I’m a salesperson. There, I’ve said it! I know it’s unusual for many to admit this, but I do so happily.
I’m just out of a meeting with an organisation I suspect will become a client in the coming weeks where I applied all of my knowledge, training and coaching to ensure I was able to set the condition for me to be successful.
Previously I had done work with an individual to identify the opportunity but it still required validation with his senior colleagues, so this was a critical meeting.
I knew that I mainly needed to listen. How do you put yourself in a position of being able to offer help with the challenges they are facing if you don’t listen for the information you need to be able to make that offer? If you don’t do this I believe you end up being a solution looking for a problem and that’s painfully hard work.
Today I listened carefully and I offered help.
I didn’t offer to sell them my solution, I offered to help them achieve what they were struggling to achieve. Of course that help includes my solution and support services around it but what they principally heard was that I could help them.
It was a powerful place to end up in and I’m now looking forward to constructing a contract that will give them what they need and allow me to also be successful. Getting that win-win is what it’s all about.
Listen carefully and be an offer of help; not a sales person and I expect you’ll also have a successful day.