The Right Mix for Influence
As I continue my Lean journey, I have recently been focusing on applying Lean to sales. How do buyer’s make decisions and how can I influence them is a question on every salesperson’s mind. As I searched for the answer, I discovered that it is not one action but rather a mix of engaging employees, helping them accelerate their processes, and aligning with both Agile and Lean selling.
How We Make Decisions
It may sound overwhelming to consider how to combine those elements. So, allow me to sort out what I have found in my research. Although today’s buyer is more knowledgeable, she is still human and makes decisions like everyone else in one of two states. Billionaire John Assaraf’s research found that the first state uses the reptilian part of the brain that is focused on safety, belonging, and significance. If a company has a culture of fear, it limits the creativity, the ability to solve complex problems, and the development of visionary ideas. It causes people to think out of fear with their reptilian brain.
John and Harvard professor Srini Pillay M.D. found that the other part of the brain, the Prefrontal Cortex, has full access to the brain’s resources and can make smart decisions. Although survival is always paramount, we can create an environment of comfort and allow both the seller and the decision maker to use the smart area of their brains. An atmosphere of safety also develops trust between the buyer and seller. Your conversation must also communicate that you see the unique qualities of the buyer. Let the buyer know that you are in the situation together and you have similar interests. This approach will increase the safety as well as develop trust.
Being Agile
Where does Agile come into the mix? Well, being agile means we must be present and not led astray by the next shiny thing. Toyota Kata coaching stresses focus and inquiry. Practice being focused. Focusing means being present where you are at that moment in time. Listen to what the customer is saying, don’t think about the past or the future. It also means don’t be distracted by time wasters. The other part of the Toyota process is to inquire at multiple levels until you get to the root of the problem and then to the solution. By asking questions, you lead the customer to make complex decisions and to take ownership of them. This approach prevents buyer remorse, and in employees, it generates growth and leadership skills. Remember for buyers and employees many decisions are like crossing a swinging bridge over a chasm like those seen on TV shows like Survivor and The Amazing Race. They need to feel safe, so they can switch to the part of their brain that makes smart decisions.
Safety, Clarity, and Vision
How can you help them feel safe enough to switch and to make a decision? The brain reacts to clarity, a vision. Christine Comaford, the author of Smart Tribes, says that “an emotionally engaging mission, vision, and values statement will help you get connected.” In the courses I attended when I became a salesperson and then as a trainer, I learned it is critical to set and to obtain explicit expectations. It is also essential to create a vision by painting a picture with words. That is why storytelling works so well in selling.
Lean Selling and Accelerating Processes
Lean has been applied to manufacturing with great success for years. However, it is only recently that companies have begun to apply Lean to selling. Many considered sales to be an art and as such Lean was not applicable. Others thought that the latest sales training program or CRM package would solve their revenue problems. However, Lean does apply to sales. Applying Lean does not mean that the salesperson must change his or her personality. It means that you use the lean tools to define and refine your processes. You must remain relevant to the market and the changing competitive conditions. You must also locate the root cause of missing a sales target. Most often it is the process, not the person. Using Lean to streamline the process will also accelerate the results.
You can learn more about each of these topics in other blog posts and podcasts on our website: www.salestrainingsolutions.com.
About the Author:
Phyllis Mikolaitis is a sales coach, author, and speaker with over 30 years’ global experience. She is dedicated to taking you beyond the typical “how to” courses to the heart of persuasion techniques incorporating insights and stories to win the sale. Phyllis has also had training in Leadership Through Quality, Six Sigma and Lean. Visit Phyllis and her business partner John Switzer on other pages on www.salestrainingsolutions.com. The links on our website allow you to listen to our podcasts or catch up on past blog posts on this and other sales topics.
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