Retail Sales Dialogue, Part One
Over the next few posts, we’ll examine an example of a “retail” sales dialogue – in this case, a homebuilder with model homes open to visitors. Notice how the salesperson uncovers and deals with Pain, uses listening tools, and works toward trust by allowing the conversation to go beyond traditional bounds with discussions of the prospect’s concerns/Pain rather than just talking about the homes this company has to sell.
My comments regarding what’s going on in the conversation are in (parentheses).
Salesperson: Thanks so much for coming in to Scott’s Acres. (Always good to thank a prospect.) Prospect: You’re welcome.
Salesperson: I’m Mary Lou Jones.
Prospect: And I’m Sharon Green.
Salesperson: Hi, Sharon Green. (Use her name as she gave it to you, and give your name in the same format.)
Prospect: I’m interested in buying a house. I’ve come here because I saw your ad in the newspaper, and I’m interested in seeing your models. However, I just want to get some quick information because I don’t have a lot of time, I’m in a real hurry. (That’s Pain)
Salesperson: So, Sharon, you’re short of time and you want to have a quick look at some models. (Level Two Listening – Paraphrasing what your prospect just said)
Prospect: I do. I just wanted to ask a few questions.
Salesperson: Absolutely! (That’s expressing some enthusiasm.)
Prospect: I have heard from some of your neighbors, some of your buyers as I walked through the community, that you are very slow in delivering the houses, and before I get too involved I wanted to be sure that if I buy a house here I won’t have to wait forever to get my home. (That’s Pain)
Salesperson: I see. So, you’ve heard that there’s slow delivery here? (Good listening and non-defensive.)
Prospect: Yes
Salesperson: Oh, my goodness! I’m sorry that’s happened. So you’ve heard that from more than one person? (Express regret, but don’t make her feel bad for telling you the bad news.)
Prospect: Yes. Well, I’ve been walking around doing my homework.
Salesperson: Good for you! (That’s recognizing her effort!)
Prospect: I’ve looked at some of the older sections that you have already built and that seems to be what I’ve heard from some of the buyers.
Salesperson: So they’ve said that there were some delays, in the older sections, and that’s not good. How quickly did you want to move here, Sharon? (That’s letting her know she’s been heard, and asking.)
Prospect: I was a little bit worried about how interest rates may take a turn upward, so I kind of wanted to be in there in 30 to 45 days. (That’s Pain)
Salesperson: You want to jump on the low interest rates and move within 30 to 45 days? (Restating the Pain and demonstrating Level Two listening. Notice that you now have information about the urgency involved!)
Prospect: Right.
Isn’t it interesting how much information we get and how much Pain we can uncover if we just ask—rather than giving a lot of information about our product?
We’ll continue this conversation and analysis in the next blog post!
Philanthropy Journal Article
Comments
Posted By Otoniel Sep 13, 11 10:19 AM
This information is great but do you have an example for someone purchasing personal training?
Posted By Lenann McGookey Gardner Sep 14, 11 02:21 PM
Thanks for your post. I’m glad you found this retail sales dialogue useful!
Actually, what I do for most people is DEVELOP sample sales dialogues for their specific service or product. So I’d have a conversation with you, learn the kinds of issues that most often come up in selling your personal training services, and develop a dialogue around those.
For example, recently I worked for a group of personal trainers at the Albuquerque Jewish Community Center http://www.jccabq.org/main/fitness_center.php. There, we looked at the typical scenarios the trainers face in selling personal training services, and how they could leverage those situations into sales of personal training sessions. We also looked at how they could BEGIN conversations with members of the organization who were working out, but who had not purchased personal training sessions. It was quite productive!
Would you like to have a telephone conversation about this? I’m at +1.505.828.1788.
Lenann
Posted By Sue Mazur - Coffee News Australia Sep 14, 11 07:11 PM
Hi Lennan - brilliant post, thank you for the inspiration. Loved the focus on their name, acknowledgement, and finding the pain. We just need to have the confidence to ask! Cheers, Sue
Posted By Lenann McGookey Gardner Sep 15, 11 10:04 AM
Sue, thanks for your post! Hope all is well in Melbourne (if, indeed, you are home!).
To your comment, I wouldn’t say we “just” have to have the confidence to ask—though that’s terribly important, of course, there are a number of other components of a contemporary approach to selling that pave the way for that ask!
Hopefully the dialogue I’m sharing will bring some of those components to light—I’ve blogged about the many elements of a modern approach to selling before, but sometimes it takes an example to make concepts clear, I’ve learned. I mention this because so many folks write notes to me like, “I see, I just have to ...”—and I always want to say, “It’s not that simple; selling is a discipline and there are a lot of dimensions to it.”
Of course, with experienced and very successful salespeople (like you), sometimes the addition of a single new skill will be enough to make a significant, positive difference in their results. Wishing you continued success!
Lenann McGookey Gardner