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Complete Story
03/13/2024
Hearing Sales Voices
Source: Bill Farquharson, The Sales Vault, March 11, 2024
I need to admit something: I am hearing voices.
This is not new. It’s been going on for quite some time now. The phone rings and it’s someone making an inquiry. The caller has my complete attention as they are talking about their sales situation and how I might help. I am hearing their words, but…
Then I start to hear voices: “Billllllll….this is not your customer. Run away!”
Wait, what? Not my customer? What are you talking about, voice? This sure sounds like a willing buyer. What is the problem here? What am I missing?
The voice responds, “Billlllll…you are hearing what you want to hear. Read between the lines.”
And then, silence. The voice is gone, leaving me to wonder how to “Read between the lines” on a phone call.
As I listen to the caller, a feeling in my gut arises. Something in the conversation is triggering an uneasiness and causing red flags to fly. Suddenly I realize, the voice is right. This is not my customer. As much as I’d like to take their money, I need to listen to the voice and let this opportunity go.
Call it a gut feel, an instinct, Spidey Senses, or put it in Malcom Gladwell’s terms and call it “thin-slicing.” Experienced salespeople have a sixth sense, developed over the years and stemming from hundreds and thousands of interactions. They know who their customer is and who their customer isn’t. Further, they know what they do best and they are smart enough to stay in their lane.
They hear voices.
If you have some sales miles on you, you know exactly what I am saying. If you are one of the newer models, put this sales tip on a shelf for access down the road a bit. It will come in handy when you are looking to improve your productivity. You will be engaged in conversation and an odd feeling will arise. Something inside you is screaming. Perhaps it will have a voice and you won’t know what to do.
If you want to save time and frustration, listen to the voices.
The Sales Vault, created by Bill Farquharson, is a subscription-based resource and sales community featuring a calendar packed with live workshops, on-demand sales courses, peer-to-peer discussion groups, and 35+ years of sales training content all searchable by sales challenge. Think of it as a sales conference where the seminars and workshops, full of instantly applicable ideas, are ongoing and more programs are added constantly.
The Sales Vault is available on a monthly subscription basis, normally at a no-brainer monthly price of $45/participant, but… GMA members can take advantage of an exclusive offer: FREE membership for 30 days followed by a discounted monthly subscription price of just $40/participant.
Bill has been a friend of GMA for many years and is, no doubt, known to our members as a top sales trainer and content creator for the graphic arts.
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