Episode #193: The Cold Calling On Zoom Salesperson - Part Three

In Parts One and Two we looked at the early stages of the cold call, getting rapport established and then asking for permission to delve deep into the client’s situation. The initial questions we need answers to are either “what is your current situation?” or “where would you like to be with the business?”. We are searching for a floor and a ceiling. We want to know how things are travelling at the moment and what they aspire to achieve. Why do we need a floor and a ceiling? The perceived distance between the two tells a lot about our prospects of making a sale.

If the gap is felt by the client to be very close, sadly, they will imagine that they are fully capable, given time, of getting to where they want to be unaided. On the other hand, if the gap is large and they have realised they can’t bridge it by themselves, then they are possibly open to our help. Even if they believe they can do it by themselves, the salesperson’s job is to demonstrate that it will take longer, cost more or divert valuable resource to do it that way. Ergo, they are better off using our solutions.

Now the client presumes the cost of doing nothing, of taking no action, is zero. That is absolutely, inescapably, inextricably untrue. Never allow a buyer to harbour such a toxic lie in their mind. The salesperson has to point out the weighty and substantial opportunity costs of no action. They also need to emphasis the value they personally bring to the equation. They buy the company’s solution and the salesperson comes free, to support the buyer.

Often companies get to a point where they see the floor and ceiling gap and think they can do it themselves, but in fact they never get around to doing it at all. Different personnel changes interfere with the progress or the resources for this project are overwhelmed by the need to focus on another more pressing priority. In retrospect, if they had used us, it would have been done already and they would be enjoying the benefits right now, instead of constantly procrastinating about starting the project internally. This is the sort of practical insight the salesperson must be explaining to the over confident buyer, who imagines they don’t need to outsource this project.

Once we know the floor and the ceiling, next we need to know the construction of the mezzanine floor separating the two. This is the hideous barrier between floor and ceiling, separating top and bottom. If the client knows where they are now and they know where they want to go, then we need to ask them why they aren't there already? This is the millions of dollars in salesperson commissions question. Yet, incredibly salespeople are not even asking this question of the buyer!

We need to know about this barrier. What is the thing missing for them to get to where they want to go. Hopefully, we are the one to supply that missing solution to their problem. We could ask sweetly, “so far, you have mentioned to me where the business should be and where it is today. May I ask you, what has been stopping your company from bridging that gap as yet?”. Oh, excellent question. A veritable bonanza of a question. This is the entry point for us, from where we can inject our solution for them into their business.

Next we investigate the buyer’s own most fervently held desires, the thing that excites them the most, the major driver of all they ever do and think about. What is in it for them personally, if this solution works like a charm and delivers the goodies? Some may protest and claim this is too mercenary a view, but I think self interest drives us all. In a western company, the typical answers to this question would be, “I will keep my job”, “my boss will be happy”, “I will get a pay rise”, “I will receive a big bonus”. In Japan, the answers are more likely to be less about themselves personally and more indirect, “the team members will be happy”, “the company will succeed”, “we will be respected inside the organisation”.

We were able to get all of this key information in Japan for one simple reason. We asked for permission to ask questions first and then we asked structured questions to help us understand the problem and whether we had a matching solution or not. We told the buyer that “maybe” we could help them, that we “weren’t sure until we asked them a few questions”. This is a such a simple step missed by 99.99% of Japanese salespeople, because they are too busy pitching to ask questions and are terrified to question the buyer, aka “God”.

Now we are forced to make a very important decision. Should we work with this buyer? Are we actually able to help them solve their problem or not. Feverishly desperate, commission starved salespeople will quickly drive the square peg into the round hole. They will get one deal and blow up the brand and their own reputation in short order. The deal won’t deliver for the buyer, so there are no reorders and just lots of pain left lying around. If we can’t honestly help them grow their business, we should say so and move on and find someone we can help. The buyer will appreciate our honesty, our good name is protected and the client will speak highly of us to others.

If we can help them, then we need to explain the solution as part of our proposal and attach the pricing. How do we carry this off in this online Zoom Hell meeting world? Find out in Part Four.