There’s a classic saying about the importance of not assuming, and it certainly holds true in sales.
Making assumptions about a client can be a costly and time-wasting mistake! There is a rule about this: do what you would do as a dummy on purpose.
This doesn’t mean to be clumsy and upset your prospect’s desk as you sit down. Instead, it means to not make assumptions about your client, and instead, ask!
When you are heading to a prospect’s office that he just leased in a new building, don’t walk in saying “I bet you’re so excited for the change of scenery.” He just might reply “Thanks. Our last office that we had been in for a decade and had custom-built for us burned down last month and I still haven’t gotten a check from the insurance company. It’s been anything but exciting.”
Oops! That’s going to be quite the hole to dig out of! Instead, it would be better to ask “I see that you just moved here; why did you decide to move?” That way, you aren’t immediately on the defensive. In fact, you just might learn a lot about the prospect and might be able to better help him knowing why he’s in a new location.
Really, this all draws back to just asking great questions. When you begin to assume as a salesperson, you end up getting caught in situations like the one above. There’s nothing at all wrong with asking lots of thoughtful questions.
Obviously, there are situations (and things) that it is okay to assume in. But anything that you think could be important at all, ask! I assure you that your prospect will appreciate you being so thorough. In fact, your questions might even lead them to realizations that neither of you would have arrived at had you just made assumptions.
So… Ask questions, even if they seem like “dummy” questions. You’ll be glad you did!
BoweryJE22
This is definitely an area I struggle with. I like to think that I know better than the customer I am talking to, especially in areas that I am passionate about and have a lot of knowledge/experience in. However, I do not know the specifics of the other person’s situations. As such, it is important to continue asking “dummy” questions to understand the other person I am talking to and their experiences.
Not assuming is something that I believe a lot of salespeople struggle with. It is far too easy to try and fit your potential buyer into a box that is convenient for you to sell to. It definitely takes some work to not assume. Asking more clarifying questions is always better than hitting a sore spot with an assumptive comment. Ask more questions, talk less!
It is such a huge trap to fall into when you are in sales. You have this product that you believe in and feel that this person could really benefit from but they just aren’t seeing it yet. It takes a lot to just listen and bite your tongue. Assuming they want the product will deter them from buying even more.