Always Get Their Perspective First
Do you reserve judgement?
Being a native born resident of California, I am very accustomed to earthquakes. The good news about experiencing one is that they are over in less than a minute. However, quite a different perspective was observed this past week in Washington D.C.
Half an hour after the mild earthquake hit D.C., my husband and I biked toward downtown to meet a friend. Our biking came to a literal screeching halt. This had been the very first earthquake experienced by most people there. Buildings were evacuated and people had flooded the sidewalks and streets. Continual noise from sirens on ambulances were heard and cars jammed intersections trying to flee the scene. Only fleeing was at a standstill.
As we finally made our way to our meeting destination by walking our bikes, we were trying to figure out why the modest quake would have everyone so shaken. On the one hand it was almost funny. But once in conversation to unravel the facts, we realized many of the same people had experienced the nightmare of the terrorist attacks on 9/11. In fact, it was less than a month from the anniversary date. No wonder they were gripped with concern and fear.
This episode reminded me of a very important principle for successful sales. Whether you are applying for a job or to acquire a client, you must get the other person’s perspective first to fully understand how you might best be of assistance. Simply asking, “What caught your attention to invite me in today?” will get you on the right track for a good conversation. Reserve judgment until you know all the facts. You will have a far better opportunity to build the relationship by maintaining an open mind. This will help you to interview better or gain a far better chance of securing the sale.
Using the philoosophy of obtaining the other party’s perspective first will enable you to enjoy the Smooth Sale!
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You will find more information on sales techniques and strategies in these two books:
Nice Girls DO Get the Sale: Relationship Building That Gets Results
and
HIRED! How to Use Sales Techniques to Sell Yourself On Interviews
