by Ed Albertson,
Vice President – National Accounts
Carew International, Inc.
“Would you persuade, speak of Interest, not of Reason.”
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)
American statesman, scientist and printer
Telling versus selling: the great dilemma for sales professionals has rooted its way into the very foundation of human nature. A variety of research studies has consistently proven and quantified the fact that human beings are overwhelmingly self-focused and our perceptual orientation routinely reflects that fact. We can not help but see the world through a lens that first filters how any incoming information affects us and primarily in terms of what pain it may cause or what pleasure it may produce.
Such a self-centered preoccupation often drives sales professionals to resort to logic with their customers as they outline the features and advantages of their offerings. Assured that they are acting within the bounds of reason, they are thus stymied when the customer’s reaction to their efforts is, at best mildly positive and at worst, defensive and possibly hostile. Faced with such resistance, the sales professional draws on even broader substantiation and worsens the entire situation. Instead of resolving problems for customers, new problems are created and mostly of an interpersonal nature. A sales professional can literally be telling their customer not to be positively influenced by the sales professional’s behaviors and words.
However, the selling process can be made far more effective if the sales professional has a conscious awareness of this aspect of human nature and considers the consequences of acquiescing to its effects. Proactively employing behaviors like listening, acknowledging, and exploring as part of the selling process demonstrates a sincere desire to understand a customer’s point of view and projects the empathy that builds trust, credibility and rapport in a relationship. Through the effort of making these “deposits in the relationship bank,” a sales professional can reap a higher rate of “interest” by their customer, both figuratively, and literally.
Ed Albertson is Vice President of National Accounts at Carew International and is regular contributor to Carew’s executive blog – Carew Insights. Carew International is a leader in sales training and leadership development; specializing in comprehensive, proven training programs for sales, sales management and customer service excellence. For over 30 years, Carew has earned its reputation of delivering increased productivity and profitability to our valued clients world wide.
