In early 1995 I went to a therapist.
At the time I counselled people going out of business. Harrowing work because I was a couple of years down that same path, and I could see what was coming for them. Each individual still clung to the optimism I had recently lost.
“What am I offering them if I can’t help them find the money they need to buy themselves out of the problem. They are as terminal as I am?” I asked.
His answer?
“Just Listen. Helping them find insight to their problems is as important as solving them. Listening allows them to throw their own light on their issues.”
It’s what I had done in my previous life selling data communications kit to mainframe users. I listened to IT managers talk about their problems. Back then I knew that my armoury of solutions usually held an answer.
But listening, unsure about whether I could help or not? That didn’t sit well.
We show a prospect our expertise by asking probing questions as they talk about their problem. This beats telling them about their problem. By miles!
Listening to their answers demonstrates our expertise. Their words describe their feelings and fears.
We also learn more about their problem. After a few months in any new environment we should know more about the subject than any single prospect does.
Try to use their own words when we speak to them. Try to use their own words to write to them.
It’s easier to sell if we use words that resonate with the people facing the problems we solve.
But we are not taught to “listen”. At school we learn to debate, to persuade, to argue our case. These skills don’t work when selling anything.
It doesn’t matter what you’re trying to sell. Ask how they see the problem. Listen to their answers. Answer with deeper questions that show you understand this problem. Those questions will highlight holes that extend their knowledge of the problem. And should increase their urgency to fix it.
Selling is a conversation, not a pitch. And it is a lot more fun as a conversation.