“Doing your homework” is a key step in the sales process. Doing homework well requires time, research, and intentionality. If you only put in partial effort, your work and grade will display that. Likewise, in sales, the more research you do before the final sales attempt, the better your outcome will be. This is part of the “bonding rapport” step found in the Sandler Submarine sales-steps illustration. Customers are usually more inclined to have a conversation with you if you show intentionality. I have been on the receiving end of both a sale that did this step well, and also a sale that failed to bond with my need.
For starters, when I toured Grove City, I noticed that my tour guide catered to my needs well. He was very knowledgeable on my prospective major and knew the answers to the questions that my parents were asking. This is because at Grove, our tour guides are well trained for different scenarios and taught to be personal in a way that connects well with families.
On the other hand, when I went to the camp ministry fair a couple weeks ago, at one particular table, the representative from the camp I was interested in knew and cared very little about what I was looking for. He went onto give me a sales pitch about why his camp was the best one for me, before I even told him anything about myself. In fact, he seemed to know very little about Grove City College in general. Because of this, I was less inclined to apply to work at that summer camp. If he did not care to know about me, why should I care to know about his camp?
In the end, while doing homework can be strenuous and at times daunting, it pays off in the long run. It helps to break past entry level conversations, that are meaningless to the sale, and develops longer-lasting client relationships. It shows intentionality and gives the prospective client the notion that you deeply care for their need and are not a typical “sleezy” salesman.
BoweryJE22
This is really interesting. And yes, it is extremely evident when a salesperson does not know what they are selling when asked questions off script. For example, when I worked for Cutco and one of my coworkers was asking me for advice on how to secure more sales, I sat him down (like he was in the hot seat) and asked him questions about our products that I had been asked by customers before. He only was able to answer a few and with some confidence. It is truly detrimental for all sales people to be extremely knowledgeable in what they are selling or they will never make a good salesperson.
I completely agree with you that “doing your homework” is a crucial step in the sales process. By putting in the time and effort to research your prospect’s needs, company, and industry, you demonstrate your commitment to understanding their unique situation and offer relevant solutions. This personalized approach not only sets you apart from other salespeople, but also builds trust and credibility with the customer. It’s important to remember that sales is about forming relationships, not just closing deals. And by investing in these relationships through thorough research and intentionality, you increase the likelihood of long-term success and customer loyalty.
I 100% agree that doing your homework is a big step in the sales process. It’s definitely important to take the time to research and understand your potential customer’s needs and preferences so that you can tailor your selling accordingly. This helps build trust with the customer, and ultimately increases the chances of closing the sale. It’s interesting to see how this approach can be applied in different settings, such as during a college tour or at a camp fair. It’s clear that when someone takes the time to understand your needs and interests, it makes a big difference in how you perceive them and their offering. Overall, this is definitely a big thing to remember when approaching sales.