BY Rachel Cagle
Every detail of everything you’re selling is available somewhere online. So, relating that information is no longer your highest priority during a sales pitch. If the prospect already knows the details of what you’re selling and that your product or service potentially could be useful to them, why did they agree to a sales meeting? Because you still have to sell yourself.
If and when something goes wrong and they need assistance, a prospect needs to know that they can come to you. They want to discover if they get along with you and whether you’re the best person to help them achieve their goals. SellingPower’s Amy Volas says that the best way to establish a connection like this is to sell your humanity using just two simple methods.
Listen
Asking open-ended questions is the best way to learn about a prospect’s goals. Once you learn more about your prospect, you can ask even more relevant questions that will gradually seek out the prospect’s doubts and extinguish them. Volas says that, instead of asking assumptive questions such as “Congrats on the series B funding, way to go! Do you need help building out your sales team?” you should always aim for an open-ended inquiry that leads to conversation. She recommends starting with, “Glad to see your hard work is paying off. Congrats on the B round! What does this mean for your business growth, and team?” instead.
Give
This means more than giving a solution to the prospect’s problem with your product or service. You need to give your prospect something useful to them before you even have a meeting scheduled. Voya refers to this as, “making a deposit.” Some examples include sharing content with them that is relevant to their business or offering to introduce them to another professional who would help them progress toward their goals. These kinds of selfless gestures are so rare among salespeople that they intrigue prospects. What kind of salesperson is interested in giving something useful before gaining something themselves? Someone they want to do business with. You.