Sales Booster Tips™  
By Mike Stewart, CSP

February 16, 2010

What Others Really Want
532  words. 2 1/2 minutes reading time.

A primitive definition of sales simply says, "Just get people to like you, find out what they want, and promise it to them." 

Finding out what others want is fundamental to success not only in sales, but in customer service, management and most other areas of business. It is also vital in many areas of our personal lives as well. This is true because success in both our business and personal lives depends on developing and nurturing successful relationships.  

Relationships are successful when all parties perceive they are getting what they want out of the relationship. In my seminars and coaching, I still quote my friend and former colleague Dick Vinet, who used to say:

Give people more of what they want
and less of what they don't want.

To find out what others want, conventional wisdom tells us that all we have to do is just ask them. Sounds simple! But, just asking people what they want and finding out what they really want are often two entirely different things.

If I had asked my customers what they wanted, 
they would have said ‘a faster horse.’ 
- Henry Ford  

Henry Ford was astute enough to understand that what his customers really wanted was to go faster. However, their collective bias resulted in limited viewpoints that prevented them from even imagining the possibility that a horseless carriage could easily run faster than the fastest horse, and do so tirelessly for mile after mile, hour after hour.

The people with whom you interact are like Henry Ford's customers and for you to have successful relationships with them you need to be more like Henry Ford. That is, you need to be able to see beyond the limited viewpoints of others and discern what they are really saying when they talk to you. What they really want.

Discovery is the Heart of the Sale!

Questions enable us to inquire into the viewpoints of others, determine their biases, and their true meanings. Don't stop with the first answer. If, for example, your sales prospect says, "I want to get the best price," don't stop there. Ask, "What do you mean?" Keep asking open-end questions until you find out why Price is so important to him. You may be surprised to learn that he has no idea that he really wanted a product whose performance would make him look good in front of his boss and produce an ROI of 40% more than he'd been getting.

This technique works in other situations as well. If you are involved with someone new in what you think (hope!) may become a "relationship" and ask them what they would want out of being involved and they say, "I just want to be happy," don't say "Me too!"
Ask, instead, "What does that mean?" Keep asking questions and before you know it, you may find out they don't have the foggiest idea what a horseless carriage is! 

Be a problem-solver helping others get what they want by creating, developing, and nurturing trusting relationships with those who can give you what you want in return.

The best way to get what you want is to
help others get what they want.
               - Zig Ziglar

To your success, always!
 

Mike

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M i k e  S t e w a r t
Certified Speaking Professional
Registered Corporate Coach

How To Use These Sales Booster Tips To 
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