Lessons from Spring 2007 Semester

By this time tomorrow I will be done with the Spring 2007 semester and be on a plane to Germany. As each semester concludes I think back to the key lessons I learned from teaching another iteration of Advanced Selling. So here are a few thoughts to wrap up this semester....

Lesson #1: Don't confuse questions with understanding. I think those of us who teach selling have done such a good job of refocusing the selling task on questioning and listening, that we have actually created a new problem: questions for question's sake. I watched this semester as students seemed to confuse their need to understand the buyer's situation with a need to ask questions. Questions are the tools, not the ends. If it takes one question to understand, wonderful. But if it takes a series of 6-8 questions to understand a single issue, then ask them, combine them with strong listening, and achieve that necessary understanding. The point is not to ask a few questions and move on, the point is understanding. So as you plan out your interactions with customers, focus on using your questions as tools that will help you achieve your end; a strong, robust understanding of the buyer's needs, problems, and situation.

Lesson #2: Make recommendations, don't simply offer options. I just finished my final role-plays and the best ones all shared something in common: they brought me a concrete recommendation that was easy for me to comprehend and make a decision on. The ones that were poor often told me all the things I could do. "Could" leads to lack of commitment. Heck, a lack of commitment is inherent in the word "could." The groups who said, "based on my understanding of your situation, and my understanding of my company's product offering, here is my suggestion and here is why it makes sense" had a much easier time getting me engaged and were much more likely to hear a answer, whether it be yes or no. Those that focused on the myriad of possibilities that I could take, often encouraged me to say maybe. And maybe is possibly the worst word in selling. A good salesperson can deal with a "no", but a "maybe" reduces your options and it is my experience that most maybe's are just drawn out no's. So think about what you do, are you making recommendations, or are you just offering options? If you hear a lot of "I'll have to think it over" chances are you are encouraging this lack of decisiveness by focusing on options, not recommendations.

Lesson #3: Practice Matters. We were able to put two new role-plays into MKTG 4600 this semester and it definitely made a difference. Performance improved. It still baffles me how little salespeople practice. All other performance arts (e.g. sports, music, teaching) spend a great deal of time practicing, yet we salespeople like to think we don't need to or don't have the time to. I watched a student make a rough, but admirable attempt at telling an "imagine this" story in his call today. However, imagine this.... that salesperson put 30 minutes aside, got that illustrative story fine tuned and fully rehearsed, pulled it off in the call, really brought the product to life for the buyer and made a difficult and competitive sale. Suddenly that 30 minutes seems like time well spent. So I ask you.... what is your practice schedule? Or do you only practice on live customers costing you way more than 30 minutes of time?

Lesson #4: Nice does not equal easy. I always get a student who asks if I will be nice to them in the role plays. And I answer "absolutely!" And then I throw them off with unexpected objections, new issues and stubbornly negative opinions. Dang, I am nice! Mean would be being a push over that plays their sales straight man during these calls. Nice is forcing people to earn their success, forcing them to reach their potential. Just letting them slide is actually easier, but it would be the meanest thing I can think of. So, if you want to be nice to yourself, your classmates, your co-workers; be hard on them. Not mean or nasty, just difficult and challenging. Then when they get past the typically difficult buyer they can smile and thank you for being nice!

I am sure there were other lessons, but those stuck out to me as I sat here and reflected. Thanks again to all my students, past, present, and future, who force me to re-learn selling each and every semester. Someday I just might graduate!