The best way to improve your skills and learn something new is by studying a successful practitioner. That’s why I always provide examples based upon role models in my books and on my blog. For instance, in Heavy Hitter Selling I review Ronald Reagan’s communication techniques so they can be emulated. In Heavy Hitter Sales Wisdom I compare the speaking styles of Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and John Kerry so that the reader can better understand his own. On my blog, I have written about the language patterns of Barack Obama to introduce concepts of neurolinguistics (the study of how the mind processes language).
One of the hardest things to do in all of sales is handle tough questions from skeptical prospective customers. Every salesperson knows that answering these questions successfully is usually the difference between winning and losing. Recently, I had the privilege to listen to Congressman Ken Calvert speak. What impressed me most was how he handled the questions from the audience following his speech. As I listened to him, I thought there were five major lessons that all salespeople could benefit from.
1. Show Your Domain Expertise. Congressman Calvert has authored some impressive legislation during his seventeen years in office. His answers clearly demonstrated that he understands the legislative process inside and out. This is an important point. If you intimately know your industry, company, products, and how they compare against the competition you need not fear even the toughest question.
2. Clarify the Question First. There were two types of questions that Congressman Calvert was asked. Some were very specific questions about an issue while others were more general asking his opinion on a broad topic. In both instances, he would make sure he understood the question before answering it. He would either rephrase the question in his own words and repeat it to the questioner or ask the questioner to further explain what he meant before answering. Many times, salespeople are too eager to give an answer to a question that wasn’t even asked.
3. Bring Everyone Along. At one point during the question and answer session someone asked about Congressman Frank’s mortgage crisis bill. Like many in the audience, I was unfamiliar with it. He took the time to explain the bill’s purpose and the status of the legislation before telling how he felt about it. Since most sales calls are conducted with groups of people, you should give background information along with your answers to ensure everyone understands the topic of conversation.
4. Provide an Expert Point of View. A fascinating part of the question and answer session was Congressman Calvert’s discussion of the inner-workings of Washington DC. Never forget, your customer would rather do business with a trusted consultant who has intimate knowledge of the industry than an ordinary salesperson who simply understands how his product works.
5. Demeanor Speaks Volumes. The most powerful response to the most difficult question isn’t solely the answer you give. It’s also how you say it! Throughout the entire Q&A session, Congressman Calvert’s demeanor was calm, confident, and most of all, positive. This is a critical lesson. When confronted by someone who disagrees with your opinion, it’s OK to disagree without being disagreeable.
The final thing that struck me was Congressman Calvert’s sense of humor and humility. He told self-deprecating jokes that showed he didn’t take himself too seriously and displayed down-to-earth friendliness. While I don’t believe one-hundred percent of the audience agreed with all of his political positions, I do think everyone left convinced that his main concern is working for the good of the people who elected him.
Other Articles That Might Interest You:
How Ronald Reagan Would Change Your Corporate Presentation
Neurolinguistic Sales Lesson: Auditory Obama Versus Kinesthetic McCain
Steve those are great strategies for anyone engaging in publice discourse...Certainly sales professionals can learn from the skills displayed by the congressman. I have seen Ken before and he is very poised in public presentations and Q & A sessions. You captured the essence of those skills needed to help one be persuasive in a point of view, presentation etc. Most important too is that Ken conveys integrity which is the ultimate foundation that people will observe when they cast an opinion of whether a speaker, sales professional etc has authenticity in his/her beliefs....Nicely done!
Posted by: PeterR. | March 31, 2009 at 08:52 AM