Written for The Burnside News
In most buyer/seller situations there's the possibility for suspicion that not everything is being disclosed. If you've ever been involved with a salesperson that wasn't completely forthcoming or have been exposed to the Hollywood antics of what's perceived to be a typical salesperson, it isn't surprising that suspicions exist.
How do you as an ethical businessperson in sales provide the prospect with an honest view of how you're going to work with them? It's normal in the traditional sales world to set a meeting of when and where to meet and let the rest unfold as the meeting progresses. Instead, when you agree to meet, try to establish up front what what will be discussed, for how long and with what outcomes.
Taking the opportunity to define some specifics for the meeting is essential. It shows your professional approach for the meeting and it allows the prospect to lower their buyer barriers and not have the 'I wonder what's coming at me' concern. At the point you get an agreement to meet, thank them, but also establish five specifics.
The first is the amount of time you're going to meet. It shows respect and avoids ending the meeting earlier than you hoped for. Next get a mutual agreement on what the purpose of the meeting is. In the case of the first meeting it may simply be to exchange some information. Later meetings in the cycle may have a purpose of determining the next step. You also must understand what the prospect wants to accomplish. What are the specifics? Will you assume these or is it better to ask?
You must also get an agreement about what you want on the meeting agenda. You must ask permission to ask questions about the information that helps you understand the aspects of the problem and also allow you to qualify the budget available and who is involved in the decision process. You need all of this information to ensure you deliver a presentation that fits. The final piece of the agreement is what happens at the end of the meeting.
Taking the time to establish what I call an Up-Front Contract is an absolute must. The consequences of not establishing this agreement are possibly a lot of unpaid consulting or spending time with unqualified prospects that will never buy.
©2012 Sandler Training Inc. (www.atlantic.sandler.com) is an international sales and management training/consulting firm. For a free copy of Why Salespeople Fail And What To Do About It, call the Sandler Training at 902-468-0787 or e-mail salescareers@sandler.com
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