SLH SALES SYSTEM SALES TRAINING MORSEL #15

FUHGEDDABOUDIT!

GET EMPTY-HEADED

DAVID RUBINSTEIN

EDITED BY

JIM OLSON

They say it’s tough to teach old dogs new tricks. And, this is especially true for veteran Sellers. How often do we let what we know – or think we know – get in the way of what we need to know? Too often we think we know it all. We may think we’re smarter than our Buyer. Or, that “we’ve seen it all” or “experienced this before.” Unfortunately, this mind-set can negatively impact what we do and how we do it.

Often Sellers go into calls with assumptions and presumptions about the Buyer and what may happen. It doesn’t make sense but it happens all the time. This position is magnified by Sellers spending time doing intensive research (usually on the Internet).

What if we took the opposite approach? What if we checked all of our assumptions at the door? What if we strove to be “Empty-Headed” on all of our sales calls? No research, no assumptions.

I frequently encounter push-back when I suggest that we minimize, if not eliminate, doing research before a call. What’s more valuable – primary information from the Buyer, or secondary information from another source? The most accurate information we can receive is directly from the Buyer. Save a lot of time, prepare to ask the right questions and listen well. Buyers will tell us what we need to know about their business and them if we simply ask.

Being “Empty-Headed” means:

                       Be prepared to be surprised.

                       Even though I know the answer, I still ask the question.

An example. I have been involved in the sales and marketing of sports tickets for a very long time. And, a long time ago, this question emerged:

                       “If you had tickets, how would you use them?”

Through experience I am very familiar with how tickets are used. But, that’s not the point. The usage of the tickets by this Buyer is what’s most important. I continue to use and teach this question because, being Empty-Headed, I’m anxious to hear their plan for the tickets.

So, don’t let what you think – and think you know – get in the way of reality.

HTS?

Good Selling!

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