People look for what to expect before
they try something new. They want us to signal a level of excitement,
clues to what is good, something they can believe in.
When was the last time you met a car
salesman as exciting as a car commercial?
“But I was taught to listen to the
customer...” So was the door at Macy’s, but at least it opens as
I walk up to it. Show some action, some optimism!
The bad news is not all offerings are
leaders in every way. The good news is no buyer has time to listen to
everything. They are looking for someone to give them the buyer’s
summary. What you choose to communicate is important.
The losers call it “spin,” but I’d
rather have spin than a depressed definition. If you talk about false
things, you’ll be discovered, but I can define a belief structure
that differs markedly from what the doubters think, that customers
will use to defend their choice forever. Optimism becomes the reality
for those taking action.
The crime is when internal
representatives are too tired or too “professional” to extoll the
good. Why show up for work, when you could just fax it in?
I have been accused of only
representing exciting offers. Here’s a secret, they weren’t
exciting before I got there, and that excitement became a key part of
each buyer’s beliefs.
I was part of the name tag table for a
user group, and the people from the sponsoring company were just
bored, tired, worn out.
Did I understand their best whatisit?
I’m an English major! Would you like fries with that?
But as we got each person registered,
tagged and goody bagged, as they walked into the main show I kept
saying, “Welcome to Hogwarts!”
Smiles, straightening up, looking
forward.
Setting Expectations. The neighborly
thing to do.
Posts
Love this idea, setting expectations with enthusiasm. Thanks for the tip!
ReplyDeleteBack in school students would read the 'pony' instead of the novel - getting someone else's viewpoint. Listening to the news commentator instead of reading the full text - you have someone else's viewpoint on the issue. What about the folks who only read the headlines after the election: 'Dewey Beats Truman'.
ReplyDeleteThere's no substitute for doing the work - the reward is acquiring the knowledge and the feeling of accomplishment. Value exceeds the effort.
Compare a bored actor repeating the lines of a play and an orator presenting thoughts and ideas - this is the difference between the tired, disengaged sales person Dick mentions and an engaged sales person who matches needs and benefits for the buyer to help them decide.
Thanks for sharing the observation in a post.