Graham Taylor, my old boss at ICL, told me something once which has stuck with me.
I’m not sure if it was his quote or one he had learned throughout his sales and business career, but the message resonates…
On the road to success, there are very few people on the final mile.
Now before you think this email is all about sickly quotes. Stop. It’s not.
But I do want to build on a critical element of selling which I mentioned last week.
And it’s an element which buyers can spot easily.
It’s hard to outline why it’s so easy for them to spot it but they just can.
As can you.
Consider the situation below. Read it first and then picture it with your eyes closed.
You sit in your office and think about the choice you have to make. Two companies with similar solutions that offer similar outcomes. Both have pluses and minuses but there isn’t much in it. Both have a good history and lots of evidence to show the solution can work.
But one is a bit more expensive than the other. Not just a bit, but 10%. Enough to allow you to invest in a few other areas. It should be an obvious decision. But why are you even giving it any thought?
Because Jack, the lead Account Manager for the cheaper company, just gives you some worries. Especially when compared to Joanne at the other provider. Jack is efficient and professional but he just doesn’t seem to care as much. He just doesn’t have the same energy and enthusiasm to make the solution work. Whereas Joanne is a breath of fresh air. She really seems to care about what is right for us and not just for her.
She even apologised for not being able to match the price provided by Jack and said she would understand if we didn’t choose them. Although she did say she would be gutted and I could tell she was being honest. She looked upset at the thought of not working with us. She is just different. She has that little bit of difference that Jack just doesn’t.
Ah sod it, no point having smaller investments working if the bigger solution doesn’t and I just feel more comfortable with Joanne and her company. I’m choosing them.
If you have just pictured this scenario and imagined yourself in this situation, then you have done what so many decision-makers and buyers have done.
Note, this doesn’t happen with those who work in procurement or finance. They will generally make the price decision and leave ‘the gut feel’ elements out of it. However, those with intuition know that the 10% is a price worth paying to get a service from someone who actually cares.
Someone who has that 10%.
You see the hidden element and secret behind sales (and convincing buyers!) is this 10%.
It’s the part of sales and selling which so many think isn’t needed but which those on the final mile understand.
- It’s the part of you when you sell that radiates through without you having to do anything different.
- It’s the part of you which makes you feel happy inside when you know you are solving a key problem for some.
- It’s the ability to respond calmly and cohesively when a difficult question is asked and handle it with care.
- It’s the part of you which will go out of your way to provide something for a buyer even though there is no guarantee the other person will buy.
- It’s the part of you that isn’t prepared to allow an average proposal to be what is delivered to the buyer. Your standards are just higher than that.
- It is the respect you show for the other person even when what they are looking for is different to what you think.
The 10% comes through in everything you do. It is who you are. It is the core values you have inside of you that stand out like wearing a red t-shirt at the Wimbledon tennis!
It’s the focus not just on a commission and what you can earn but on serving customers to really make a difference in their world. A selfless rather than selfish approach.
Buyers Notice This.
They (like you when you are sold to) can see through the shiny people with fake smiles and easy laughs. The salespeople who will tell you they care but deep down just want the sale to benefit them rather than make an impact for the buyer.
How can we see if we have the 10%?
There are lots of actions we can take to get to that point but the starting point is looking in the mirror.
Ask yourself this simple question right now.
Are you selling your service to benefit yourself, or to REALLY make a difference in someone elses life?
You can say lots of things but the 10% (and sometimes it’s even higher) extra that someone who really cares shows is clear to see. Their mirror never lies.
- They show passion and desire because they care about what they do and have a bigger purpose which drives them.
- They have built their confidence through practice, repetition and a respect to improve and grow.
- They are truly interested in solving the buyer’s problem because they are selling a service they truly believe in.
- They are on a continual path to learning and developing their knowledge and skills within their chosen area so they can add more value to the lives of those they speak with.
The list could go on for some time.
Many sales and business people who have the 10% extra don’t even know they have it. But the buyer can spot it and it’s what separates them from the others.
It’s the final mile of sales.
So would you rather be more Jack or Joanne? As with everything in life, we have a choice.
Who would you rather be? Who would your buyer rather you be?
I think you know the answer.
