A common tendency among salespeople is to do too much talking and not enough listening. Successful salespeople realize it is only when they are focused on what the customer is both explaining and requesting that they are learning the information necessary to suggest solutions which will benefit all concerned. Too often weak salespeople rush to judgment and offer both products and solutions before the customer has had the opportunity to fully explain her wishes and requests thoroughly.
My bet is that when you are the customer, more than once you’ve been tempted to say “If you’ll just shut up and listen for a moment, I’ll tell you what I want.”
When sales personnel are being trained, remember to emphasize that the first few minutes of a presentation are the most critical. Teach them to resist the temptation of showing product too quickly. It is essential that a sales presentation be done in a proper sequence for the presenter to be accepted by the customer as a professional.
Your doctor wouldn’t prescribe a medication before you told her what the symptoms were or where it hurt. Why then would we make a diagnosis of the customer’s flooring needs before we have a full understanding of the customer’s vision? Always remember that you must “know before you show!”
Tom Jennings
