I approached a group of brokers to introduce what I thought was a dynamite new product and I walked out with an earful. Even though I didn't sell a single item to this group, the information they gave me was far more valuable than cash. Now I am not a salesperson, nor do I play one on TV. I am a PR/Marketing consultant, who was doing this client a favor by repping their product locally.
With the client on the phone listening in to my shpeil long-distance, I passed the product around for sampling. The brokers asked about pricing and I passed out price sheets. They were incredulous. "This logo is horrible, and the prices - delusional," one blurted out. Just as I was about to explain that, yes, the logo is a bit um...old...we were going to revamp it, and that the pricing was negotiable, the client said, "The logo is PERFECT - do you know how many people love our logo and buy our product no matter what...?" This escalated into a (hmm...what is the business word for "pissing contest"?) that pitted broker against seller. As a PR person, I knew I had to somehow salvage the situation.
"What else do you guys think is wrong with the product?" I asked. Sensing that, in me, they had a receptive, responsive ear, the brokers began to explain the product's pluses and minuses, detailing how it didn't measure up to its competitors. They took me through an overview of comparable products, selling points and prices - as the client on the other end of the phone tried desperately to defend his position and push the rejected product onto the group. "Listen, listen, LISTEN," I wanted to shout over the phone for the client to hear. "Now is NOT the time to sell - it's the time to hear what these guys who sell products like yours every day have to say!" He was too busy talking to listen.
I learned so much from the meeting. Customer service is not about pushing your product into someone's face - no matter how much you believe and love your product. It's about listening-- picking up valuable cues and helpful hints. The truth is, this product may not be ready for prime time just yet. It may have to be re-packaged, re-priced and every product needs competitive intelligence to compare it to other products before it is introduced to key customers. While enthusiasm and passion can create incentive, it only supports a product that has been carefully researched, positioned, strategically introduced, branded, priced and packaged for its primary audience, in this case the brokers, and eventually for the end-users - the customers.
When you are selling, STOP, LISTEN and LEARN. THEN sell.
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