Fabio: The Poolside Sales Prophet

Fabio came to my house a few weeks ago.

If you’re familiar with the Italian stud who regularly appeared on the cover of romance novels in the 80’s, you’ll know why I was home when he showed up at our door at 11:00 a.m. Fabio was there to provide a quote on renovating our pool, and I had a sudden desire to join my wife in learning the ins and outs of pool reconstruction. I quickly realized Fabio wasn’t a stripped-to-the-waist, perfectly built Italian god, but he turned out to be one of the best sales consultants I’d met.

Here’s the backstory. We inherited the pool when we bought the house a few years ago and were clueless about the expense of owning a pool. The previous owners didn’t tell us that the decking around the pool and the pool floor would eventually need replacing, and the solution wasn’t going to be simple or cheap.  

As the quotes piled up, so did our confusion. Turns out there were numerous opinions and options to be considered. We constantly heard,” “Don’t do that …” or “You need to talk to a pool guy. I just do decking.” One contractor told us that we would be better off if we ripped everything out and started over, while the next would recommend we work with what we have. This went on for two years. We had a problem, we had the funds set aside to fix the problem, but we were stalled … Until we met Fabio.

On a bright sunny day two months ago, Fabio walked around our pool, asked a few questions and then told us exactly what we needed to do and why. He didn’t use words like “maybe” or “possibly” or “consider.” He didn’t focus on convincing us to work with him. He focused on communicating what needed to be done to fix our problem.  

We hired him immediately, and by the time you read this blog, I will have most likely attempted my first cannon ball for the summer.

What happened? Why were we convinced so easily when others had failed to get us moving toward a solution?

Fabio owned the problem.

Don’t miss this point, because most sellers do. Fabio only solved a third of our pool problem but focused on 100 percent of the solution. We needed clarity and expertise about how to reach our destination. We needed someone to lead. Before Fabio, everyone we met focused on their portion of the solution instead of the destination — the most effective plan to a working pool. The other experts were leaving it up to us to develop a roadmap, but we had no compass. Fabio set aside his agenda to sell his services and helped us understand the most cost effective approach to ensure our grandkids would be swimming this summer.   

He never once explained how long he had been in the business or why we should hire him instead of a competitor. He just focused on consulting us on the best path forward. And because he clearly communicated what needed to be done, we trusted him and followed his leadership. Which brings me to point number two.  

Fabio used definitive statements.     

Why did I believe Fabio? Because he communicated, very definitively, what we needed to do solve our problem. Everything he said left no room for doubt:  

• “Because you have this type of pool, you need to …”
• “You can use the existing concrete, even though it has cracks, but you have to …”
• “You will need to replace your skimmers, but that will be cheaper than … ”

Because he spoke in definitive truths, I instantly believed he had been there and done that. And because he was confident, we were confident. Lead on, oh great Italian pool guy!

You can’t give what you don’t have.

Maybe that’s what you are thinking. Maybe you lack the knowledge to be like Fabio. Considering the typical problems your customer’ face, you’re only confident in your area of expertise. You stick with the ins and outs of your solution and leave it up to the decision-maker to fill in the missing pieces. If the decision-maker is unsure about the best plan forward, the risk is high. The project can stall indefinitely, and you become vulnerable to a competitor who sells like Fabio.  

If you’re interested in achieving thought leader status, here are two recommendations.

1. Expand your visions and think like a “pool owner”

Step back and look holistically at what the customer is trying to solve. They don’t just need to pick out rock for the pool; they need a working pool. So learn the best practices related to the entire solution. Seek the truth about what works.  You have an opportunity that each of your customers and prospects doesn't have. You are privy to what hundreds of similar customers have done to solve their problems. This may be their first pool. You’ve seen hundreds of “pools” being built. Find out what worked and what didn’t. If you catalog the best practices, in a few short months, you will be the smartest person in the room. And people will follow you.

There is one reason why, despite many years in the pool business, the other contractors had no idea how to consult with us about the entire problem:  They didn’t think like a pool owner. Their vision was narrowly focused on their portion of the solution instead of not the entire solution. And because of that lack of vision and, therefore, knowledge I couldn’t trust them to lead.

2. Look for the principles

Definitive statements come from principles. If you jump, you fall. No weak language there. Because we understand the principle of gravity, it’s easy to speak in definitive statements.

Fabio didn’t have a fancy name for the principles he’d learned over the years, but he understood the laws related to how a pool works.  

• “If you put that type of Pebble Tec lining in your pool, it will last 10 to 12 years
• "If you put stone on top of your existing concrete, it will cause the cracking in the rock. Therefore, you have to...

If you know the principles, you can be a phophet. And the ability to predict the future is something decision-makers highly value. Look for the principles for the problems you solve. You will no longer be seen as a sales rep hawking stuff, but as a wise sage. Heck, maybe you'll even make it on the cover of a romance novel.