Free Seminars
Tues 7 Apr, Manchester.
"Business Development Ability - something you’re born with?"
- a Pro-Manchester event
Tues 8 Sept, Manchester.
"How Your Clients May View you"
- a Pro-Manchester event
Why not run a seminar in-house - maybe for your team or for a client event. Choose one of the topics above or get in touch to discuss a subject specific to your organisation.
Focus - Situational Selling
For the last ten years salespeople have been fed on a diet of process. All good stuff but madness in isolation. Premier League footballers don't spend all their training time in strategic lectures and writing reports. They devote significant time to practicing, and developing fundamentals - ball skills, fitness, agility and spatial awareness.
What is it that makes the top 20% of salespeople who bring in 80% of the revenue so successful? We think it's situational awareness: an ability to know what to do and say that takes their relationship with customers to a different level. This is what Situational Selling is all about. Taking the fundamentals of questioning, listening and summarising and developing the less tangible art of observation, reading signals, spotting the golden nuggets, knowing when to interject, how to add value and get buy-in from customers.
Email or give us a call on 0161 236 0724 if you'd like to know more.
If you've got a question about how to deal with difficult clients or some feedback on what you think of Sphere we'd love to hear from you.
Recommended Reading
'Blink' by Malcolm Gladwell - recently recommended by a delegate. Another view of our snap judgements and how they are often right.
Fiction:
'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time' by Mark Haddon
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First impressions can be misleading. If you've ever labelled an important new client as 'difficult' find out how to turn that around and have a better relationship with them than your competitors.
Enjoyable reading.
Jim Wigg
Coach, Trainer, Facilitator
The Curious Incidents of the Dog in the Kitchen
Meet Brandy, a brown and white Springer spaniel and the protagonist of the tale.
Last weekend I met Brandy and to be fair it was not a good start. Sandra (wife) and I were visiting my big sis Pip and her family in Deeping St James. Pip collected us from the station and announced in the car that they were dog-sitting a friend's spaniel for the weekend as a trial run to see if they could look after him while his owner's went on a month-long trip to Oz. The experiment had a dubious start. Brandy was cocking his leg over the kitchen cupboards.
Arriving back at the house it was pandemonium in the kitchen. My brother-in-law, Sach, was trying to clean up after Brandy's incessant leg-cocking. Brandy was being sexually harassed by Tigger (Pip and Sach’s male King Charles spaniel!). Brandy was also wolfing down his supper so fast he was choking and bringing it all back up. First impressions were not good - the curious incidents in the kitchen were leading us to believe Brandy was a right pain!
Pip was coming to the conclusion that it wasn't going to work out with Brandy, she even doubted if she could manage the full trial weekend. And it gets worse – he couldn't be let off the lead on a walk as he runs off and he continually pulls on the lead.
Another reason for our snap judgement was that physically he was an odd looking dog. Definitely wasn't going to win a rosette at Crufts for looks. Apparently a pedigree but with very short legs, huge misshapen feet and a strange gait. Brandy was the proverbial runt of the litter.
Nervously we got up Saturday morning and were relieved to discover no mishaps occurred during the night. Brandy was calming down and greeted us like old friends. His little stubby tail was wagging frantically, he looked up at us with doleful, pleading eyes begging for a fuss. Aaaah sweet. Our first impressions were turning. The old fella then showed great sprit on a 2.5 hour walk and by the end of the weekend we’d all fallen for him.
How often in our interactions with others, do we do that? In the first few seconds of meeting someone we make a judgement (consciously or subconsciously) of the other person. There are some people we take an instant dislike to and even brand them as 'difficult'. Perhaps it’s because they are different to us or maybe too similar! There is, however, a common character who appears 'difficult' – known as a Timebomb. But a relationship with them can be very rewarding.
Here's some clues for how to recognise a Timebomb. They:
- Nit-pick over everything - nothing ever seems good enough for them
- They can 'go off on one' (explode) for no apparent reason, hence the name
- Are often sarcastic and don’t seem to know the difference between humour and nastiness
In your company, you may be in the privileged position of choosing who you do or don't do business with but the majority of people aren't able to make that choice. Maybe you're dealing with an existing client who's a Timebomb or you've been trying to develop new business with a Timebomb.
Well, here's the good news. The Timebomb, when treated correctly, can be a long-lasting, loyal client. It may not be an easy ride, they’ll probably never be warm, cuddly and wanting their ears stroked (like Brandy) but they will be very worthwhile clients. The Timebomb is unlikely to tell you to your face how good you are but they will be singing your praises to everyone else. Here’s some tips for how you should deal with a Timebomb:
- Despite their criticism continue to work to high standards as they will notice any drop in standards immediately
- Remember, they are singing your praises to others, just not to you
- Never surprise them, especially in public. Make sure they are prepared for what's coming
- When you feel under attack it's not personal
- When they're 'going off', wait until they have finished and then be firm in your response
Want to find out if you might be a Timebomb? Click here and complete the free Empathy Styles questionnaire.
...and now for something a bit different.
Here's one of my favourite old jokes (apologies cat lovers):
Q. How do you make a cat bark?
A. Pour petrol on it, set fire to it and it goes ... WOOF!
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