– John Glennon is the owner of Insight Sales Consulting Inc, an authorized Sandler Training Licensee. He can be reached at jglennon@sandler.com, toll free at 1-866-645-2047 or visit www.glennon.sandler.com.
SALES – Do you have a customer or prospect who treats you like a some sort of Sales Poodle?
A Sales Poodle believes that his job is to satisify the customer. The customer is king is a core belief of the Sales Poodle. When push comes to shove, the Sales Poodle acts in a manner that reinforces the customers belief that he is more important.
- A Sales Poodle is not respected by his customer
- A Sales Poodle is expected to run and fetch
- A Sales Poodle is expected to wag his tale after been given the ‘run araound’
- A Sales Poodle is not considered a business Equal
- A Sales Poodle can never be a trusted advisor
10 ways to know if your customer sees you as a Sales Poodle (score yourself 1 point for each statement that is true for you)
- You a willing to drop everything to meet with a prospect (usually at the first date and time that they suggest) ___
- You invest time in writing sales proposals that you didn’t create ___
- You allow your prospects to determine the rules of your selling interactions (whom you can speak to, what you can discuss, etc.) ___
- When you bring up the topic of money and your prospects fobs you off with a “we don’t discuss money with vendors” – you just continue ___
- You thank your prospect for their time at the start of a call or meeting ___
- You work hard for your customer, then they don’t return your calls or emails
- You consider their money more important than your time ___
- You take work home ___
- You check your emails when on holidays ___
- You accept behavior (i.e. showing up late) from a prospect that they would not accept from you ___
How did you score?
Score 0-3 – well done!, sometimes you have to show a little flexibility, it’s not a sign of weakness
Score 4-6 – you’re running about average. Average is never good. Nobody ever remembers;
- an average day
- an average sunset
- an average meal
- an average song
- an average kiss
……………………….average is bland
Score 7-10 – “yap, yap, yap”
Being a Sales Poodle is not a strategy. It stems from a failure to plant your feet and assert your rights.
10 tips to avoid the poodle trap
- Imagine you had $10,000,000 on deposit in the bank every time to engage with a prospect
- Keep in mind that you have the solution – the prospect has the problem (if you are thinking that the prospect has the money and you have a target, see tip #1)
- Don’t forget that the prospect will not invest unless he is getting a good return for his investment – so he always get the better end of the deal
- Resist any urge or pressure to discount. Get the price right first time.
- Never give a concession unless you get something of equal or greater value in return
- Don’t give into the temptation to justify a high price. This is something your prospect has to do (and is well capable of )
- Remember that to get what others don’t you have to be willing to do what others won’t
- The fact you feel uncomfortable is exactly why you should do it (whatever ‘it’ is)
- Have clear and unabiguous goals. If you’re not part of your own plans, you’ll be part of someone else’s
- Know your rights as a salesperson. No need to wear them as a badge. Just take them out when necessary
Courtesy: Paul Lanigan: Sandler Training Dublin Ireland