Dr. Seuss’s Green Eggs & Ham
Most people have read the Dr. Seuss tale “Green Eggs & Ham”, either as kids or to their children. What is interesting is the relevance this story has to selling. Learn the secret of Dr. Seuss’s selling technique and build your sales.
“I am Sam. Sam I am. Do you like green eggs and ham? Would you like them here or there? Would you like them in a box, would you like them with a fox?”
3 Step Selling Technique from Dr. Seuss
- Sam is selling a product and although his prospect is not initially interested, Sam doesn’t let that deter him from asking.
- Sam consistently offers the prospect a choice when trying to close the sale.
- He refuses to give up. No matter how many times his prospect says “no”, Sam keeps offering alternatives. He offers fourteen options before finally closing the sale.
I am not suggesting that you pester your customers but most people give up too early in the sales process. We hear a few “no’s” and decide to turn our attention elsewhere. It is your responsibility as a business owner to ask the customer to make a decision – you cannot expect a customer to do the work for you.
If you have been effective in learning about their specific needs and presented the appropriate solution to your prospect then you have earned the right to ask them for the sale. Here are a few selling techniques that will help you reach this point:
- What do you need to know: Avoid launching into a lengthy discussion of what you can do for your customer until you thoroughly understand what challenges they have. Use open questioning to gather this information. Listen and clear the air on any items that are not clear. Inquire by pushing the envelope with the mini’s like “tell me more,” “of course…” and “what others?”
- SImple…Options: When it comes time to present your product or service, try not to limit the prospect to one option, like Sam I Am, he only had green eggs and Ham. Having choices of solutions that meet their needs provides comfort. Explain the benefits of each in a way that they can USE, and IF necessary, talk about the shortcomings of any solution. By presenting so many options that the decision becomes overwhelming only muddies the water, listen so you can be prepared to inform the customer which option is best suited for their needs.
- Talk normally: Simple conversational talk is the best way to communicate. it is open and honest and provides clear understanding. Using jargon and percentages and minutia only creates angst for every one.
- Wait for it……..:know that folks are going to object, that is normal and expected in the sales arena. You will be very lucky if a customer makes a quick decision and pulls the trigger without some objection. Know that the objections are a clear point that the customer has questions, or does not understand. It is not personal, it is you missed something. Look at Sam, he covered stuff again and again and again! Just like Sam I Am, know that you can reach a common agreement, if you listen and act accordingly.
- Be a an archeologist: find the objections…dig deeper to unveil what may present the problem that holds back the customer. Handling objections in a non-argumentative, non threatening way is the ONLY way to approach resolution.
- Of course you need to always ASK FOR THE SALE: Ask for the sale. Again and again and agin if necessary.
- Use Polite Persistence: Sam I AM he asked…14 times and THEN…. Hopefully for you, your ability to listen and ask questions will allow for less than 14 requests. Take a lesson from Sam and learn the importance of polite persistence. Research has shown that indiviuals who ask up to 6 or 7 time consistently earn more.
Use these selling techniques and you are sure to win like Sam I Am.
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