Brian Sullivan
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PRECISE Selling Tips
Feeling the pain of your customers could net sales.
Three years ago, I woke up with a sharp pain through my lower back, left "cheek" muscle, down my thigh and settling in my lower calf. Like many salespeople who spend way too much time getting in and out of cars and airplanes, the dreaded sciatica had hit. I went to the Pain Clinic, where my physician quickly diagnosed a bulging disc. After asking me several "diagnostic" questions, he determined that the bulge was probably caused by lugging a large computer briefcase/bag over my right shoulder. After showing him my bag and how I carry it, he was sure that caused the problem. Great! I could have used that diagnosis a couple years earlier, couldn’t I? (If so, maybe I wouldn’t be walking into my accounts like Fred Sanford looking for Lamont). That earlier diagnosis would have saved me a few epidurals and a whole lot of gut busting back therapy.
But it’s nobody’s fault. You see, as salespeople, we don’t have people checking in on us, to make sure that we are ergonomically sound, do we? It often takes pain to remind us of where we are screwing up. Your clinicians, on the other hand, do have somebody to diagnose the problem early and suggest a course of prevention and therapy. YOU!
And just as your dentists are good at diagnosing the source of pain in a patient’s mouth you must be good at diagnosing the physician’s and hygienist’s pain ... WITH YOUR mouth, eyes and ears. That’s right ... your mouth, eyes and ears can be highly effective instruments in helping your clients in ways they never suspected. But it often takes a shift in thinking. You see, average salespeople can spot the easy sales opportunities, but it takes a "Sales Pain" Specialist to be able to identify a dentist in pain. Top performing Dental Sales Pain Specialists are like investigators when they enter the front door of a clinic. They consistently look for clues that other salespeople miss and by doing so, are able to serve customers in ways that separate them from the tired order-taker. So how do you become a Sales Pain Clinic Specialist?
- On your next travel cycle, make this your objective: In every office I will make a conscious effort to see how my clinicians are positioned when working with patients; paying particular attention to the "home position."
- When I diagnose a problem, I will approach the clinician with these CLEAR Questions:
»» C- Currently
»» L-Looked At
»» E-Effective/Enjoy
»» A-Alter
»» R-Responsible for Decision
- Below is what a dialogue using CLEAR questions might sound like:
»» "Doctor, what are you CURRENTLY doing to assure you and your patients are comfortable and pain free during an exam or treatment?"
»» This open-ended question is designed to open up the physician, and to get him to express the pain associated with their poor ergonomics practices (which they may be unaware of).
»» Now let’s say you have identified that the cause of their poor ergonomics is the older stools they are using. You will then follow with the L question.
»» "Have you LOOKED at some of the newest stools on the market that are making exams more comfortable and safer than ever for clinicians?" We ask this question to create curiosity, the essential fuel of any prospecting call. We also ask it to see if perhaps they have considered new stools recently.
»» We then have to get that clinician to tell us what they like and don’t like about their current stool so we follow with:
»» "Do you find that stool EFFECTIVE at getting you comfortably positioned during an exam?" This is often where the light bulb goes on. Just getting the clinician to think about comfort/pain for a moment will often get us a ton of information.
»» "What would you ALTER about that stool if you could?" When we get them coming up with their own solutions, we are often leading them to a product that already exists.
»» "Doctor, who as well as yourself, is RESPONSIBLE for deciding on products such as this?" Have you ever given your greatest sales presentation to the wrong person? Sure you have ... we all have. So if it is a newer prospect, don’t forget to ask this question. It just might save you a ton of sales time.
With a well thought out plan, eyes and ears wide open, and the CLEAR Questioning Method, you will be able to differentiate yourself from all other reps walking in offices. And don’t be surprised if while curing the back pain of your clinicians, you become a major "backend" pain to your competition.
Brian Sullivan is a member of the National Speakers Association and an internationally known expert on sales and leadership. He delivers high-energy, no-nonsense, interactive seminars on his PRECISE Selling Formula to companies looking to become famous in their industry. He is the author of the book "20 Days to the Top- How the PRECISE Selling Formula Will Make You Your Company’s Top Sales Performer in 20 Days or Less."
To learn more, go to www.preciseselling.com.
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