I heard it said that ideas are like boxcars behind a locomotive engine travelling thru a mountain tunnel. As long as they go thru one after another, they’re okay, but if you try to push two or three side-by-side, you’re gonna have problems.
I’m sure the writer was explaining the art of convincing others, but I’m gonna stretch it out a bit and use that for sales approaches.
In those writing’s, the author knew that a listener can only absorb one idea at a time. In sales, the prospect can only buy one thing at a time.
Some of the salesmen who’ve called on me in the past, have represented multiple lines and as soon as I say I’ll look at one, they want to start shoving another one at me.
As soon as they try that approach, I call their sales manager and tell him the boxcar story and explain that as long as his salesmen use that approach, they’ll never be as successful as they could be.
Even if your company sells 99 items, make every sales call about one specific item. One. Only one.
Do not try for another sale, if I agree to try one item. Accept that order and make sure I get good, useful service from that item first and then I’ll be more agreeable to looking at another item.
If you’ll be patient, I might be a customer for all 99, given enough time and given some breathing room.
It doesn’t matter the industry or field, this applies to all salesmen. Learn how to get my attention and then you can sell me more easily. Attention is the key, not the quantity of info you shove down my throat.
Remember the railroad tunnel and ideas parallel. And thanks to MTSU for their article and image.
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