This seems like a wonderful way of going through life, but also a very good rule for a sales conversation. The rule states “don’t paint seagulls in your prospects picture.” Meaning that you can not force people to see things from your perspective because they do not see it there. A frequent mistake salespeople have is that they struggle with control issues. There is a tendency, especially in movies to say “picture this…” and go on to explain a crazy scenario that would have you with this product or service. This is not a great way to go about a sales conversation because it is forceful and does not allow for the prospective client to truly share their wants and desires. Beginning with soft questions that are tailored more to their needs and desires is more helpful in that you are still trying to sell them on the product and discussing the features but in the form of a question. This is beneficial because it gets them talking, you are able to hear their perspective, and they feel heard.
BoweryJE22
Nate,
You’re right – that rule is a great life rule in addition to being a great sales rule! It is so important to ask questions and learn as much as you can about a client instead of giving them a sales pitch. Taking the time to learn about a client means that you can propose a solution that genuinely fits their needs and helps them instead of just selling them on a product that they kinda sorta need. By painting seagulls in their picture, you’re sure to do the latter and not much of the former. Instead, figure out exactly what their painting is and how it is painted. Then, tailor a solution to fit what they want!
I was very confused when I first saw this in class. But i can honestly say that this post is a great explanation and helped my understanding. Thanks.