Comments on: The End of the Sales Pitch http://yastrow.com/2009/the-end-of-the-sales-pitch/ Author, Speaker, Consultant: Ideas on Creating Profitable Customer Relationships Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:05:25 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: PaulH http://yastrow.com/2009/the-end-of-the-sales-pitch/comment-page-1/#comment-2830 PaulH Fri, 28 Aug 2009 19:43:31 +0000 http://yastrow.com/?p=1104#comment-2830 Price is an interesting subject. As a customer it infuriates me when suppliers won't tell you this straight away. Especially if you are not even sure what the ball park figure is. You can waste a lot of everyones time on pitches that won't go anywhere. Price is an interesting subject. As a customer it infuriates me when suppliers won’t tell you this straight away. Especially if you are not even sure what the ball park figure is. You can waste a lot of everyones time on pitches that won’t go anywhere.

]]> By: Fred H Schlegel http://yastrow.com/2009/the-end-of-the-sales-pitch/comment-page-1/#comment-2828 Fred H Schlegel Fri, 28 Aug 2009 12:40:57 +0000 http://yastrow.com/?p=1104#comment-2828 I was discussing this with our team the other day as part of the need to put price on the table much quicker in the conversation. Even though the organization has variable pricing based on job traits the desire to know ballpark pricing is interfering with the conversation prior to a quote. The fear, as a high added value supplier, is that this may pull price only shoppers out of our sales funnel. Funny thing is, we suddenly realized that might not be a bad thing... I was discussing this with our team the other day as part of the need to put price on the table much quicker in the conversation. Even though the organization has variable pricing based on job traits the desire to know ballpark pricing is interfering with the conversation prior to a quote. The fear, as a high added value supplier, is that this may pull price only shoppers out of our sales funnel. Funny thing is, we suddenly realized that might not be a bad thing…

]]> By: Steve Yastrow http://yastrow.com/2009/the-end-of-the-sales-pitch/comment-page-1/#comment-2826 Steve Yastrow Wed, 26 Aug 2009 22:00:50 +0000 http://yastrow.com/?p=1104#comment-2826 Andy ... a similar story ... years ago, my boss and I left a meeting with a sales guy with an airline, and my boss said, "He's the kind of salesman who thinks his job is done once he's finished talking." Andy … a similar story … years ago, my boss and I left a meeting with a sales guy with an airline, and my boss said, “He’s the kind of salesman who thinks his job is done once he’s finished talking.”

]]> By: Andy Thorp http://yastrow.com/2009/the-end-of-the-sales-pitch/comment-page-1/#comment-2825 Andy Thorp Wed, 26 Aug 2009 12:02:57 +0000 http://yastrow.com/?p=1104#comment-2825 Big response on this topic Steve, touched a nerve I think! Have you heard the story about the rather self-centered actor? He'd read through the script but was puzzled by something. "What shall I do during the gaps?" he asked the director. "What gaps?" came the reply. "I mean the bits between when I'm speaking!" Big response on this topic Steve, touched a nerve I think!

Have you heard the story about the rather self-centered actor? He’d read through the script but was puzzled by something. “What shall I do during the gaps?” he asked the director. “What gaps?” came the reply. “I mean the bits between when I’m speaking!”

]]> By: Steve Yastrow http://yastrow.com/2009/the-end-of-the-sales-pitch/comment-page-1/#comment-2823 Steve Yastrow Wed, 26 Aug 2009 04:24:32 +0000 http://yastrow.com/?p=1104#comment-2823 Thanks, Leong. Have you experienced scenarios like this lately? Thanks, Leong. Have you experienced scenarios like this lately?

]]> By: leonghw http://yastrow.com/2009/the-end-of-the-sales-pitch/comment-page-1/#comment-2822 leonghw Wed, 26 Aug 2009 03:43:27 +0000 http://yastrow.com/?p=1104#comment-2822 great post Steve, the scenario really hit home your point. the conversationo-meter is a nice touch. rgs leong great post Steve,
the scenario really hit home your point.
the conversationo-meter is a nice touch.

rgs
leong

]]> By: Steve Yastrow http://yastrow.com/2009/the-end-of-the-sales-pitch/comment-page-1/#comment-2820 Steve Yastrow Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:39:09 +0000 http://yastrow.com/?p=1104#comment-2820 20 years ago when I was in the vacation business we hired a sales trainer. So much of the training we'd given our people was on product knowledge, e.g. hotel amenities, beaches in Hawaii, airline rules. The trainer said that product knowledge was dangerous. At first I didn't get it, but then I understood. Your couch examples show why ... 20 years ago when I was in the vacation business we hired a sales trainer. So much of the training we’d given our people was on product knowledge, e.g. hotel amenities, beaches in Hawaii, airline rules. The trainer said that product knowledge was dangerous. At first I didn’t get it, but then I understood. Your couch examples show why …

]]> By: Steve Yastrow http://yastrow.com/2009/the-end-of-the-sales-pitch/comment-page-1/#comment-2819 Steve Yastrow Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:37:23 +0000 http://yastrow.com/?p=1104#comment-2819 Thanks Andy - You're so right about the interrogation vs. conversation point. Sales conversations should sound as normal as a non-business discussion. If you go through a list of interrogatory questions, it's really just a stiff script and won't engage the customer. On the other hand, if you're looking for drug smugglers ... Thanks Andy – You’re so right about the interrogation vs. conversation point. Sales conversations should sound as normal as a non-business discussion. If you go through a list of interrogatory questions, it’s really just a stiff script and won’t engage the customer. On the other hand, if you’re looking for drug smugglers …

]]> By: Steve Yastrow http://yastrow.com/2009/the-end-of-the-sales-pitch/comment-page-1/#comment-2818 Steve Yastrow Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:33:51 +0000 http://yastrow.com/?p=1104#comment-2818 Great to hear from you David. I think this is especially true in professional services, such as with architects. It's easy to start pitching when you have lots of technical information and expertise, but that can lead to a huge understanding/connection gap with clients. Lawyers and doctors fall into this trap all the time. Conversation ensures that you and the client are understanding issues in the same way. Great to hear from you David. I think this is especially true in professional services, such as with architects. It’s easy to start pitching when you have lots of technical information and expertise, but that can lead to a huge understanding/connection gap with clients. Lawyers and doctors fall into this trap all the time. Conversation ensures that you and the client are understanding issues in the same way.

]]> By: Steve Yastrow http://yastrow.com/2009/the-end-of-the-sales-pitch/comment-page-1/#comment-2817 Steve Yastrow Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:31:44 +0000 http://yastrow.com/?p=1104#comment-2817 Paul - I couldn't agree more. When people say "I can't sell" it's because they are thinking of a salesperson as a certain archetype. They can sell, if they think of selling as relationship-building. Paul – I couldn’t agree more. When people say “I can’t sell” it’s because they are thinking of a salesperson as a certain archetype. They can sell, if they think of selling as relationship-building.

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