Cock-a-doodle-dooo. The cry of the rooster. The big guy on the block, all knowing, all powerful. The one with all the answers and best ideas.
The rooster wants to dominate a room with their presence and knowledge. The rooster is always ready and eager to let anyone within earshot know what they know.
B2B sales people tend to be roosters. B2B sales people that have been selling for many years tend to be the biggest roosters of all.
Well experienced B2B sales professionals have a hard time taking the back seat. Why? It’s a cocktail – excuse the pun please – of reasons.
First, the belief that they need to offer value from the first hello has been drilled into their heads for years. They likely possess a wealth of product knowledge and expertise, by dint of their years on the job, that they feel must be shared. Even more commonly, they are bursting at the seams to get it all out.
From their very first sales job, the seasoned sales person has been the target of a cult like education that preaches the need to enter a room, or conversation, with expertise and solutions, or to be the provider of wisdom and knowledge.
Seasoned roosters will often define their professional identity by their position or seniority within their organization. There are many reasons for this. Maybe they are an “award winner” or member of the “Presidents club” but no matter, this person will never be shy about their position and status and, will almost always will be anxious to get that message out. It is for him to talk, and the client to listen.
Those who follow this blog or are familiar with First Approach ® will know that the fundamental purpose of both is to help in the development of relationship capital; more new relationships equals more new business.
No one can be familiar with every sales strategy or tactic, but when it comes to prospecting, I’ve seen many. When it comes to cold calling or getting that first meeting, I’ve seen a ton.
The one theme that pervades all is the theme of offering some kind of value right away. “We understand your needs “or “We have a solution we think will add 20% increased ROI”.
Why do we always begin a conversation with a prospective new client and promise, or at least infer that we are the one’s who hold all the value?
There is no magic catch phrase like “We’ve just completed a deal with your major competitor” or “We’ve generated some interesting research about you” that hasn’t already been heard. Worse, all those stock and trade come-ons are cliché, triggering the exact opposite response you’re seeking, the response to a cold call.
It is naive to believe that as a sales person, you can know what a client needs or wants before you’ve had the chance to sit down with them. It is especially naive to think that you are the only one with knowledge, or that you’re the only one worth listening to.
It is misguided to believe that you will be able to resonate, at least positively, with any one of the myriad cold calling techniques.
Prospects and new clients are usually a wealth of insight and information. It won’t always lead to a sale “today”, but nine out ten times it will be a professionally enriching experience and time well spent.
Prospects are human too, which means that they also have egos. Egos that, generally speaking within their professional lives, are shaped and nurtured within their career’s tenure and success. Most prospects are proud of their accomplishments and knowledge and like talking about them, justifiably so. Prospects, again generally speaking, love to talk about their industries accomplishments and challenges if they know someone is genuinely interested in listening.
Next time you discover a person or prospect you want to meet, try asking them if you can learn from them. Ask if you can pick there brain and expose yourself to a side of an industry or expertise you could never get from anyone other than someone in their position, someone with their achievements and knowledge. You may just be surprised by their response. When you meet, you’ll be really surprised.