(2) the customer should recognize the needs as problems he or she wants to solve.

SALES TRUTH 15: Offering solutions later, when you have a better handle on the customers needs, will improve your chances of making a sale.

sales trap 16:

Let the Customer Control the Sales Call

In days gone by, you used to be able to open sales calls with lines like What are you looking for? or What can I do for you today? Asking the customer to tell you about his or her business is a strategy that will get you into a heap of trouble in todays high-pressure, high-performance sales environment. Customers dont have time to do your research for you. You can get much of this information from annual reports or from databases, saving both of you time. Asking such questions adds no value at all. The idea that the customer should control the sales call is a fallacy.

WHAT CAN GO WRONG

To illustrate what happens when the customer does the talking in the sales call, consider the following example.

Steve Hillberg, a loan officer, called on a business owner who wanted to expand his packaging business, which was a leader in its industry. This packaging company wanted to add more metal containers to its product line, because it was turning away an estimated $25 million in business each year. Steves purpose in making the call was to offer creative financial ideas that the company could use to improve its cash flow position while bringing out its new product. Steve also needed to determine whether additional lending opportunities existed.

Tell me a little bit about your bank, the customer asked. By asking Steve to begin discussing his organization, the customer took control of the conversation. Steve talked enthusiastically about his business for nearly forty-five minutes of the one-hour-and-fifteen-minute call. Steve explained the different divisions of

his bank, ranging from trust and investments to lending and professional services and from E-banking to branch banking. He talked about the new and exciting products and services that his bank had launched in the marketplace over the past year. Unfortunately, Steve didnt learn much about the customers problems and how he might be able to create value for the customer.

Steve might have been better suited to the role of Wall Street spokesperson for his bank. He was knowledgeable and he was articulate. Unfortunately, at this point in the sales call, he should have been asking the client questions. At the end of the call, Steve knew nothing more about the customer. The sales cycle hadnt advanced at all.

FROM INTRODUCTION TO INVESTIGATION

The first place the sales call can get off track is just where Steve made his mistake. After the introductions are over and the salesperson is making the transition from the introductory stage to the investigative stage, he or she can miss the chance to uncover and develop the buyers needs. At this point in the sales call, the salesperson should ask the buyers permission to ask questions. If the salesperson doesnt do this, he or she will soon be in a barrel of trouble, because the customer will control the call with questions and the salesperson wont discover the customers real needs. Salespeople could say something like:

A Do you mind if I ask you a few questions to determine whether I might be of help to you and your organization?

A If you dont mind, Id like to ask you some questions to see whether you will benefit from my services. Would that be

helpful?