Thursday, June 22, 2006
Sales: Don't Sell - Just Tell
I had a strange and most interesting experience today as I met a French businesswomen who is currently putting a customizable CMS platform on the market.
It was just a networking meeting and no selling was not on the agenda on either side.
We met during more than two hours and I spent most of that time listening to her and asking questions in order to try and understand thoroughly what her project was about.
The more I listened the more I understood, the more I could put myself in her potential clients's shoes, the more I became interested in her product.
In the course of the meeting she explained me that the main issue she currently faces is that she can't find a good sales person.
Yet if I had been a potential buyer, during these two hours she would have convinced me to buy, and at the end of the meeting I told her that I would be most happy to spread the word about her product to targeted people who will love it for sure.
Ultimately this informal networking meeting turned out to be a great sales meeting for her.
So - the lesson I learned today is that if you believe in what you do and are really passionate about it, you don't need any sales pitches and costly roadshows to sell your stuff.
You just have to meet people who are willing to listen to you and tell them what you do.
It was just a networking meeting and no selling was not on the agenda on either side.
We met during more than two hours and I spent most of that time listening to her and asking questions in order to try and understand thoroughly what her project was about.
The more I listened the more I understood, the more I could put myself in her potential clients's shoes, the more I became interested in her product.
In the course of the meeting she explained me that the main issue she currently faces is that she can't find a good sales person.
Yet if I had been a potential buyer, during these two hours she would have convinced me to buy, and at the end of the meeting I told her that I would be most happy to spread the word about her product to targeted people who will love it for sure.
Ultimately this informal networking meeting turned out to be a great sales meeting for her.
So - the lesson I learned today is that if you believe in what you do and are really passionate about it, you don't need any sales pitches and costly roadshows to sell your stuff.
You just have to meet people who are willing to listen to you and tell them what you do.
