37. How can you have control over the interview?
How would you like to walk into a customer’s office and have a powerful tool that will give you complete control over the conversation?
You can do it. Here's how. Before you go in to see the customer carefully list five things you want to discuss. When you are in the customers office place this list where the buyer can easily see it. Without saying a word you have just taken control.
Every buyer or customer works from a list. When you place this list in front of them they will have an IRRESISTIBLE urge to work the list and check each item off. If you don't think the buyer will give you the amount of time to cover every thing you want to talk about you can solve that problem by simply using a yellow pad and a black marker.
I discovered this by accident when I was going to call on a important account and did not have the time to prepare in advance. I took out a yellow pad and made a list of five things I wanted to talk about. When I sat down in the buyers office I set the pad on the desk where the buyer could see it. I then started talking about point number one on my list.
The conversation started to get side tracked when the buyer was interrupted by a phone call. He hung up the phone, his eyes went to my list and he started talking about point number two.
His secretary entered the room and asked him to step out for a minute. When he returned his eyes again went to the list and we began discussing point number three and then four and five.
The amazing part about this is that he never became impatient with our meeting. He seemed to know that when we completed the five points I had listed on the yellow pad were all discussed we would be finished with our meeting. There were even other sales people waiting to see him and we went over my appointment time by 25 minutes.
Try it and you will be surprised at how smoothly the sales call will go.
Comments:
Being a navy recruiter we used this a lot. Based on the applicants quails we would use this in the form of brochures especially when talking to the parents. The parents would start with the top one and work thru the pile until they had them all on their side of the table including the permission form they had to sign for their child to go take the physical and join the service
Ralph Scalici
This definitely makes sense. This tool keeps the conversation on track especially for announced interruptions. I know anytime you go to a conference or workshop they use a handout or overhead projector. This here is the same principle. I know from my past management training classes they always said, “The key to any corporation or company recruiting new management was to pick an individual that follows directions.” Obviously, sales management would also follow in that category. People have not a clue their being controlled because of the way it’s been done tactfully without being agressive.
Shawn Hollis
That sounds like a great idea to me. I find that the first cold call with a busy person is more influenced by the prospect not knowing how long the meeting will take than what the content is. “When will this guy stop talking and let me get back to my important work?”. If I find a customer is in this mode I tend to speed up my presentation to keep their interest which is not as effective. I will definitely try this.
Crocker Smith
In a former position we were trained to complete a call/ visit work sheet prior to our visit. On the work sheet we had our VBR (valid business reason) with a primary and secondary goal. It was a great tool to move the buying process forward. Although, I don’t fill out a work sheet in my current position, I always go into a client with my Valid Business Reason and my primary goal already pre determined.
Becky Akins
Before I walk into any account I would always get an idea in my head of what I was going to discuss. 90% of the time I never made it past the first topic. At least I am on the right track. Now I will try writing things down on my note pad and using it to my advantage. I can see how this would help take a lot of the pressure off of both the customer and the salesman.
Here is something I was taught in Marine Corps. They called it the 6 P’s.
“Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance”
Jason Kirouac
"Before you go in to see the customer carefully list five things you want to discuss. When you are in the buyers office, place this list where the buyer can easily see it."