When you know you’re going to have a sales conversation with someone, it’s important that you come prepared. Of course in some situations you may not have the luxury of advance notice before a sale, but when you can, it is important to take as much time as possible. Preparation helps you not only avoid being manipulated by the customer, but also helps you identify their needs. It narrows down the variables, and lowers the chance of things going south.
It is important to have the goal in mind first. Not every conversation has to end in a sale. Maybe you have to have a later conversation, bring in another person, or do an in-person appraisal. You will only know these things if you properly prep and have a good idea of the situation.
The second thing is perspective-taking. We have talked about perspective-taking during the conversation, to increase our awareness of the customers need and compound on the normal effects of empathy. However, by taking the other’s perspective pre-conversation, you can get a better idea of what information you need and what questions you need to ask to get that information.
Going into a sale blind puts you at a massive disadvantage. Make sure you are on the same page as the customer, and you will likely succeed.
BoweryJE22
I find this helpful. In sales class we talked about improvising but according to your article, that doesn’t mean heading into the meeting completely blind. And preparing doesn’t mean thinking about every word you’re going to say. I like this, good article.