Relationships are essential at work… will you be my partner?
Relationships are essential at work. We know this. But in helping people get better at selling to both their internal and external clients, there is particular value in developing partner relationships as a new imperative in these recession ridden times.
The truth about partner relationships is that they turn sales orthodoxy on its head. These sorts of relationships aren’t developed for the seller and they don’t focus on the product or service being sold. On the contrary they focus on the client, who they are and what matters to them. In partner relationships the conversations aren’t linear; there is no process to go through. Rather they are circuitous and unpredictable. But it is exactly these sorts of conversations that people need to develop with their ‘clients’ because they are nourishing, respectful and ultimately far more successful.
So how do people who are selling ideas, selling services or selling products go about developing partner relationships?
Here are some of the essentials.
Find out what impact you currently make on your internal/external clients. You may think you have great existing relationships with your buyers but you may be in for a shock if you ask for feedback. But finding out exactly how you come across will give you a keen perspective on how you might need to change your behaviour to improve your interactions. Take a hard look at your behaviours with The Octagon™ (a unique self-assessment tool), try it for FREE here…
Work on your respect. If you think that your client is a target or even an opponent to beat into submission then think again. In even agreeing to meet you they are paying you the courtesy of their openness and their time. Pay them back by listening powerfully to them and finding out what you can about what they really want.
Prioritise their needs. Don’t focus on what you have to sell or your agenda. Develop a helping mindset, use rapport to build trust and understanding and focus on the ‘buyer’s’ personal goals and preferred working style.
Keep them in mind. Send your clients business information that you think might be relevant and interesting to them, invite them to social events such as business chamber meetings or even help them build their network by introducing them to people they might want to get to know.
Ask spicy questions. These are questions that help them clarify the problems they are facing. For example you might ask them questions that help them think about possibilities in the future, challenge existing assumptions or help them get clear on their options. You can also ask questions that help them get in touch with what they feel about situations or events – something that is especially important if you are trying to judge the importance of an issue to a client.
There isn’t one way of guaranteeing your ability to develop partnerships of course. People will have their preferences about how they want to work with you and in this respect your capacity to read and interpret behavioural signals is an art. Some people like to think things through, some want to dream or get energy from bouncing ideas off you. Others will want to talk about what they feel or will want to consider what makes best sense. For the person who is in the selling role this means they have to be hyper-sensitive to their clients and be able to adapt in the moment to the conversation.
What this all means however is that you, as the ‘seller’, will need to learn to listen to and observe your buyer’s behaviour as well as notice your own. You will have to let the ‘buyer’ drive the process while at the same time making efficient use of the time you have available. And you will need to share your insights and experience both because this offers more value to your client and helps them differentiate you from other people who are driving a higher pressure sales agenda.
In the world in which we now live, companies and employees are desperate for an edge. The reality is that some companies will take the short-term option by slashing their prices or driving their sales people to deliver on short-term targets. Others however will be looking to deliver better value and this is where this ‘Smarter Selling’ approach pays dividends. It might look at first glance as though it slows down the process – but that is only from the ‘seller’s’ perspective. In fact it’s always worth remembering that people buy from people they like and they use the facts to help them justify their decisions. In this context partner relationships offer internal and external staff a way of working that is far more likely to result in a sale taking place as well as delivering long-term success.
Everyone sells. Some people sell ideas, some sell services and some sell products. Some ‘sell’ internally within an organisation; some externally. In an incredibly competitive world, the best way to differentiate your product, service or idea is through focusing on the people side of the ‘sale’- on the quality of the relationship.
Whatever you sell and whoever you sell to, building a better relationship will help you do it better. Find out more about the programme here…
Tags: Business Relationships, Jan/Feb 09-External & Internal Business Relationshi, Sales and Selling Techniques, Smarter Selling (Training)