"All I got" is LOGIC -- therefore, I have nothing...

[Ankesh]

Thanks TW for posting about this issue you are facing.

I came across this guy who goes to brick and mortar businesses. And sells them a $50 a month package where he will go and create an ecommerce site for them. The thing is: he just buys $10 a month hosting a/c for his client, slaps a free Magento script on it and he is done - making $50 for ever.

I always thought that why would anyone pay $50 a month for what is essentially a free solution? Because I never would. And thats when I realized:

You don't know what you don't know.

The brick and mortar biz just don't know what is required to create an ecommerce site. And so they pay for a solution what they think is a fair price. From my point of view, the price is unfair and its illogical of them to pay so much. But from their point of view, thats perfectly logical.

People make decisions based on emotion - that is correct. But they don't throw away all their logic away. The problem you are facing is you don't know the logic they are following. You are in a blind spot.

Amply evidenced by people buying ring tones. Its the same reason why people apply nail polish. Its a fashion symbol. Something that allows them to show to the world that they are different. It is logical from that point of view. But your angle of viewing is completely different. And that is why you think its illogical to buy ring tones.

The point I'm trying to make is: its not emotions and logic you are fighting. You just think that way because you are in a blind spot.

How to get out of this blind spot? Ask questions. And listen. Without judgement. Thats the only way.

For eg: for the lady who called you and asked why you hadn't called her... ask her why.

"I am a one man shop and have limited resources. I find it hard to reach all my clients at the right time - but would like to do a better job. Would you have 5 minutes to help me find this right time? Yes? Awesome. First question is: Should I wait for them to call me because everyone has a different need, or is there a best time I can call everyone at? Why? Why? Second question is: When is the best time for me to call to book a repeat sale? Why is that a best time? Why? Why?"

You will find that most of their points follow logic. There may be some leaps here and there, but they won't be completely illogical.

Hope this helps you.

[GordonJ]

Originally Posted by Ankesh

Ask questions. And listen. Without judgement. Thats the only way.

Great answer Ankesh,

On my top 10 reading list of must reads is Barry Neil Kaufman's Option Process, the best book on sellng that isn't anything about selling...it is about asking questions, in a non judgemental...it will improve anyone's selling experience.

The Option Process....best kept secret in selling, persuasion and influence.

Gordon

Originally Posted by GordonJ

Great answer Ankesh,

On my top 10 reading list of must reads is Barry Neil Kaufman's Option Process, the best book on sellng that isn't anything about selling...it is about asking questions, in a non judgemental...it will improve anyone's selling experience.

The Option Process....best kept secret in selling, persuasion and influence.

Gordon

I could only find an "The Option Process" cd set. Couldn't find a book with that title.

I did find a book called "To Love Is to Be Happy With: [the First Book of the Option Process]" on Abe Books.

I'd like to read the book you refer to but I want to make sure I get the right one.

Thanks.

-Chris

http://www.barryneilkaufman.com/Barr...y.php?pageid=2

Originally Posted by docsulo

I could only find an "The Option Process" cd set. Couldn't find a book with that title.

I did find a book called "To Love Is to Be Happy With: [the First Book of the Option Process]" on Abe Books.

I'd like to read the book you refer to but I want to make sure I get the right one.

Thanks.

-Chris

[GordonJ]

Here's a link

http://www.barryneilkaufman.com/Book.php?id=63

Originally Posted by docsulo

I could only find an "The Option Process" cd set. Couldn't find a book with that title.

I did find a book called "To Love Is to Be Happy With: [the First Book of the Option Process]" on Abe Books.

I'd like to read the book you refer to but I want to make sure I get the right one.

Thanks.

-Chris

Gordon,

Took me awhile to find this one ... I read it 2 or 3 times, then packed it away ... but another good one is "Socratic Selling" by Kevin Daley and Emmett Wolfe. It's 150+ pages of every possible sales situation and what questions you should ask in that situation. The purpose is to make the salesperson forget their own agenda and be able to focus on what the prospect needs. For anyone whose experience in selling has been a contentious relationship with prospects, this approach definitely helps.

Richard

Originally Posted by Richard Dennis

Gordon,

Took me awhile to find this one ... I read it 2 or 3 times, then packed it away ... but another good one is "Socratic Selling" by Kevin Daley and Emmett Wolfe. It's 150+ pages of every possible sales situation and what questions you should ask in that situation. The purpose is to make the salesperson forget their own agenda and be able to focus on what the prospect needs. For anyone whose experience in selling has been a contentious relationship with prospects, this approach definitely helps.

Richard

Thanks Richard. I found a nine page summary of "Socratic Selling", done by Frumi Rachel Barr, MBA, PhD.

She has a site called 100 Must Reads, where she has similar reviews of other business books.

The super condensed version of this is, "shine your little light on the customer."

Boz,

Nice find. That is a terrific synopsis. She's probably got 98% of the value of the book in there.

Richard