Selling Response Ability

Listen First

How can you attract customers by listening to the new media?

One selling secret that is infrequently used is your ability to respond in an effective manner to inquiries and engagements of prospective customers. This is how you create relationship customers through your response ability.

Has the new media reality made it more difficult to get a conversation opportunity with your customers?

In the past sales reps would seek out their prospective customers and present their products and solutions to them. Today, buyers seek out (through search) the solutions they are looking for. Then they evaluate by reviews and online talk and opinions of people with questionable qualifications and experience that give advice on the specific subject.

With all the available information at our fingertips, people feel they can do their own research without the assistance of a sales rep. They feel they can get more diverse perspectives before they make a buying decision. The sales rep of today must become the online expert in his/her specific niche to gain the authoritative position in his/her category. This is the only way you can be found in the new media with keyword searches.

We used to cold-call and get appointments to present while attempting a closing sale. With all the demands on our time these days, it’s getting harder to get that sales appointment. We learned, in order to sell more, simply shut up and listen more. That’s relatively easy in a face to face conversation. You ask and you listen. But, how do you do this in the new media reality.

New media lends itself to allowing the buyer to search and find what they are looking for and then to evaluate and choose. The selling process is much more subtle than it used to be. We need to adapt our selling methods and processes if we want to compete effectively.

Selling your product today requires that you take a different approach of putting your solution out there for the world to see and then optimizing your content in such a manner that your solution is easy to find. As you do, people who are interested will follow, fan, and friend you. This provides you with a unique opportunity to engage and listen to your prospective customers.

This strategy can become your web marketing business. You are now in the business of using the web to find your future clients, rather than cold-calling.

I’d like to share 3 unique methods of listening using the new media reality in my Weekly Sales Call. Join me on the call or view a replay where we will talk more about this topic. Thanks. …Howard

By Howard Howell

Howard is an Internet Sales Consultant. He speaks professionally about Web Marketing and Sensible Selling from an experienced entrepreneur’s viewpoint. He also provides individual coaching, group training, and web marketing consulting services. Contact him now.

139 comments

  1. I especially liked your description of how people shop today. You described my methods of shopping, which I had not analyzed to the level you provided. That enlightenment convinces me that my social media needs some enhancements.

    Thanks for your relevant and usable information.

    Martyn

  2. Howard,

    Very concise description of the new market out there. It reminded me in particular to keep commenting. Thanks, I will try to catch it live next week.

    Bob Stewart

  3. You are spot on Howard. Clients/Customers are savvy researchers these days. They want to seek first and buy later in this new media world. The interesting part to me is that there doesn't seem to be a good guage in getting to YES like there was in the old ways of sales. And what I love about it is that the new ways to engage people has gone from the 1-1 to 1-1k, so perhaps that data on getting to yes isn't important anymore. We know it takes the average adult to see/hear something 7-8 times (and I heard 9 online) before they test drive. To me that says the key is to keep consistent messaging flowing.

  4. @Martyn @Bob @Tammy – Thank you for your comments. @Tammy – You are correct that it is difficult to get to a YES using the old sales process. And, today, the customer has usually had many multiples of virtual engagements prior to inviting you to “sell” them your service.

    I believe we are in a transitional period where the sales process is evolving to a place where the customer is in control. And, in most cases, the customer knows more about the product and service they are asking the sales rep to provide for them.

    Today's sales process is looking more like the old retail sales clerk that guides the customer to the options available for customers that entered the store knowing previously exactly what they wanted. There's no need for presentations. The World Wide Web has already presented the product/service.

    As sales people we must adapt our method of connecting and closing the sale because we are only involved in only 1 of of 6 steps now and it is by invitation only. Whereas before, we initiated and seemed in control in about 7 steps. This takes a whole new mindset. Those who do not adapt will be your competitors chasing you.

    I will be elaborating on this more in next week's sales call, Selling With Social Media. I hope you can join me. Thanks. …Howard

  5. @Martyn @Bob @Tammy – Thank you for your comments. @Tammy – You are correct that it is difficult to get to a YES using the old sales process. And, today, the customer has usually had many multiples of virtual engagements prior to inviting you to “sell” them your service.

    I believe we are in a transitional period where the sales process is evolving to a place where the customer is in control. And, in most cases, the customer knows more about the product and service they are asking the sales rep to provide for them.

    Today's sales process is looking more like the old retail sales clerk that guides the customer to the options available for customers that entered the store knowing previously exactly what they wanted. There's no need for presentations. The World Wide Web has already presented the product/service.

    As sales people we must adapt our method of connecting and closing the sale because we are only involved in only 1 of of 6 steps now and it is by invitation only. Whereas before, we initiated and seemed in control in about 7 steps. This takes a whole new mindset. Those who do not adapt will be your competitors chasing you.

    I will be elaborating on this more in next week's sales call, Selling With Social Media. I hope you can join me. Thanks. …Howard

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