The Sales Archaeologist

It is pretty normal for our analysis of a sales organization to find that most sales people are not selling in a consultative fashion. We also hear this from CEO's, VP's and Sales people themselves - "I need to be better at consultative dialog". I happen to believe that one of the most important changes a sales person can make is to become more of a consultative seller - this is evidenced by the sales people I work with and coach simply closing more business when they do just that.

I was reading about the Russian advance on Germany and it was describing the "pincer" movement that General Zukov had his troops implement - his army split and attacked from multiple sides. Not a new move - Napoleon had mastered it and Alexander the Great had used it but the pincer move reminded me of consultative selling. Why?

Because for most sales people the "sale" is one dimensional, a head on attack. The Product, the service, the company, features and benefits. The prospect see's it coming, creates defenses and the attack begins. But the consultative seller has a different approach. First they get the relationship in the right place, then they ask questions that get the prospect thinking, then they focus of the cost of not doing something, then they ask why now and not before, then they align with the persons goals etc, etc. Before you know it the prospect is considering multiple "fronts" and multiple consequences and the close is a result of their need for help not from the final thrust of a bayonet.

So as a sales person how are you doing at uncovering multiple "why's"? People in this market - regardless of your product or name need multiple reasons to engage and do business. If you are not uncovering a list of compelling reasons you are probably suffering from a bloated pipeline, a stagnant pipeline or disappearing pipeline.

I recently trained a group of very experienced (20 year plus) sales veterans from the technology field. They had been through sales training at some of the most recognizable tech companies in the U.S. (HP, Oracle, Sun, EMC, Computer Associates, IBM, Sybase and others) During our sessions these folks still struggled with 1) talking less 2) asking better questions    3) developing adviser status with the prospect 4) uncovering true compelling reasons.

So please dont feel bad if you struggle. But do feel bad if you struggle and are too proud to get some help.