Selling isn't telling

By James Olsen

qELLING isn't telling. Most sellers lJspend too much time talking. We know what we know. What we don't know is what the customer knows.

When we assume we know what our customer wants, we begin to sell to a target instead of a bull's eye. If we don't listen to our customers thoroughly, we have an incomplete target. There is a time to sell. That time is after we understand our customer's needs completely and thoroughly. If we listen to our customers, they will tell us how to sell them.

The problem is that many of us don't listen enough. Because we don't listen, we don't hear what our customers need. Selling quality to a customer looking for price will not pro- duce an order any more than selling apples to a customer looking for airplane parts. Selling into assumed need doesn't produce business and iritates customers for luture business.

When a customer asks a question, we must find out the need behind the question. One way is to answer the customer's question with a question.

Customer: "What is the market on 2x4'1"

Us: "We have been selling 2x4 well today, why do you ask?"

If we are uncomfortable answering a question with a question, we can give an answer and then ask a question.

Customer: "What's your price on 7/16 OsB?"

Us: "We are selling OSB at $250, what have you been hearing?"

Knowledge is power. Even if our customers aren't buying from us, they can still give us valuable information we can use to sell other customers. When we ask for information after giving information we learn more and we send the message that we are partners with our customers, not iust information dispensers.

The follow-up question

We can think many times faster than anyone can talk. Most sellers use this gap to think about what they are going to say next. The master seller focuses intently on exactly what their customer is communicating (verbally and non-verbally). While we listen for the total meaning, we formulate a follow-up question pertaining to what our customers tells us. This will:

Keep the customer talking, creating more rapport.

Give us more information-a better bulls-eye to sell to.

Telling Questions

Many sellers "tell" questions. "You are probably using green Doug fir in 2xl0 blah, blah, blah." It is better to ask, "What are you using in 2xlo?" This mistake is made by neophytes as well as experts. The new seller and the expcrt both want to show thc customer how much they know. It is not important how much we know. It is important that wc understand prccisely what our customcl" desit'es.

It is also important that our custorner/ee1.r that we havc listened and untlerstootl thenr. Custorners will not care about what n,u know until we have listened to what /hel know. Cuslonters will gire us lnore utlcntion afier we have given them attcntionthey will want to listen tt'r us.

This is impossible when we'r'e talking. Customcrs like to talk. Ask them. They will tell us-and enjoy telling us-il we listen with rlrpt atlL'ntion.

Interruptions

I used to tcll sellcrs. "When a customer speaks. shut upl" Now I tcll them, "Whcn a customer makes it noise. shut upl" Sorne people will munrble or make noises bcfore they begin to spcak. We must be hyper sensitive to thcse nclises-they arc the pfce rrrsor to full cornmunieution.

Some scllers will continue to talk when intcrruptcd by a custontcr. Don't. 11' the customer is so excited about whatever they want to say that thcy feel the nccd to interrupt, let thcm- it's a buy si,unl

Many sellers f'eel thcy are at a disadvantage because thcy aren't the nrost verbally adept. Listenin-tl is their tool fbr sales success. No onc f'cels listened to. Spouscs don't listen to each other. childrcn don't listen to parents, parents don't listen to childrcn, bosses to en'rployees. Oncc a custorner f-ccls listencd to, the walls thirt impede cornmunication will tall. If we practice the art of listening. pcople will stiind in line to buy from us.

Wc know what we know. Listcnin-q will tcll us what our customers know. Listen.

- .lttrrra.s Olsett, Rculitt' Sules Truinittg, sp<'t'iuli:.es irt sule.s truirtittg fitr tlte ltrrttber intlustrv. Reaclt him 0t .junres@ r e u I tt - s u I a.s t r tt i r t i rt,t,.c

Software Tracks Green Wood

To help distributors and manufacturers mcct and maintain chain-of:custody certification. Computer Associates Inc. has upgraded its Ponderosa Building Matcrials Soffwarc to meet FSC requirer.ncnts for product traceability, procluct stora-ge and handling. invoicing, and record keeping.

Thc system can now track material fiom the certified source through the entire manufhcturing process. calculat- ing matclial inputs, outputs and any losses. and generatin-g an up-to-date audit ol-the certified itcms produced.

FSC requires that material purchased from a certified supplier be accompanicd by documcntation that includes the supplier's chain-of-custody certification code and FSC claim of thc matcrial. be warehoused separately fiom non-certified stock, and be easily recognizable to staff and separable by its FSC status.

The software automatically adds both codes for each certified product from suppliers' invoices to rescllcrs' invoiccs and shipping documents.

Ponderosa also handles the rccordkecping mandates of FSC, including quantities purchased, quantities sold, invoices. packing slips, FSC training records, and a list of all FSC jobs.

NATU RE'S DESIGN TECHNOLOGY'S ASSURANCE

Bosed in Annopolis, MD, Fletcher Wood Solutionso is the lorgest monufocturer o{ defect-free, oppecronce grode rodioto pine products in New Zeclond. Distributing our cleor boords, mouldings, LIFESPAN'-' treoted wood, ond lumber to the Norih Americon morket through our proven cnd completely integroted supply choin, Fletcher Wood Solutions'r mointoins direct occess to one o{ the lcrgest FSC certified!' pine plontotion forests in the world.