11.11.2010

Why Prospects Hate to Deal with You.

Most of us hate dealing with sales people.

OK. Maybe that perspective is a little too harsh…

Let me make this personal.

Most of the time I hate it.

I just get this awkward sense that I am being treated like a 3-year old.

And I know how to do that.

I have a little 3-year old terror named Dustin at home.

He has no problem squeezing out a tube of toothpaste on the counter or running outside without his underwear on. He’s three and completely fearless.

And I have an awesome way of managing the instant disasters he mischeviously masterminds.

I feed him inconceivably confusing answers.

I use words like:

“Because….”

This is my chief defensive tool.

He wants to jump off the couch into a bucket of Legos and my nuclear explanation for why he shouldn’t do that is simply one awesome word: “Because…”

It works like a champ. He says, “Why” and I say “Because”. And after three or four “go-arounds” of this, he stops asking me silly questions.

I win.

No need to waste time on really trying to explain anything. No need to care about him getting hurt. No need for me to match the right answer to his pain point.

I just do my thing and guess what, it makes my life easy. After all, isn’t it all about me anyway?

Now.

Before you start to think too seriously about how bad a dad I might be, think about how bad a sales person you might be.

I don’t really treat my son that way. But that’s how many of you treat your clients.

You shut them down before they get answers to their questions…
You think their questions are stupid and keep presenting…
You don’t care if they get hurt in the buying process…

That’s all ridiculous behavior.

It’s the reason prospects hate to deal with you.

If you want to create real influence, stop treating your prospects like a bunch of 3-year olds.

Try something else:

Teach.
Share.
Give.
Care.

And you know what?

I don’t think your prospects will be able to hate dealing with you any more.

You’re just too valuable.

This post was first written (in a slightly different format) for Sales Bloggers Union. I write there once a month with a dozen other sales gurus as we share different opinions on the same topic. Here are a few other articles I’ve written there.

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Anonymous

Dan, what shall I say, another great post!
Why don’t we hear mothers whisper into their sons or daughters ear “When you grow up you will become a great sales person”? When we hear “sales guy” we immediately get the image of a person that wants to trick us into something bad which we did not want in the first place.
At the same time the profession of sales is inherently one of the most important professions in the world and a great occupation as that! The reason we get a bad taste in our mouth when we hear a sales pitch is simply that there are too many so called sales professionals that do not know and understand the great “buying/selling process”. Or, more often than not, they abuse this superb process.
A really good sales professional is not selling but s/he is helping to make the best buying decision the potential customer can make.
In the end, people do not like to be sold but they love to buy!
- http://www.DanWaldschmidt.com/ Dan Waldschmidt
  
  Manfred,
  
  Good points.
  
  I’ll take it one step further. The one thing people like to do more than BUY is to SHOP. And there is s difference (shopping = no commission).
  
  Dan
Anonymous

Dan, what shall I say, another great post!
Why don’t we hear mothers whisper into their sons or daughters ear “When you grow up you will become a great sales person”? When we hear “sales guy” we immediately get the image of a person that wants to trick us into something bad which we did not want in the first place.
At the same time the profession of sales is inherently one of the most important professions in the world and a great occupation as that! The reason we get a bad taste in our mouth when we hear a sales pitch is simply that there are too many so called sales professionals that do not know and understand the great “buying/selling process”. Or, more often than not, they abuse this superb process.
A really good sales professional is not selling but s/he is helping to make the best buying decision the potential customer can make.
In the end, people do not like to be sold but they love to buy!
http://www.HomelandSecureIT.com John M. Hoyt

Dan, you always make me think… Thank you….
- http://www.DanWaldschmidt.com/ Dan Waldschmidt
  
  Thanks, John, for the kind words…. I hope I inspire you to take action too. :-)
  
  Dan
http://www.HomelandSecureIT.com John M. Hoyt

Dan, you always make me think… Thank you….
Mitch Johns

I think this goes far beyond the selling process. Perhaps you can reblog this and just title it ‘why people hate to deal with you’
- http://www.DanWaldschmidt.com/ Dan Waldschmidt
  
  Ha! Well stated, Mitch. It’s definitely one of those “life lessons”…
  
  Dan
Mitch Johns

I think this goes far beyond the selling process. Perhaps you can reblog this and just title it ‘why people hate to deal with you’
Leanne Hoagland-Smith

Maybe the challenge begins with the word prospect. What would happen if we changed the word prospect to potential customer or client? Would our behaviors be the same or different?
- http://www.DanWaldschmidt.com/ Dan Waldschmidt
  
  Leanne,
  
  You bring up a good point.
  
  Our perceptions do color our response and attitudes toward other people. Maybe we need to drink a mental protein shake.
  
  Dan
  - Anonymous
    
    Great, I do that already! It is called Shiraz, Pinot Noir, and some other names…. :-)
    - http://www.DanWaldschmidt.com/ Dan Waldschmidt
      
      All wonderful choices…
      
      Dan
Leanne Hoagland-Smith

Maybe the challenge begins with the word prospect. What would happen if we changed the word prospect to potential customer or client? Would our behaviors be the same or different?
http://www.DanWaldschmidt.com/ Dan Waldschmidt

Thanks, John, for the kind words…. I hope I inspire you to take action too. :-)

Dan
http://www.DanWaldschmidt.com/ Dan Waldschmidt

Ha! Well stated, Mitch. It’s definitely one of those “life lessons”…

Dan
http://www.DanWaldschmidt.com/ Dan Waldschmidt

Leanne,

You bring up a good point.

Our perceptions do color our response and attitudes toward other people. Maybe we need to drink a mental protein shake.

Dan
http://www.DanWaldschmidt.com/ Dan Waldschmidt

Manfred,

Good points.

I’ll take it one step further. The one thing people like to do more than BUY is to SHOP. And there is s difference (shopping = no commission).

Dan
Anonymous

Great, I do that already! It is called Shiraz, Pinot Noir, and some other names…. :-)
http://www.DanWaldschmidt.com/ Dan Waldschmidt

All wonderful choices…

Dan
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