.com Eliot Axelrod

    You become the emotional favorite by consistently delivering good information, ideas, and insights to the decision maker. A key component of this is to understand the decision maker’s industry, the current trends and situations, as well as how your company has helped companies address their challenges and opportunities.

  • Joshua Buzzard

    A sales person receives emotional favoritism by being available. I make certain that I am available for questions and concerns which may, at the time, seem trivial or inconsequential. As they say, “the most important customer is the one currently in front of you.”

    If you are (honestly) attentive, thoughtful, and timely when addressing your customers concerns and issues this will ensure you are their ‘go to’ person. I even make certain to rapidly thank someone for their time and their prompt response via e-mail (or call when appropriate) even when they have chosen another solution or are otherwise uninterested or unable to proceed at this time. Obviously, I routinely follow-up with my leads via calls and e-mails on a regular basis; however, if you are not available when they ‘need’ you, they will not be overly receptive when you call upon them.

  • http://www.geekforhireinc.com Gail Eddy

    Your question is: “What can you do to become a decision maker’s Emotional Favorite aka ‘go to’ person so you get called first, when they experience a Trigger Event?”

    As someone who sells a service that people don’t need until there is an emergency, I know that there are several things that I can do to tip the scale in my favor.

    1. Get out of the office and meet people. The more events I go to, the more people I meet. Everyone I meet will need my service at one point or another. My job is to make sure they call me when they are in need. Specifically, my job whenever I’m out in the public is to be personable and memorable. And I always ask for a business card.

    2. Follow up. Send a card, send an email, place a phone call. Tell people you’re glad you met. Remind them of something in your conversation so the memory of you gets some “stickiness”. Ask them if there’s anything you can help them with. Don’t mention your business other than, perhaps on the return address of the envelope. Don’t ask for their business in that first contact – that’s a big turnoff!

    3. Put them on your mailing list. Send them useful info on a regular basis. How often? It depends on your product or service. Often enough so that you stay Top-of-Mind in a positive way.

    4. Be appreciative if they send you a referral. Maybe they don’t need your service right now, but they thought of you when someone asked them. Send a thank you card, send a gift if warranted, place a phone call. Make sure they know you appreciate the trust they’ve placed in you by referring you to their friends or associates.

    5. Did I mention – Follow Up!

  • http://www.scjinc.net Dennis Wagaman

    Determine what the buyer wants, needs and what they desire. Basically; identify their “hot buttons”. Are they being pressured by their management to reduce costs? Improve lead times? Improve quality? Identify new applications for products to reduce inventories? What is the agenda TODAY? (This agenda item may change next time, but some of the behavior in the buyer you identify will be constant. Learn the differences with your buyers.)

    For example; you are looking to purchase a new car. You have a specific need, walk into a dealer showroom and are approached by a salesman. He asks if you want to buy a car and you say yes. He says “I have just the car for you”, and leads you to a beautiful, red, shiny 2-seater sports car. The price is great, the car is beautiful; you can afford it and, because you are a “car guy”, know it is a very desirable and reliable automobile.

    However, you say “no thank you” and leave. Why? The car is beautiful; you can afford it easily, so why didn’t you say “OK”? The salesman is confused because he knows it is a great price on the car, your eyes lit up when you saw it so he knows you liked it, you spent a lot of time looking at the car (but only because you are a “car guy”, remember). You saw another car in the showroom that you might have been interested in, but you already took a lot of time in the showroom and decided to leave, a bit frustrated that you didn’t have a chance to look at the other car. Why did you leave?

    The reason is because when you left from the showroom, you went to your earlier year model of the same car, and in the passenger seat is your beautiful wife who is 5 months with your first child. You are in the market for a new 4 door sport sedan; not a 2-seater sports car. The salesman never asked the questions to determine what the buyer wants, needs and what they desire.

    If the salesman would have truly understood the needs and desires of the customer that walked into the showroom, he certainly would have increased his chances for the sale.

  • http://www.instepcoaching.com/ Phoenix Business Coach

    First, you get there by staying in front of people in ways that work for you. If you don’t enjoy the mechanics of your marketing, you won’t do it. So find out what you like and do lots of it.

    At the same time, it’s important for your prospects to know what problems you solve, so that when they experience the need for a solution, they connect you with the solution. That may seem obvious, but how many times have you seen a prospect go elsewhere only to find out that they didn’t realize you could solve their problem.

    Bottom line – touch them frequently, in ways that work for you, with information that is relevant to the problems you solve and the dreams you help come true.

  • http://www.consultantsgold.com(underconstruction) Jennifer Leake

    What can you do to become someone a Decision Maker knows, likes, and trusts? Be someone who sincerely has the best interests of the Decision Maker at heart – and they know and feel it. My sales philosophy is I get to decide who is a client … and they get to decide when.

    This means I identify people who fit my client model – people with a desire to succeed and be the best, good attitude and fun to work with, sense of humor and able to establish good rapport with. These are people who are enjoyable and stimulating to be with whether they are clients or not. Once I’ve identified them, I care about their success as much as they do, even if we are not currently involved in a client project.

    My actions show them that:
    1. I will act and treat their business as if it was my own; and
    2. I am committed to bringing them the best answer to their need – if it is in my expertise, it is me. If it is not my expertise, I will find them the best. They know they are to call me first answers.

    This has created instant clients, and clients I have waited for a decade to work with. In the meantime, they continue to call me, maintaining a relationship, helping me to be their at the right time and positioning me as their Emotional Favorite. (I’ve even had clients call and ask for hotel recommendations to vacation cities they know I’ve been to.)

    Finding clients is easier if you: Know what a Class A prospect looks like for you; Build relationships by caring and knowing about their needs and interests; Focus on what’s best for them (versus your needs); and Be available.

  • http://www.crosstecsoftware.com Turner Dean

    One of the biggest mistakes sales people make is only contacting the customer when that sales person needs something, like an order. It is unlikely you will ever become the emotional favorite unless the customer gains something of value every time you communicate with them. That is obviously pretty easy when they call you needing something, but the key here is how do you get them to contact you in the first place.

    To deliver something of value everytime you contact your customer requires forethought. Think about what you are going to do and think about what you can do to add something of value to the conversation… something of real value to the customer (not just a deal). You want your customer to leave every conversation thinking; I’m glad i just spoke to them or I’m glad I got that e-mail. Think about the e-mails you have sent, Do you think your customers were glad they got each of those? Or do they dread the onslaught of more and more meaningless information.

    Something of value can be many things. From caring about their lives and loved ones, to sharing industry information you know they would be interested in, or putting them in touch with other customers who you know have faced similar issues or decisions. In some cases it’s just doing what you said you would do – and making sure they received it and that it’s what they expected. There are millions of small things you can do that will make a huge impact or perhaps, a cumulative huge impact.

    You know what you want when you call your customer and you know what its worth to you when you get it, but do you know what your value is to them? If its not at least equal, if the relationship isn’t in balance, then it’s unlikely you will ever be their favorite. Much will happen that you will find out about much too late and there will be much more that will happen that you will never ever know about. Be valuable, deliver something of value in everything you do!

  • http://www.bosshard.us Martin Bosshard

    A. know how to listen to the customer – if you don’t understand her/his problem, you don’t know in what way your product will be valuable to them.

    B. If you are a parent you may know this (or not): When your child comes to you with a problem, it is not looking for a solution from you: it is looking for sympathy first and foremost. Only if you acknowledge its problem and show your sympathy (just a few words or a hug is enough, but you have to be sincere), ONLY THEN will your child be ready and willing to listen to your solution and accept (buy) it. Well, guess what? We don’t change all that much, when we become adults! When we complain we look for sympathy first, and a solution second. We will listen to someone who shows us that sympathy or empathy much more readily than to someone who smothers us right away with a solution, or, worse, points out where we went wrong.

    C. Your customers function exactly the same way. Unless you can acknowledge their problem and/or pain first, and show them that you are on their side, they will not want to listen to you, because you don’t “seem interested in my problem”.

  • Jan Strøm

    As all you excellent sales people now will se, is that this is really easy to conquer with the right training.

    The first thing you need to do is to find out what kind of person your client/ costumer is, and what his vocal preferences hi or she uses and if he is a look, feel, think or see person.
    If you can mirror this you have come a long way to become his favourite salesperson and the one he will not hesitate to cal, because he finds it easy to communicate with you.
    If you also put him in a nice mental environment he will easily follow your lead.
    Then to make him contact you, you give him a “hidden command” (can be like this- “the next time you need this product think of how easy it is for you to ask for my help)

    I know this looks simple but it takes some training to handle.

  • Jan Strøm

    As all you excellent sales people now will se, is that this is really easy to conquer with the right training.

    The first thing you need to do is to find out what kind of person your client/ costumer is, and what his vocal preferences hi or she uses and if he is a look, feel, think or see person.
    If you can mirror this you have come a long way to become his favourite salesperson and the one he will not hesitate to cal, because he finds it easy to communicate with you.
    If you also put him in a nice mental environment he will easily follow your lead.
    Then to make him contact you, you give him a “hidden command” (can be like this- “the next time you need this product think of how easy it is for you to ask for my help)

    I know this looks simple but it takes some training to handle.

  • http://silvermarc.com Marc Silverman

    “What can you do to become a decision maker’s Emotional Favourite
    aka ‘go to’ person so you get called first, when they experience
    a Trigger Event?”

    Becoming the “favorite” means you’ve provided solutions to this person’s problems previously: that is, you’ve already spent your time and energy building your credibility with this colleague.

    Becoming the “go to” person means that you’ve been able to be a resource for this person when in need: that is, because you have colleagues who serve you as resources, you in turn become a resource for this colleague.

    Being “called first” means you’ve been in touch recently: that is, you’re the first person she/he thinks of because you’re one of the more recent people that has had a meeting or touched base.

    Easy answers for anyone who builds their credibility with their colleagues!

    –Marc

  • http://www.seowizardry.ca Pete Hollier

    The world of sales and marketing is quickly changing.

    We all have prospects and networks. Social Networks such as Linkedin offer excellent opportunity to promote yourself and your business as knowledgeable and a solution provider in a highly visible way.

    Your Linkedin comments etc are viewed by the masses, you can stay in their minds and their eyes. When their problem surfaces it is very likely yours is the first person they will consider.

    I speak from experience I have a high profile on Linkedin and it works

  • http://www.gapinternational.com Ray Wang

    I think the best way for a seller to be the #1 go to person from the decision maker is for the seller to know that he’s not actually “selling”. Most sellers approach the transaction in “selling” mode. What most sellers don’t realize is that if you approach it as selling, you won’t sell anything. I think most sellers out in the world sell by sharing about the facts of their company and success stories, where buyers don’t really experience their work. So there needs to be a paradigm shift in the way the seller is thinking so that it actually becomes more of a conversation and an experiential transaction with the potential buyer. I know this because this is how we “sell” at Gap International. We have our customers experience our work on the phone right there and then. It’s a very powerful moment in which the decision maker alot of times is blown away.

  • http://ez.no Nicolas Pastorino

    Hi everyone, thanks for this exciting question.
    From my non-seller experience, and in a few concise words :

    Build and cultivate a long-distance relationship with your contact/customer, comprizing trust, quality, transparency and sincerity. Having a consultative approach to business/sales also is a key success factor here : the customer knows that you will not try to sell at all costs. He is, on the contrary, confident in the fact that you will re-orient him to the appropriate persons if need be.

    Cheers,
    –
    Nicolas

  • Harry Fountoukidis

    Think about whom would be YOUR “go to” person to solve your business issues.

    • I bet you have a long trusting relationship with this person.
    • You don’t think of them as a “sales” person, but rather a problem solver.
    • You trust them and know that they are knowledgeable about your Company and/or product.
    • They have proven themselves in the past and have shown your best interest in mind.
    • You know them well enough so that they don’t need to provide a “value” statement to you.

    Such a relationship takes time and much effort to develop. It’s the goal of every top Sales Professional. It eliminates the competition and allows your company to spend resources solving the customer’s problem instead of “selling” your value statement.

  • Connie Kadansky

    To become a decision maker’s emotional “go to” person stay visible in appropriate ways, i.e. calling with a purpose, sending an article that you are sure they will find valuable, promote yourself with third-party testimonials from time to time, communicate your value when appropriate, promote when appropriate, send a unique card, invite to lunch. Stay visible!!!! They key is to have many prospects in the pipeline so you are not so focused on one or two. You want to communicate that they are important, however, you have many prospects/clients you are working with consistently.

  • http://www.jawspublishing.com Janet Stone

    Becoming a decision maker’s “Go-To” person starts from the initial point of contact. Research the company and their needs before your first meeting, so you can have ideas already in place to share with the decision maker. Being prepared and knowledgable about their needs gives you a leg up on your competition. Dress professionally – a first impression lasts a lifetime. After your meeting, follow thru with a thank you note or call, then put them on your mailing list for any newsletters, etc. They may not have a need immediately, but if you keep your business in front of them, you have a much better chance of being the person they call when that need arises. Once they are using your services, you must maintain the same level of quality service at all times – consistency is vital to keeping your business in the forefront for future contracts. And after you have completed your services, continue the newsletter or phone contacts – don’t just assume that you’ve worked for them once, so they will automatically call you again. If you do the above with consistency and competence, you should put your business in position to be their “Go-To” business in your area of expertise.

  • Artem Brazgovsky

    You know, how we do solve such problem in Russia, the country of ice and snow? It is simple. Find in your heart a piece of real interest for the hopes and desires of your customer. Solve some of his problems – free. Make his life a little easier and interesting, than before – and he`ll be yours.

    Real interest and a pigheaded desire to help.