Rule #18 states, “Don’t paint seagulls in your prospects picture.” Mattson explains the story of a girl who was upset by an art-teacher painting seagulls in an empty space in her painting. When questioned on why it made her so upset, the little girl replied “I didn’t see it there.” This directly relates to the sales process. Sometimes, we try to “fix” a prospects life by offering solutions to problems that they don’t have. This can pose as a real issue because it will make it seem like you are forcing a product on them. As salespeople, we need to recognize that what may seem like a problem to us, may not necessarily be a problem to our clients. Allow the prospect to come to issues on their own. Sometimes, this may require you nudging them to evaluate a problem they didn’t know they had; but, sometimes this means allowing them to continue in the way that they want to live, even if it means that no sale is made. What matters in the end, is that the prospect is happy with their decision. Going back to the art-student example, although the teacher thought that her student would be better-off with a seagull in her painting, if she had evaluated the situation, she would have realized that the student would have been happier knowing that she made the decision to add the seagull on her own.
This Rule is very interesting and eye opening to read, because it relates to sales. I think a salesperson should do a good balance of asking good questions and then also allowing the prospect to come to you about their problem.
The seagull point that Mattson makes is one of my favorite points. Being able to hold back the urge to give someone that seagull is pivotal in the sales process. I find myself constantly having to hold back in not only business conversation but everyday conversations. When the answer is write on the tip of your tongue and you want more than anything to throw the answer out there. This however is not the best form or approach, rather to ask questions leading the client to an answer of their own.
I found this rule very interesting in the way that it elaborated upon the context of painting the seagull and just how detrimental it can be. You never want to assume or inject your own opinion in a sales process.
BoweryJE22
This Rule is very interesting and eye opening to read, because it relates to sales. I think a salesperson should do a good balance of asking good questions and then also allowing the prospect to come to you about their problem.
The seagull point that Mattson makes is one of my favorite points. Being able to hold back the urge to give someone that seagull is pivotal in the sales process. I find myself constantly having to hold back in not only business conversation but everyday conversations. When the answer is write on the tip of your tongue and you want more than anything to throw the answer out there. This however is not the best form or approach, rather to ask questions leading the client to an answer of their own.
I found this rule very interesting in the way that it elaborated upon the context of painting the seagull and just how detrimental it can be. You never want to assume or inject your own opinion in a sales process.