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by John Carroll
I’ve been fortunate on a few occasions to play golf at Torrey Pines
in La Jolla, California. I’m told that its two courses are the most
played public golf courses in America. It plays host to professional tour
events and offers a breathtaking view from its hilltop location overlooking
the Pacific Ocean.
With all the things one should do in preparation for the proper
swing of a golf club, Torrey Pines adds another. When you prepare to
putt, you should look up and find the ocean. Consider where you and the
hole are in relation to the ocean. From there, know that the ball will
roll toward the ocean. This means if you have a putting line that parallels
the ocean, plan your putt as if there’s a considerable break toward
the ocean side and play it accordingly. It really doesn’t matter
if you read no pull in that direction. The entire course is sloped in
varying degrees toward the ocean and putts are invariably drawn toward
the coastline. I mention this because it was the first and only time
I recall where it was to my advantage in golf to pick my head up.
In fact, one of the first pieces of golf
advice I received was, “Keep your head down and your eye on the ball.”
I learned quickly and often that it’s difficult to do one without
the other. Pull your head away from the ball too early and your eyes
naturally follow. Likewise, try to behold the beautiful flight of your
drive and invariably the head picks up, causing lost golf balls and other
calamities.
Selling has much the same paradox of heads up and heads down. It applies
in all situations, however, rather than those with unique challenges such
as Torrey Pines provides in golf.
In selling, it’s quite easy to put your head down and your mouth in high gear to fly through a sales presentation. You’re focused on what you’re saying. After all, you want to be sure you provide a thorough, fact-filled and persuasive presentation. You’ve worked hard to understand your product knowledge. You’ve listened hard for insights into your buyer’s needs. Now it’s time to show what you’ve learned, right?
Here’s where that good advice comes in: heads up! Keeping your head up in selling is simply checking to see where your prospect or customer is in relation to you and your objective in the sales process. Taking all available “airtime” by talking for the duration of your sales presentation prevents you from “reading” the three relative positions and planning your next move accordingly. Constant talking can also remove you from the buyer’s consideration for both this sale and additional opportunities. When you verbally leave your buyer in the dust, you risk losing him or her permanently.
In fact, your likelihood of getting the sale moves in direct proportion to the amount of airtime you give your prospect during the discussion. The more time your prospect is speaking, the greater the chances that you’ll get the business.
So how do you use this to your advantage in your selling? Plan your presentation, complete with the necessary product knowledge and the relevant benefits to your buyer, in the form of questions that force the buyer’s participation. This accomplishes two things. First, you give yourself the advantage of being able to take a breath and regroup, even if only for a moment. Second, and more importantly, you make sure that you and your buyer are on the same page. A single answer uncovering a key question or concern from the buyer, which you can answer on the spot, provides the opportunity to continue toward the sale. Conversely, a single question on the buyer’s mind that remains unasked and unanswered can kill the sale.
Here’s an example: let’s say you sell a service that employs digital technology. You could say, “Of course our service is completely digital, and that means you can be sure your information is completely secure.” Or, you could say, “How important it is for your own peace of mind to know that the information you’re sending is seen only by you and your intended recipient?” If your prospect responds that security is critically important, you can go into greater detail, providing some peace of mind on that particular issue. If, on the other hand, you get a noncommittal nod in response, you know you can move on to other benefits.
Pause to check
progress
If adding questions to your sales
presentation seems difficult or awkward, simply plan to stop at several
spots and ask, “Does this make sense to you so far? What questions
or concerns do you have at this time?” These questions are called
trial closes and are intended to help you gauge your progress in the sales
discussion.
I’ve said it before: sales presentation skills are overrated. The
practice of asking relevant questions and listening closely for the answers,
then incorporating those answers into the discussion as appropriate, is
a much more critical skill. To be sure, the sales process requires both.
The point here is simply that the focus needs to be on the buyer and the
buyer’s concerns, not on your product, your service or your presentation.
So pick your head up in your selling. Check to see where your
buyer is and plan accordingly. Just as the putt at Torrey Pines never
happens in the absence of being drawn toward the ocean, the sale never
happens without the participation and agreement of the buyer. Plan for
both and you’ll see the improvement in your results.
© 2002 John Carroll All rights reserved.