I was out playing golf the other day with Dave and after watching me slice a few times He kept reminding me of hitting the sweet spot. That is the area of the club the ball hits and then flies straight to its intended target. And golfers know when you hit the sweet spot the club and the ball seem to sing in perfect harmony. In fact, one can hear a click as the ball comes off the club. Don’t you just love that sound?
Did you ever notice that selling is very similar to golf? So many hack away at the ball hitting slices and draws while never hitting the sweet spot. The lack of hitting a sales sweet spot wastes time frustrates sales managers and their sales representative and most of all causes buyers remorse.
The problem is many sales professionals spend so much time hitting the longest shot off the tee that they fail to focus on the most important aspect of the game – the short game! The long ball feels good when the ball is crushed but there are only 18 possible “good” strokes. The short game is the most vital part. The more developed the short game the easier it is to decrease the number of strokes while possibly hitting a great round.
The short game requires sales professionals to focus less on the inward side of selling such as features and units while providing more articulation of value. More importantly the short game focuses on “true buyers” not gatekeepers. The short game allows sellers to decrease time, increase efficiency while lessening labor.
So what are some methods to developing your short game and focusing on a customer sweet spot?
- Focus on Value – Too many selling professionals think about the company and its features. Stop the inward focus and concentrate how your solutions provide customer competitive advantage.
- Focus on Clients – Develop questions related to overall objectives and measurements of success. Sellers should develop “scripted” questions to heighten intellectual dialogue that develop customer needs.
- Develop relationships – Selling today is about trust and respect. Learn to develop customer centric relationships and stop worrying about the number of units.
- Customer Service – Develop methods that enable selling professionals to focus on the most vital aspect – customers. Return all calls efficiently, remember appointments, dress appropriately and always be prepared to engage in dialogue.
- Refrain from the Vendor Syndrome – When selling professionals constantly negotiate fees there is less attraction of value and more assimilation to vendors. Do not subordinate price; decrease value never fees. And develop better relationships to stop being a vendor.
- Seek the best through referrals – How many balls do you lose in a round? Do you spend time searching for the ball similar to finding prospects? Stop wasting needless time on individuals that are not buyers. Gain better organization from referrals of others that understand and desire to manifest your organizations value.
- Audio Messages – Sales professionals today must articulate a message that transcends the firm’s brand value. Learn to develop messages that resonate with clients.
Selling like golf is a game of strategy. When focus is on the proper areas, there is more efficiency, less time, less aggravation and better scores. So which is better hacking away at just a few shots that do not come close to the cup or focusing more on efficiency and hitting a hole in one with your clients. Next time you sell ensure you aim for the sweet spot!
