Selling Is Everything. G.F. Tanham

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СКАЧАТЬ ARE ALWAYS, ALWAYS RUNNING OUR INTERNAL CALCULATOR TO CALCULATE THE VALUE OF CONTINUING WHAT WE ARE DOING VERSUS DOING SOMETHING ELSE.”

      Now that we know the key to selling is listening, we need to understand how people buy.

      The Decision2Buy is simple on the surface but becomes complex as the movement of needs shifts with satisfaction. In this process, the primary questions we ask when purchasing become the branching where the process moves once questions become answers. An analogy for this is when meeting someone for the first time. In every instance we ask them the Decision2Buy questions: Who are you? In this context the question is “What is your name?” Once we have asked that we evaluate the answer for our value factors, or What’s in it for me? The reason for this is that we are always, always running our internal calculator to calculate the value of continuing what we are doing versus doing something else. These calculations are constant. We are helpless to turn them off completely and only through practice and discipline can the perspective of someone else, a buyer, be initiated so we can understand their personal internal calculator.

      The challenge and beauty of the Decision2Buy process is that there are millions of values from which to choose and they are ever-changing as information is processed by the calculator in our brains. Every situation has different variables. A standard second question to ask when meeting someone is: “What do you do?” Again our calculator is going full speed calculating the value of the answer and what, if any, further value can be generated by continuing the conversation. In this manner not only are we able to validate not only the value to ourselves but also the value to others becomes more clearly defined. When the answers are not a validation of a perceived need, the process either stops or diverts.

      Proceeding down this avenue, typically another question or investigation is asked to dig deeper. For example, one might ask, “How do you do that?” Again, this is a calculator question. The calculator is always trying to figure value. Information gathering and the selling process are common because understanding the calculator is paramount to any forward movement. The knowledge of who, what, and how they do it becomes the baseline for calculating the value to the buyer.

      When meeting someone for this first time, the next value proposition is commonality. Once the knowledge base is in place, the next critical step for validation is “Who do you do that for?,” “Who do you work with?” or a variation of this question. These questions address the need for a common understanding of an inherent knowledge from a common ground. The value of association is critical to reaching a form of likeness in order to move toward more complex communications. The calculator is still running on commonality, facts and associations that can be realized by both parties.

      In breaking down these phenomena, the following chart identifies the starting points and the progression of thought. It also demonstrates that the process is based on interactive processes as well as values that merge, divert and change with each additional interaction or action.

      The most important question to answer when buying stuff is always What’s in it for me?, because that is all that matters at the moment of purchasing. Everyone, absolutely everyone, uses this calculated thinking process though not always in the same manner. Sometimes we jump around as we gain value and want to move forward to gain more in a specific area. Think of it as yes and no statements. If a good answer has value, it becomes a “Yes, please continue.” If a “No,” either the same or similar question is asked or the interest wanes as no What’s in it for me? seems to exist.

      Everyone has a What’s in it for me? scenario with components that are available to choose from because all buyers have basic needs to satisfy. In a larger sense, the process is repetitious and only based on answers to questions that are of value to the buyer based on their own internal calculator.

      In a business environment we need to integrate our sales opportunities into our sales forecast, meaning what are we selling, to whom, when and how. This diagram demonstrates the steps of a generic sales forecast model and where the four basic questions need to be primarily addressed.

      SALES PROCESS PAYOFF

      DECISION TO BUY PROCESS MACRO VIEW

      WHO ARE YOU (AND WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?)

      When we meet a person for the first time it can be a good experience or not depending on what we take away from it. The take-away may be dependent on where, when and how you meet. For the sake of our analogy let’s assume we meet someone in a business context.

      The first thing that typically occurs in this encounter is both parties introduce themselves. This action allows each person to reach an initial level of comfort or discomfort depending on how the introduction goes. When the answer or value to this encounter is satisfactory, listening and interest capacities increase immediately.

      The Who are you? introduction is the starting point in the buying process. The “who” part of the introduction must be answered in a manner that can be understood by both parties. The human need is not just to know a name, it’s to understand who “you” are as a composite, a question that has many answers. When meeting people for the first time it is normal to ask Who are you? and What do you do? These questions set the playing field for all further communication between the two people. The answer automatically is calculated against the value scale. If there is value, the opportunity to proceed is granted and the act of communication is continued. The inherent meaning of who you are is to establish a common ground and a value positioning for both parties. In dealing with business situations the real questions being asked are “Who are you and “What do you do for whom?” The key areas that need to be satisfied are value based and familiarity generated with an emphasis on the dissemination of information.

      In the Who are you? stage the buyer is addressing:

      •Trust

      •Credibility

      •Relevance

      •Reputation

      •Stability

      •Value

      •Quality

      •Validation

      •Risk

      •Uniqueness

      •Product

      •Industry status

      WHAT DO YOU DO (AND WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?)

      In making buying decisions, it’s a constant move from one area to the next, so that once comfort is attained in one area the next thinking stage is intuitively investigated. The What do you do? stage incorporates another set of concerns focused on different criteria, but is built upon what has already been learned in Who are you?

      As we move to What do you do?, we move to a different set of questions, values and needs. In addressing this question, the buyer is attempting to discover areas that make something special. This sequence of questions is an attempt to validate that the buyer is purchasing something from a company or person who knows what they are doing relative to compliance, process and procedure, or as they suppose it should be done.

      For example you would never look to BIC, the French manufacturer of consumer СКАЧАТЬ