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Q4 Dating Advice for Salespeople

Posted by Carole Mahoney on 10/4/19 7:26 AM

Dating advice

Guess what... It's Q4 and you probably feel like you're screwed. Like there's no way you're going to make up that amount of money or quota in the amount of time you have left.

I have one piece of advice for you, as my Nana would say, "Well, not with that attitude you won't!"

Nana always had great dating advice.

She would also say things like, "slow down," "take baby steps," "don't make it all about you!"

I was reminded of this advice last weekend when my youngest son came over asking me for dating advice!

As I tried not to smile, I put on my hat that said coach and I started asking him some questions:

  • How did you meet her?
  • What is she into?
  • How old is she?
  • What does she do for work?
  • What does she like to do for fun?

And he actually had answers for those questions and more, despite the fact that the few times they had hung out it was and loud and noisy music festival. (Kinda like you trying to get your prospects attention?)

But he really liked her. She was fun, smart, independent. He hasn't found someone like her in a while... (Like all those buyers who ended up stalling and delaying, or not qualified- now you've found an ideal fit!)

So, when he had learned she was Vegan, he got a bushel of organic vegetables from a friend who owned a farm and asked to cook dinner for her. At her house.... where she lived with her kids

So of course she responded wit, "Look you're nice, but I like to take this a bit slower..."

Yeah, ouch right?! I'll let you fill in the blank on how that relates to your year so far...

Then he told me, "But mom- she mentioned she is hanging out with this other guy- and he rides a motorcycle! I don't know if I can compete with that." (Kind of like how you feel when your ideal buyer then tells you they are checking out the competition.)

The advice I gave him was the same advice my Nana gave me, and the same advice I give to salespeople I coach on a daily basis.

Dating Advice for Salespeople

Take it slow- If you are talking about your company, product, or solution in the first part of the first discovery call, you are going too fast and probably making a lot of assumptions....and all that is going to do is slow you down when your buyer puts on the brakes or starts to disappear.

And, you are making it all about you! Buyers don't care about your solution. Ask them about how they see the problem, what they have tried, what they think they should do, what they hope for if it is resolved or fixed.

To do that- take baby steps by asking simple, open ended questions in the discover process. Be curious, be skeptical, ask them to clarify what they mean in specific examples.

You see, asking these types of questions in the discovery process lights up the part of the brain that make people happy. They like to talk about what they think and want! And not only that, it helps them see things from a different perspective...and that is what buyers value. Sellers who help them think of things they hadn't considered, or who make them look at things differently.

Now there is one last piece of advice I gave my son that I will pass along to you. Don't put all your hopes on just one person. You are young, get out there and meet more people. Same goes for you at the end of the year. It's never too late to start proactively prospecting.

And the best way to meet new people, who are similar to people you like, is to ask for introductions and referrals. That transference of trust and credibility through a referral could change your year.

So get out there!

Take it slow. Take baby steps with questions, and make it all about them!

Take the #notaboutme pledge!

Topics: sales training