We've all experienced it.
Your phone rings. You answer, and on the other end of the phone is an eager online marketing vendor. You can't get a word in edgewise while you are being told over and over again why you need to buy what they are selling -- and buy now, not later. That's when you recognize the familiar and overpowering smell that makes you feel annoyed and hassled...
It's the smell of "commission breath."
All too often, those responsible for selling the various services that benefit online marketers are so focused on getting their points across and closing a sale that they forget to listen. The prevailing thought is that the best way to prove a point and gain new business is by presenting. I can say through experience and observation, that this is not necessarily true.
For example, a colleague recently told me about a time he visited a prospective client. He arrived at the prospect's office, and was asked if he brought a projector or computer for the meeting. My colleague explained that there would not be a presentation; rather, he was there to have a discussion about their online marketing needs. Surprised, the potential client sighed, "Thank God!" in relief. The conversion that followed covered all relevant points from my colleague's standpoint, and at the same time he was able to listen to his prospect and find a solution for his stress points.
Come on, who really looks forward to any vendor coming to their offices and spending 30 minutes droning on about the latest scalable, high-quality, dynamic ad generator whiz-bang thing? Talking at you, while selling, selling, selling? It's obvious when all someone cares about is closing the sale and collecting a check, versus wanting to be a valued partner in your business.
Commission breath is more than the smell you detect on the 29th of the month when your vendor calls offering additional widgets and whatnots if you sign up today; it also speaks to how a person handles the entire selling relationship. At the end of the day, it's about listening, not selling.
The good news is that commission breath is completely curable. Here are some breath mints to help:
- Diagnose the problem and pain. Spend time understanding the true pains your client is experiencing. What do they currently need? What do they like about their current vendors and what do they dislike? What is their current conversion rate? What are their targets for the year? Simply put, ask questions! The more interested you are in helping alleviate their pain, the less pushy you seem.
- Answer questions they ask. How frustrating is it when you ask a vendor a very specific question that requires a specific answer, and in return you get a boilerplate response that was memorized from some training manual? There's no faster way to reek of commission breath than to avoid questions that are asked, and keep pushing your own agenda.
- Know who you are talking to. Do you have a clue who you are speaking with? How much do you know about your prospect and what they do? I recently received a sales call where the person calling didn't take even two minutes to attempt to understand the retargeting product FetchBack offers. Because the caller didn't know who I was or what retargeting was, he also couldn't explain how their product could help me and help FetchBack. If you don't know who you are talking to (or who you should be talking to), you shouldn't be pitching at all.
- Show the culture of your company. Insider tip: Your prospect isn't just evaluating your product. They are evaluating your company and what it will be like to work with you in the future. The culture of your company is apparent in every conversation you have with a client or potential client. Are you interested in helping them be successful, or are you just interested in the next order? Are you being real?
- Be friendly. Yes, I said friendly. It's a simple word and statement, but it means so much. Friendly isn't just asking how a person's day is, or telling them that their kids are cute. Are you enthusiastic? Are you empathetic when there's a problem? Do you have a sense of humor? All of these help build a relationship, and move you farther away from being only interested in closing the sale.
The next time you are meeting with a client, ask yourself if you may start to smell of commission breath. If the answer is yes, take a breath mint and try again.
Chad Little is CEO of FetchBack.
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