Whose Beliefs Need To Be Changed?

As I discussed last week, my belief is that we should define and measure our sales effectiveness based on our ability to change beliefs. Whether there is a flaw in the existing strategy or a critical problem has been over looked, our role is to ensure that the customer embraces, when needed, a new way of thinking. To be clear, the goal is not to manipulate but simply to leverage our expertise and ensure they benefit from the most effective solution. So, let’s look at the first step to ensuring we succeed in our new role.

To change the existing strategy, you must meet with the person who determined that strategy. It sounds really basic, but this is one of the most common mistakes reps make. Why? Because the people you need to meet with – those who set the strategy (the accurate definition of the decision-maker) – typically don’t meet with sales reps. Once the strategy has been defined by the decision-maker (or decision making team), he or she delegates the implementation to others who then go out into the world and look for solutions that are in line with the problem/need they have defined. Here’s a real simple, personal example. 

After years of living with fluorescent lighting in our kitchen, my wife and I decided it was time for an upgrade. The boring lighting reflected poorly on us. It made us look un-cool. So we decided to take the plunge and invest in four canned lights for the kitchen. I had been to two houses similar to ours to determine the necessary ratio of lights to square footage, and I was confident that four was enough. I was now an expert (visiting one house wouldn’t have qualified me as a expert but certainly two did). I had created my strategy to solve our problem – “replace un-cool, crappy lighting.”

So, my wife hires a guy and during installation he pulls her aside and says, “Ma’am (we live in the south), I don’t think you have enough lights. You are going to need two more lights. See here in the corner. You got a few dark spots. Ain’t going to look too good (again the south).” She was sold.

When I come home she tries to explain to me why the contractor, who I’ve never met, says we need to spend $100 more! Of course he thinks we need to spend more. I wondered aloud, “who would get that money?” Nope. I am an expert. I know what I need. I have been to two similar houses and studied the situation. We are sticking with four. I could tell my wife didn’t really agree but she struggled to explain why “the guy” recommended four. So we installed the four . . . and we didn’t have enough lights.

My mistake was arrogance. The contractor’s mistake was that he depended on someone else to sell his solution.

Your probability of success is always diminished when someone else, someone less competent, sells your solution.

And I mean no disrespect to my wife but she, just like the people we typically work with, didn’t have the knowledge or experience to represent the expert. So back to our original point – to change the existing strategy, you must meet with the person (or persons) who determine the strategy. You’re probably thinking “OK, don’t leave me hanging. If the REAL decision-maker doesn’t meet with sales reps, how do I get a meeting?”

The first key to getting that meeting – as we talked about last week – don’t be a sales rep. Instead, be someone who really knows more about the best way to solve a problem than the decision-maker. That is the only reason they will meet with you – you know something they don’t.

Secondly, understand the two paths.

Unless you somehow magically know who ultimately drives the strategy, you are going to have to depend on others. The question is who you lean on? You can either a) find someone outside the decision-making process who is aware of or experiences the problem or b) approach the person who is responsible for implementing the defined solution (what I call the Evaluator). I would recommend “A”. With option “B”, there is risk that they will insist you stay at their level (i.e., blocking you from getting to the decision-maker). But if working with the Evaluator is your only option, take time to get them on board. You must first convince the Evaluator that your recommended solution is superior to the current plan and THEN gain sponsorship to the decision-maker. If not, you will probably end up selling fewer lights or, worse yet, losing the deal to the rep that met with the decision-maker.

Next week we will focus on our approach once we reach the decision-maker.