Sandler’s Rule #38 states “The problem the prospect brings you is never the real problem.” People often approach their problems from remote angles or from as broad of a view as possible. They are not always aware of their core issues, but also they usually don’t want to reveal the underlying issue. This makes it very difficult for the sales person to discover what the customer’s true pains and needs are.
An encounter I had with this principle is when my teammate had to go to my coach and discuss her stress from volleyball with him. When she went in, my coach began by asking her how she was doing and feeling about volleyball. She answered his questions in a very broad approach, stating she was a bit stressed and feeling overwhelmed lately. As coach listens to her stress and feelings, he continued to ask deeper questions to learn what was causing these feelings. For example, he asked if there were specific moments in the games or practice that were causing these feelings. Were there things he said that were causing these feelings? Were her relationships with her teammates and friends doing well? As he continues to ask questions, he also shifted to asking “Why?” a few times to continue to dive deeper into the issue. Because of the bonding and rapport he has built with this teammate, he was able to comfort her and encourage her to share her true feelings. Once he discovered the true issue, he was able to provide support and assist her in solving this problem. Although this is not directly a sales example, the scenario is the same. It is important to be able to get to the root cause of the pain so that you are able to help the prospect.
BoweryJE22