Collegial vs. Adversarial
I find that the default position for far too many professional services providers is adversarial. That is, someone has to lose for someone else to win. I recall one of the “sales gurus” commenting from the stage, “In every sales transactions someone wins. You either win and make the sale, or the prospect wins and rejects you.”
That’s certainly healthy! No wonder there are so many execrable books on selling.
The marketing and sales processes are collegial. They are intended, in their correct form, for both parties to “win.” You receive tremendous value, and I receive equitable compensation. Easy as that.
But your mindset must be: “I have tremendous value to provide, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t attempt to provide it for all appropriate parties,” and not, “I need to make my quota, and I know I’m imposing on this person in an attempt to take their money.”
That mindset makes a tremendous difference. Eschew the “experts” who advise of tricks and manipulation and “finding the pain” (which went out with Nehru jackets and quadrophonic sound). Instead, focus on maximizing your value, the amounts of people exposed to it, and the ease of doing business with you.
The next time you’re in a group of peers, such as I recently assembled in Las Vegas at three major meetings, consider how easily you interact with them and share. Now take that attitude and superimpose it on your prospective buyers. Peer conversations are what matter. “Elevator pitches” should only be considered if you’re on the 67th floor and the elevator’s brakes are failing.
© Alan Weiss 2011. All rights reserved.
Ian Brodie
Alan,
I’m interested in your comments on “finding the pain” – I’ve heard you make them a couple of times before.
Can you say a little bit more about what you mean?
My reason for asking is that while I’m absolutely in line with what you call the value mindet, more often than not clients hire us because they have some sort of challenge or problem. In order to know what to do we have to diagnose that problem, and in order for the client and ourselves to know whether that problem is worth solving, we have to understand its impact.
I suppose what I’m thinking is that there’s a difference between an adversarial “find the pain, turn the knife, make ’em squirm and hurt so he’ll buy” – and a collegiate joint exploration of an issue and its impact in order to understand the value of solving it.
Ian
Alan Weiss
The “pain” is caused by some problem, and organizations have become adept at problem solving (lean, Sigma, etc.), plus solving a problem only restores past performance and it’s a commodity.
But raising the bar, innovating, setting new standards represent far higher value and aren’t based on “pain.” Often, the client doesn’t even appreciate the need until you point it out.
Ian Brodie
Thanks for the clarification Alan – and very good point.
Of course, focusing on raising the bar and innovation raises your market positioning too.
Ian
Alan Weiss
Yes, and it no longer makes you comparable to others and their approaches and fees.