The book defines clarity as the capacity to help others see their situations in fresh and more revealing ways, and to identify they did not realize they had. In the old days, salespeople were just problem solvers, but with access to the internet becoming so widespread it is easy for prospects to notice some of their problems and solve them. The modern salesperson must first be a problem identifier for the prospect, then offer solutions on how to solve the problem. An implication for selling is that selling today requires more creative, heuristic, problem-finding skills of artists than on the reductive, algorithmic, problem solving skills of technicians. When I sold Cutco, we were given a presentation that would display the products and their capabilities to the customer while the sales representative describes the usefulness and features of the products. This is so the customer does not have to just take our word for it, they can see it in action. I sold the cutlery set one of the presentations described in detail to my mom, who graciously let me use it during my pitch when I went to the prospect’s home. There was one instance where in one of the presentations, one of the largest knives was used to prepare watermelon with ease due to the size and heft of the knife. I would go on to explain to the customer how my own mom uses that knife mostly for watermelon as my brothers and I love watermelon on a hot summer day and I asked if her kids felt the same. She told me how similar my family was to hers in that sense and how she had actually just purchased a rather large melon and realized she was going to need something to cut it as her current knives no longer held their factory edge. I informed her that I had that same knife with me and offered to let her try it out. She took me up on my offer and it worked beautifully. While she did not purchase the entire set, she almost instantly placed an order for the knife she just used. When I followed up with her a few weeks later she could not stop praising her knife and how she never though she could use a watermelon knife and would be recommending it to all her friends.
BoweryJE22
The concept of clarity in sales really is so powerful. As the internet provides easy access to information and problem-solving solutions, salespeople need to adapt their approach. Instead of just being problem solvers, they should focus on identifying the problems that prospects may not even be aware they have. Being a problem identifier requires creative thinking and the ability to see situations from fresh perspectives. It’s about helping prospects uncover hidden needs and offering tailored solutions. Your experience selling Cutco knives exemplifies this approach. By sharing personal stories and allowing the customer to experience the product firsthand, you created clarity and demonstrated the value of the watermelon knife. Your success in connecting with the customer on a personal level and addressing her specific needs showcases the importance of empathy and understanding. By relating to her situation and offering a solution that perfectly matched her requirements, you established trust and generated a positive outcome. In today’s sales landscape, being a skilled problem identifier and providing personalized solutions are essential for success. It’s about creating clarity and offering unique value that goes beyond what prospects can find on their own.