Differentiation – The Secret Sauce of Selling

Articles, Selling

If you are in sales, you know that it’s crowded out there. So many competitors. Selling has also become more complex and this is largely due to changes in buyer behaviors. 

Since time began, salespeople have been viewed by many buyers as a necessary evil. Now, with the internet, they are self -educating in an attempt to bypass salespeople altogether. Pain aversion and … why not? The role of the salesperson is changing, but we are not yet extinct.

So, how do we maximize our chances of being in front of the buyer and then further maximize our chances of securing the order. It’s easy and it has little to do with the conventional sales process.

Think about this. You may be in sales but you are also a customer. What do you hate about salespeople?

  • Non-responsive
  • Pushy
  • Poor follow-up
  • Did not keep commitments
  • They knew nothing about my business or my needs
  • Did not meet my expectations
  • I never knew where we were in the process
  • They did not listen
  • They got it wrong!
  • Great answers but those were not my questions
  • They put their needs ahead of mine
  • Once they had my money … adios!
  • Feel free to add your own “hates”

Now what? Do the opposite. Pretty simple, eh? I call it being R.U.M. You are perceived by others, including your customers, as being Remarkable, Unique, and Memorable. Even better, you will likely be the only salesperson who exhibits these characteristics, these behaviors.

I am a keen observer of behaviors. When I watch people, I will assume that the behaviors they exhibit will follow through in all aspects of their personal and professional lives and … I’m never wrong.

Therefore, if I see things during our first meeting that do not meet, let alone exceed, my expectations, what makes me think that the rest of this process will be any different. Hint. It won’t! Since I have a high aversion to pain … see you later.

Conversely, if I am pleased with our interactions, I am building a trust in you that things will go smoothly and with the desired outcome. That being, there is a pretty good chance that you will meet, if not exceed, my expectations.

Ahhhhh … expectations. There are only three possible outcomes of any engagement. Either the salesperson …

  • Did not meet my expectations 
  • Met my expectations
  • Exceeded my expectations

Did not meet is self-explanatory. We won’t be meeting again. Meeting expectations is neutral. You got my business today but there is nothing that says that you will be awarded that in the future. You made a sale but not a customer.

Exceeding expectations? Now you have a customer, and probably for life, who will happily give you repeat business and referrals. They are yours to lose. It goes back to pain aversion. If I have found someone who I trust, why risk the pain by going elsewhere? Not me. How about you?

Are you thinking about a CRM? If you would like to explore whether or not Nimble CRM might be right for you, please book a free 30-minute Zoom consultation with me by going to my calendar.  

To learn more about our Nimble training and implementation services, please visit our Nimble CRM training services page. Thank you!

Craig M. Jamieson

Craig M. Jamieson

Managing Member at Adaptive Business Services
Craig M. Jamieson is a lifelong B2B salesperson, manager, owner, and a networking enthusiast. Adaptive Business Services provides solutions related to the sales professional. We are a Nimble CRM Solution Partner. Craig also conducts training and workshops primarily in social selling and communication skills. Craig is also the author of "The Small Business' Guide to Social CRM", now available on Amazon!
Send this to a friend