| Salespeople are called upon to perform many | | | | deliver?" "I like what you're saying." All of those |
| duties, from customer training to market analysis. | | | | are signals that it is time for you to ask for |
| But we must never forget the primary value we | | | | commitment. |
| bring to our organizations, the real reason we | | | | 3. Ask for commitment in a straightforward and |
| remain on the payroll: We are excellent at gaining | | | | non-manipulative way.a) Summarize your product's |
| commitment from paying customers. Or, at least, | | | | features and benefits, and quote price.b) Ask, |
| we're supposed to be. | | | | "What is your opinion of this?"c) Ask, "Would you |
| Why don't customers commit? Because | | | | like to go ahead with it?" |
| salespeople don't ask them to! | | | | Whenever you quote price, always ask for |
| Yet incredibly, four out of six sales calls end | | | | commitment. To put this another way, never |
| without the salesperson asking the client to | | | | quote price without asking for commitment |
| commit to any action that will move the process | | | | immediately. |
| forward toward a sale. The salesperson presents | | | | Once more, gaining commitment is the principal |
| some product information, maybe leaves some | | | | mission of every salesperson. But you won't get it |
| brochures and then walks away. | | | | if you don't ask. Begin your planning of every |
| That is a travesty. Here's how to prevent that | | | | sales call by determining the commitment you |
| from happening. | | | | want and how you're going to ask for it. |
| 1. Always set a Commitment Objective before | | | | In The Field: |
| every call. You may have any number of valid | | | | Since 1990, when Patterson Dental (PDCO) began |
| goals for a sales call, but a Commitment | | | | training its North American sales force with Action |
| Objective is a particular type of goal. It is an | | | | Selling sales training, the company has become |
| agreement you seek from the customer to do | | | | the largest distributor of dental supplies and |
| something that will move the sales process | | | | equipment in the United States and Canada. |
| forward. | | | | Jim Violette, branch manager for the Spokane, |
| Your Commitment Objective is not always to get | | | | Wash., facility, credits Action Selling for a dramatic |
| an order. It might be to get a referral to the real | | | | turnaround at his branch. "My sales force acts like |
| decision-maker, or to schedule another meeting | | | | an entirely different team since we implemented |
| with all decision-makers present, or to gain | | | | the Action Selling approach," Violette said. "Our |
| primary-supplier status. | | | | skills at Gaining Commitment have dramatically |
| Before every call, ask yourself: What | | | | improved." |
| commitment will I try to gain from this customer | | | | That's an understatement, both for the Spokane |
| during the call? How will this commitment move | | | | branch and for the company as a whole. At |
| the sales process forward? | | | | nearly $1.6 billion in sales, Patterson has grown by |
| 2. Look and listen for buying signals. These may | | | | 17 percent per year and increased its market |
| take the form of questions, statements or body | | | | share by 32 percent over the past five years. |
| language. "How much is it?" "How soon can you | | | | |