Magazine for the professional tire industry
Issue link: https://mtd.epubxp.com/i/114173
Counter intelligence Every customer has a 'buy button' Te key is to fnd it — and push it! I n last month's article, I wrote about a friend selling a beter tire with a beter warranty. Usuof mine whose mom needed a set of tires. ally, the response tells me whether or not I can He didn't tell me she drove a 2004 Corvete, press a litle harder. nor did he tell me his mom, a grandmother, was Before you make your pitch, ask open-ended, very good at researching before buying. fact-fnding questions that will most certainly I asked for the standard make, model and year glean an indication of a potentially hidden buy information and, if possible, the exact tire size. buton. Any indication from the customer will When I received the information, her tire size allow you to move in the proper direction, thereby along with some additional critical information, discovering real reasons and motivations, which By Wayne Williams I should have goten a clue early on. Not only then gives you the laser focus to see and turn the did she provide the exact tire size, she specifed buy buton on. Once you have discovered the hot a brand and type she didn't want. buton(s), you can tie your product presentation to that Her son gave me a bit of erroneous information about feature or beneft. If the hot buton is long mileage, then her budget, which I later realized threw me of track. Te you talk about those features that maximize the mileage next day I gave him what I thought was a great quote on and, of course, the overall value. a great set of tires. Another technique that helps heat up the hot buton is Well, grandma had us both fooled. My friend asked using the customer's me what I was doing; his mom had chewed him up a bit. own words. If you Actually, grandma had done her research and knew more tie the customer's about the particular run-fat tires for her car than we did. words to the feature I gained permission to re-quote the tires with the ad- or beneft they are hot ditional information, and it all worked out just fne. about, then the end In thinking about the transaction, the sales person result will be a satisin me analyzed the whole process. Besides the obvious fed customer and the mistake of making a recommendation based on invalid all-important sale. information, I wondered how I ended up making the right recommendation and she ended up with the right tires How to handle the and completely satisfed. 'cold fsh' Some customers Finding the 'buy buton' are what I call cold Something inside me had told me the buy buton was fsh. Tey seemingly on. Grandma had done extensive research; she basically have no buy buton. knew what she wanted; she knew product and pricing; Tey are my least fashe was ready to make the purchase. I really had the sale vorite customers. I'm in the bag, so to speak. Even though we got of to a rough a talker, a salesman; start, she was motivated, and she was going to buy tires I like to fnd the hot This customer had done her research — and knew product and pricing. soon! It's a crime to lose a sale when the buy buton is on. buton and the buy Te more I thought about the scenario, I was reminded buton and go back that most all people have a buy buton. Te key is to fnd and forth. When I run into a cold fsh, I start with value. it and push it. Te most efective sales person realizes this I just naturally assume that everybody wants a good deal simple truth. on good stuf. So how do you fnd the buy buton or hot buton? I've Sooner or later, the customer is going to say something found, as have you, that more than ever today's customers that will help me help them. All we need is an opening. have done a fair amount of research before contacting a We're sales people; counter-intelligent sales people sales person, and much of that research is done online. who fnd the hot butons, switch them on and open the I've been smart enough lately to research the researcher; cash drawer! in other words, research the customer, research their I think I found my buton; I feel like selling something research. If we ask the customer the right questions about to somebody! ■ their research, they will reveal to us their hot butons. Price customers are easier to spot; so ofen the conversaWayne Williams is president of ExSell Marketing Inc., a tion and exchange is about price, price, price. Even on a "counter intelligence" frm based in La Habra, Calif. He can price call or conversation, I like to give a sof atempt at be reached at exsellmkting@gmail.com. www.moderntiredealer.com 61