Stop Making The Client’s Decisions

I had the pleasure of working one of my client’s booth at the ASI Show in Orlando, Keepsake Box USA…it was amazing, the energy, seeing people’s smile and the positive engagement. The very next week, same thing at the PPAI Show, and while I did not work my client’s booth, I did hear a similar cadence as many show attendees navigated the various booths around the show floor.

“I know my clients, and they don’t buy what you’re selling!”

After hearing this rebuttal line over and over again, it made me ask the question to a few of the show-goers making this claim. WHY?

Know the Solutions

I managed to ask several people, ‘do you know much about these products?’, most had no idea, or if any a cursory understanding of the value, capabilities, or even which types of clients buy or use the products. How could they, the decision was already made, and in doing so, missed opportunities galore! Leverage the talents of your suppliers, ASK good questions.

If You’re Unsure…Get Educated

Most who entered the various booths, never asked sound questions. Your supplier partners deal with their product line and hundreds of sales encounters weekly, they have experience, why not leverage it?  You might share the various vertical markets in which you sell. You may ask the question, ‘what is the best way to present your product?’ What objections, might I encounter, and how do you overcome those objections?’  In every facet of my business, while I know a lot, there are others who know more, I want to tap into that knowledgebase to become better.

REALLY Get to Know Your Clients

During the beginning sessions I have with my consulting clients, I found, the vast majority don’t really know their clients – they make a ton of assumptions, that’s a mistake. Through the deep dive process of reviewing their website, asking probing questions, you will uncover a multitude of opportunities. Now for you type ‘A’ salespeople, be patient, it won’t come overnight, it takes time – and it’s worth it. That same understanding can be leveraged with similar clients and will lead to better questions.  Formulating your questions based on your research does a couple of things.

• It lets clients know you care and are engaged

• You are out to help them solve challenges and not heir to just sell something

• Interested in their ultimate success

Be Passionate When Presenting

It is difficult to sell anything if you are not passionate about what you sell. Clients easily see through a façade, when you don’t believe in what you sell, how can you expect the client to fully engage with the concept. Failing to really know what you’re selling creates a certain angst, and it shows in your presentation. Before I started in the promo industry, I worked for a box manufacturer. I began to get more involved in packaging design, I read up on the psychological impact of color, graphics, design, copy, and the impact it had on the perspective buyer or recipient, it was  fascinating.  When I present packaging to a client now, I share that knowledge in my presentation, my passion comes through, which in turn engages the client at a deeper level. This can be done with everything we sell in our industry; passion is infectious!

Sell the Value

In the beginning of my career, I too, made decisions for my clients, bad move, and I can assure you, I personally was the reason why I lost hundreds of sales. Not to be contradictory, there are times when something could be harmful, i.e. shipping bulk power banks without the proper labeling; certainly you need to help the client understand why that cannot be done.

Selling the value of why a client should consider a certain product or service is important.  Here are some of the value sets I shared when I sold a massive kitting project years ago.

• I will save you time

• I do this in a clean room facility

• You won’t need to take current employees or hire temps to do the job

• You wont need to worry about pilfering

• We can print the letter

• Create the mailing tube

• Roll and insert all the items

• Label, AND ship on your behalf

We got the entire project, 3,500 t-shirts and the entire, packaging, fulfillment and kitting, at a handsome margin – client said, “Wow, you made it easy for me!”

Sell The Value – Your Value

Let Them Decide…not YOU!

In closing I want to share two quick examples for my clients, I am not going to disclose who they are or the industries they sell in as a courtesy but these stories are real and IMPRESSIVE.

• I introduced a buddy of mine to packaging, he never sold an order for packaging. He leveraged the talents of the supplier, learned what he needed to know and made the pitch. First packaging order every - $58,500.00 sale.
  

• Next, same thing, but this client/friend was petrified and amendment the client would not buy packaging, it’s too much, he was confident they would not have the budget. A custom sample was made and placed in the client’s hands – a $300,000.00 order was placed…along with a partial REORDER.  Have I piqued your interest?

And remember this…

• Know your clients

• Know the products and services you sell

• Leverage the talents of your suppliers

• Sell the value

• Present with passion and conviction

• …and, DON’T MAKE THE DECISION FOR YOUR CLIENTS!

If you embrace these points you will be pleasantly surprised with the results, it worked for me, and others – just like you!

Until Next Month, Continued Good Selling - CQ