Selling isn't telling

By James Olsen

qELLING isn't telling. Most sellers \Jspend loo 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 produce an order any more than selling apples to a customer looking for airplane parts. Selling into assumed need doesn't produce business and irritates customers for future 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?"

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 leam 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 2x10 blah, blah, blah." It is beuer ro ask, "What are you using in 2xl0?" This mistake is made by neophytes as well as experts. The new seller and the expert both want to show the customer how much they know. It is not important how much we know. It is impor- tant that we understand precisely what our customer desires.

It is also important that our customer feels that we have listened and understood them. Customers will not care about what we know until we have listened to what they know. Customers will give us more attention after we have given them attentionthey will want to listen to us.

This is impossible when we're talking. Customers like to talk. Ask them. They will tell us-and enjoy telling us-if we listen with rapt attention.

Interruptions

I used to tell sellers, "When a customer speaks, shut up!" Now I tell them, "When a customer makes a noise, shut up!" Some people will mumble or make noises before they begin to speak. We must be hyper sensitive to these noises-they are the precursor to full communication.

Some sellers will continue to talk when interrupted by a customer. Don't. If the customer is so excited about whatever they want to say that they feel the need to interrupt, let them-it's a buy sign!

Many sellers feel they are at a disadvantage because they aren't the most verbally adept. Listening is their tool for sales success. No one feels listened to. Spouses don't listen to each other, children don't listen to parents, parents don't listen to children, bosses to employees. Once a customer feels listened to, the walls that impede communication will fall. If we practice the art of listening, people will stand in line to buy from us.

We know what we know. Listening will tell us what our customers know. Listen.

- James Olsen, Reality Sales Training, specialiTes in sales training for the lumber industry. Reach him at james@ reality-salestraining.com or (503 ) 544-3572.