Here’s a preview of the sales workshop I’ll be leading this Sunday at the Expat Expo in Zurich.
Special thanks to the British-Swiss Chamber of Commerce for making it happen. More on BSCC and the event below.
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Selling in the Brave New World
Technology and economics have impacted everyone’s life, and nowhere is this more true than in the business world.
While technology has shifted the balance of power from seller to buyer over the past 20 years, the global financial crisis has made everyone more fearful!
In the Brave New World, just about every sale is a complex sale: long deal cycles, multiple decision-makers, changng criterion, unforeseen difficulties.
Buyers simply don’t want you pushing your glorious, sexy products in their face. Think about it: when you buy, do you like to engage with a salesperson who you know is motivated solely by closing a deal?
“Closers” need not apply.
“Trust” has become the biggest word in sales.
In fact, buyers will pay a premium for trust.
And the way to earn trust is through “customer focus.” But customer focus must not only be top of mind, it must be deep in spirit. It must be backed up by behavior and actions, to the point that today’s successful salesperson thinks less about the sales cycle and more about the purchase cycle.
When you first make contact with prospects, where are they within their purchasing cycle? Is the organization aware it has a need? Are they researching many offers? Do they understand the implications of doing nothing? Are they moving too fast? What kinds of questions are you asking them?
If you’re too busy pitching, you’re not listening. You’re not exploring with the buyer. You’re not forming a trusting partnership.
In the Brave New Marketplace, more people are selling than ever before. Many of them are independent consultants, start-ups and entrepreneurs who are experts in their fields.
Even gamefully employed salespeople often earn their positions through technical expertise… but surprisingly few of them have the tactical tools to truly be customer-focused in an environment where buyers have more information than ever, and often more fear, too.
They need help, and opportunity knocks for the true sales professionals.
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This Sunday at Expat Expo Zurich, I’ll be leading an interactive workshop offering a sneak peek at my upcoming release, “Selling in the Brave New World.”
It’s part of the British-Swiss Chamber of Commerce’s business seminars entitled Professional Insights to Success in a Tough Climate and it’s free-of-charge.
We’ll look deeper into what makes today’s buyer “tick,” and we’ll discuss a few tools for how to “click.”
Expat Expo Zurich will run from 11.00 to 17.00 Sunday at the prestigious Kongresshaus one block from the lake.
“Selling in the Brave New World” will start promptly at 12.00, adjacent to the Gartensaal. Hope to see you.