The concept’s the same, the application isn’t…
If you’ve read my eBook, UnSelling™: 22 Strategies to Win Without Selling, ( download a free copy )you’ve seen that I commonly use the retail-related example of the sales clerk who eagerly greets the visiting customer with the classic “sales” approach, “May I help you?” Of course, it usually solicits the response, “No thanks, I’m just looking.”
I was delivering a speech to a group of Atlanta-based CEO’s on this topic last week and someone asked a great question: “What’s the UnSelling approach to the retail sales clerk example?” While I have worked with many of my clients to help them develop the scripts and messages to better “UnSell” in their environment, I hadn’t been challenged to apply it to this example.
Here’s an approach that may work well to make the prospective client become less defensive in the exchange: “Thanks for visiting, I will be over here if there is anything I can help with.” This approach is both polite and also ensures that the visitor has a resource available but also indicates that we’re happy to give them “space.”
Let’s try another: “We’re glad you’re here and my name is Mary. Please feel free to look around and if I can be of assistance please let me know.” Once again, we make it clear that we are here to help but not “in your face.”
You may be able to come up with more, and better, examples than those above. The important point is that regardless of your selling environment, you would be wise to create the “scripts” and approaches that will change the nature of the subservient, guarded relationship that tends to dominate buyer-seller relationships.
If you want more details on the UnSelling approach: download a free copy of Peter Bourke’s newly published eBook UnSelling™: Sell Less … To Win More. The free eBook is available in several formats, including Kindle, Nook, iBook, PDF, and more.
This topic is all about helping sales (and non-sales) people to realize that winning new business is not about selling (or “telling”) more aggressively. It’s about changing the nature of the relationship between buyer and seller to one of collaboration.
Feel free to forward this email along to your colleagues and friends so that many can benefit from this powerful resource.