"Solving needs by solving needs" by Arnie Sherr

Solving needs by solving needs

By Arnie Sherr, Sherr Enterprises December 20, 2008   

 

My job; a salesperson; I need money, money, and more money. So then, how do I go about earning the “more” money I need? Well, first I must get my message in front of potential customers. After that I must make excellent presentations and after that; hopefully they will buy what I am selling. Ergo, I will have earned the “more” money that I need.

Wow, just examine how many times the word “I” is used in the above. It seems to me that the salesperson above is more concerned about his or her needs than those of the “customers” through whom it is desired that his or her money needs are met. One thing’s for sure, this salesperson understands his or her own needs; or perhaps NOT?   

Consider the baseball player whose batting average is generally 290; a pretty respectable accomplishment, wouldn’t you say? But, what happens when he gets into a batting slump? At first he’ll think, “It’ll get better in tomorrow’s game, and then the game after, and so on! Soon, the baseball player is putting so much pressure on himself that the desired result is now complicated by negative influences. “I gotta get a hit; I just gotta. My batting average is goin’ into the proverbial “turlet.

I think the problem here is “focus.” The batter is focusing on the wrong goal. He has set aside what is really important; the needs of the “team.” Selfish perceptions always interfere with the larger picture. Simply put, all of us are segments of larger agenda. Even if self-employed we work not simply for ourselves, but for our customers, clients, patients, students, constituencies, and more; if for an employer then for every other employee who inhabits the same workplace. A soon as we leave the nest we can only try to exist without the mental and spiritual support than belonging fulfills.

Now, instead of working for only that which “I” need, I am even more energized because how and what I do benefits those of and in the bigger picture. I am no longer stressed by my needs but enthused at the prospect of satisfying the needs of others. And that is what ultimately achieves results. After all, it was John Donne Meditation XVII that said “No man is an island.” The idea that people are not isolated from one another, but that mankind is interconnected, more …

Which brings me back to the reason for this writing…

The most effective way to attend personal needs is to focus on solving the needs of others; in sales those are the needs of those to whom we sell.

Well, how then do I establish a potential customer’s needs having never met them; many times not even knowing their businesses? Let me answer this way…

Tom sells toys for a toy distributor and having just noticed a toy store while driving he decided to attempt to open it as a new account; but, how can he determine this store’s needs? Well, there are a couple of things he already knows; his competition is most times low on inventory of the more important and best selling toys. Additionally, others of his accounts tell of his competition’s delivery being slow, at best. Of course, other needs are those items his prospect’s customers ask for that are out of stock. Those can’t be determined until after this new prospect agrees to give Tom a try! 

I guess that one was rather simple, but let’s use a more complicated prospective sales scenario.

Sherry sells fire suppression systems. It would generally be assumed that reasons for changing fire suppression resources may have more to do with service and system dependability. Perhaps the present system is antiquated and in need of replacement and/or perhaps promised and contracted service commitments leave much to be desired. These, although important would seem to be obvious or surface issues. Even to the procurer these may possibly be the very reasons for investigating new suppression systems to begin with. However Sherry, being the professional she is, takes the “needs” scenario just a bit further and miles deeper; her purpose hereof is to identify needs that are essentially more motivating (sizzling) and most likely are not apart of the presentations to be made by those competing against her for this significant sales opportunity.

Sherry, in her presentation introduces these important abstracts…

Although it is required under certain regulatory directives that fire suppression systems be installed and working properly there are other far reaching reasons for their installation and operational proficiencies. Certainly there are the life-saving factors that are inherent of being so equipped, but understanding that which motivates corporate <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 />America, coldly put, it is money that greatly influences such decisions. When Sherry says money she is not referring the costs of installation and maintenance; she is referring to other liabilities that may ensue if her prospect was to choose among her competitors for systems not as well presented to be as proficient, dependable, and updatable to meet future demands and requirements. Since it is Sherry that is injecting these added needs and their solutions, it shall be she that earns the respect and credibility for having done so.

Her system, proved more efficient than those of her competition will effectively decrease litigious liabilities because that which she is proposing has been tested over and over for proficiency and has been duly certified by the appropriate agencies, independent, government, and extraneous. In other words, installing and servicing Sherry’s fire suppression system will significantly reduce personal injury and property damage potentials. Doing her homework Sherry has compiled the required supportive documentation. After establishing how her system essentially reduces litigious risk she now begins speaking of her systems news technological improvements that dictate a more dependable operative value with fewer occurrences of system default and shut-downs. Such improvements add further to the prevention of potential and costly of legal risings.

I am not an expert on fire suppression systems and I write this example hypothetically. Moreover, what I’m trying to get across is, before you approach a prospect researching their needs is very important. I’m not referring to those needs that are likely to be spelled out by the procurer, but of those needs on which the procurer may not be focused. Adding such creativity will definitely sizzle-up Sherry’s sales presentation.   

Factually, for businesses that meet certain criteria law dictates that such fire suppression systems are installed and operational. But as with most government oversight manpower deficiencies it is usually left to the companies to monitor and be sure that systems operate efficiently. Sherry, by touching on how her system shall reduce significantly the probability of litigation through inefficiency of operation and performance is a stronger selling point than tending those standard and obvious needs as allayed to all by Sherry’s prospect.

Herein I’ve drawn on two vastly different examples; one simple and one rather complicated, at least to a layman. Although I may be less than explicit as one would like, I think I’ve made the point that knowing to whom you are presenting your wares is as important as knowing the wares you are presenting. In as much as you are able and will probably ask, in one form or another, what are your prospects’ needs, you may accurately assume your competition will do the same. Going that extra mile may just be the defining reason why you have prevailed.

Just as it is said “presentation is half the sale,” Kelley Robertson, for About.com writes a pointed essay entitled: How to Create a Powerful Sales Presentation : 7 Presentation Tips (2 thru 8) for Making a Presentation that Makes the Sale

Kelly defines seven important points to consider when planning your presentation...I added #1   

1.   Believe in yourself

2.      Make the presentation relevant.

3.      Create a connection between your product/service and your prospect’s needs.

4.      Get to the point/stay focused.

5.      Be animated and interesting

6.      Use showmanship.

7.      Use physical demonstrations if applicable (what the eye sees the heart believes)

8.      Lastly, believe in your product/service. If you can’t own it; own the premise, the result, and the value

While doing all of which I wrote and Kelley reinforces; be careful to keep your presentation on track. From your needs-research paint a strong connection between your offerings and your prospects needs including the less obvious but additional ammunition you ascertained by research before the presentation. Stay focused and to the point; vacillating and straying will cause your prospect to lose interest and become either bored or dismayed. Once an audience is lost regaining their interest is a steep challenge. Stay animated; you how many times you’ve made this presentation. It is much like the actor who performs three shows a day on Broadway. Each and every performance must have the same vigor and intensity as those before them. Be the showman you are; speak and act with conviction, animation, and belief. After all, you get what you give – you earn what you spend. “Go for broke” as though this is your last Hurrah!

Rest assured; if the actor does not believe in his part, the audience will walk away with their heads bent downward in disappointment.

As you have, hopefully, finished reading to this point there may be just one area of which you may be thinking I have not touched upon; price.

Mentioning price for me is matter-of-fact; that is, if Shelly has properly presented how the system proposed solves every buyer need plus a few to boot, and did so with sincerity, sizzle, and believability, all the while establishing value greater than that of her competition’s systems then whatever the price it is assumed that she’s earned the order.

Regressing back to Tom the toy salesperson; his new prospect when examining his prices declared that Tom’s are generally higher than his present toy distributor. Bear in mind, every item which was absent on this toy store’s shelves – items in constant demand – Tom has in-stock and ready to be shipped if this new prospect is inclined to place an opening order. Additionally Tom pointed out, even though his company is located 75 miles to the north any orders placed that day (before 1 PM as it was) will be delivered by or before 3 PM the next day; even this new account admitted if his present distributor did in-fact have the needed items it could be two, maybe even three days before delivery. Tom excused himself for what he was about to say and said respectfully, “I will sell you anything I don’t have in-stock right now for half my regular price.” Moreover, Tom explained the reason he is not only able to maintain adequate availability of high-demand merchandise and also to be able to overnight all shipments routinely is because our slightly higher mark-up permits greater warehousing space and additional trucks and drivers to keep our promises of great service and product availability. It is better to lose 2 or 3 percent of your profit than to lose it all with empty shelves and worse; sending your loyal customer to your competition. With that Tom’s new account began dictating an order; he never had to close. 

In all cases when needs are effectively satisfied and presentations are filled with the eight of mine (1) and Kelley Robertson’s (7) tips price becomes secondary to intelligent decision making. Not only are well made presentations purposed to provide operational and efficiency requirements they are also designed to create a justified value perception by providing clear and concise answers and solutions that address all buyer needs. If, as the saying goes “the presentation is half the sale” then the other half is about scheduling the transition from their present fire suppression resource over to yours. Although a price must be procedurally declared, it is assumed accepted and should be presented in the very manner. Price is only an issue of Shelly treats it as an issue!

Referencing the title, “Solving needs by solving needs”;it isvery real that the reasons we do what we do is ultimately for personal gain and rightfully so. Therefore, when I titled this essay I did so understanding of our own needs everything we do to solve them is a matter of rationality and/or priority. We create alternative enthusiasms; – motivation is a temporary condition – which helps to remove personal pressures from distracting us from what is our intent; to do the best for those with whom we share the bigger picture and/or the greater purpose. Empowering this mindset permits us to call-on, use, and request of others and more to not merely support our efforts but maybe to participate – at least behind the scenes – for the same common goal. In the end when Shelly makes the sale everyone wins; Shelly, all of her peers and superiors, her new customer and his or her peers and superiors, and finally Shelly’s family and loved ones who are the very reasons why she works so hard to be the best at her chosen vocation (I hope for her, it is a PASSION).