GURUSPEAK on SALES

Here I am sitting in my cubicle …same screen in front of my eyes at odd time of night….slogging as usual …trying to debug my code…putting all my labour in achieving what all I can to secure a day’s leave on time ….at least for tomorrow. But deep inside it’s the same I the wannabe entrepreneur. Will I …? Yes that’s the question ….Where will my current efforts take me to…..well at least it is leading me an insight into an organization ---a global one in fact.

Presenting a series as and as it comes…whenever…..guruspeak….some words of wisdom ….oozing of experience and intellect from some key people.

First is excerpts on sales and marketing from none other than chairman and MD of a globally competent IT co

The key points from the discourse are highlighted as follows:-

“ Ask some basic questions to ur self everyday as u begin ur day as a salesperson.

1)Who is selling ?

2)What am I selling?

3)To whom am I selling ?

I bet one who finds answers to these questions will find a way to reach people out there in open markets and chart out paths to grab a deal. It amuses me how objectively people answer these questions without checking basic premises be4 answering . Whom will we call a good salesman ? certainly the deals are barometers of his skills , so….his skills? Can they be attributed for his success.? But skills get honed in long term with experience ? hmmm….his experience?…..but he should sustain that long….to gain it? So something must drive him…..what drives him? Motivation? Dream? Goal?....maybe….But real essence is where does he find all this power and most importantly will to dream even from?

That’s all a part of self realization…and whats that to think and in turn know about urself …..what will it do? It would certainly normalize u with situations to paint a clear picture that will help u at least see the milestones.

Now when I ask these questions ---answers I get from anonymous people are :-

1) Marketing executives, salesmen,dealers,brokers, bankers……

2) Product,idea,solution,…..

3) Banks,corporates,people……..

Well answers are certainly near to what is correct , anyway whats correct then?

Check ur premises…..

Answers are :-

1) Everyone around is selling….every single creature on earth.

2) Benefits

3) To a human being.

Yeah these are facts .Literally everyone (from children to corporates)is constantly selling something or else any and also benefiting in turn , not exactly in form of money always but also in form of ….kind…knowledge…opportunity and also love, respect and honour. Also every other thing…communication , conversation is about give and take…but what? benefit….certainly..Can anyone even buy my argument if its not to benefit him? Customer in that case becomes a needy who is in need of my ideas too benefit him.My benefit in some or other way is achieved in benefiting him.Ever came across someone who is averse to benefit? Deals are always suited to benefit the customers.Best way to market ur product to a prospective customer is to find out his needs,make him realize them and show him the lines where he will be benefitted.Best strategy in that case is to be aware of customers’ needs and seek to find ways with existing product for his benefit.

Does customer always have to have needs? Yes…of course he is a human after all. We all are surrounded by hundreds of needs,which we sometimes prioritize. So it is better to think that a prospective customer is a human being same like me , may be with greater responsibilities and more money at his disposal ….but sure a needy.Sometimes greater struggle is to find one's needs , make one realize his need,that needs a patient listening in turn of customer,will he ? Will he be respectful and friendly enough to entertain me?

Although it would be exaggerating to say that a human in need is humble enough to mark ur words , but what about otherwise situations? That’s where brand building comes. Not talking of a company one represent , but it is ones own brand image that one builds through his efforts that will help man find opportunities to make customers listen to him.Now brand building and positioning in community is a complex topic in itself to deal with , but to help grasp it …..relationship building with customers is the key to it.

It is indeed a slow and difficult process in all involving even compromises sometimes in terms of profit and money, but surely a form of investment .

Doesn’t all this sound like irrelevant to a novice in the field? Say I hand u a product and ask u to sell in say New York. U r an outsider with no contacts at all , nobody on top of it has ever heard of the product , besides it’s a place where there are plenty of solution sellers and prospective buyers will not even blink for u forget even listen.What do u do?

Answers I generally get are advertising,promotions ……find someone who knows someone I want to meet (agents).Cant say these are incorrect ,but somewhere down the line to make the first move knowledge of my product, its strength , its achievements, cost of advertising and promotions to market it, cost of partnerships and people who endorse it and most importantly knowledge of prospective buyer his basic needs and analysis of benefit he would get out of it are essentially arms I require clearly to get him.I think on these lines I will sure find out way to grab his attention. Profit can be compromised in the beginning in order to establish relationship . Once the ball starts rolling other things follow. Of course I also should ensure that I deliver quality.

Better my relationship portfolio better are my prospects to draw more customers . Just did I forget to mention that relationship is possible only with a human being,so it all comes back on the three questions I started with.