Sales Poodle wanted

Do you have a customer or prospect who treats you like a some sort of Sales Poodle?

A Sales Poodle believes that his job is to satisfy the customer. The customer is king is a core belief of the Sales Poodle. When push comes to shove, the Sales Poodle acts in a manner that reinforces the customer's belief that he is more important.

• A Sales Poodle is not respected by his customer.
• A Sales Poodle is expected to run and fetch.
• A Sales Poodle is expected to wag his tale after been given the ‘run around’.
• A Sales Poodle is not considered a business Equal.
• A Sales Poodle can never be a trusted advisor.

 

Ten ways to know if your customer sees you as a Sales Poodle:

(Score yourself 1 point for each statement that is true for you).

1. You are willing to drop everything to meet with a prospect (usually at the first date and time that they suggest). ___
2. You invest time in writing sales proposals that you didn’t create. ___
3. You allow your prospects to determine the rules of your selling interactions (whom you can speak to, what you can discuss, etc.) ___
4. When you bring up the topic of money and your prospects fobs you off with a “we don’t discuss money with vendors” – you just continue. ___
5. You thank your prospect for their time at the start of a call or meeting. ___
6. You work hard for your customer, then they don’t return your calls or emails. ___
7. You consider their money more important than your time. ___
8. You take work home.  ___
9. You check your emails when on holidays. ___
10. You accept behavior (i.e. showing up late) from a prospect that they would not accept from you. __

 

How did you score? 

Score 0-3: Well done!  Sometimes you have to show a little flexibility, it’s not a sign of weakness.

Score 4-6:  You’re running about average. Average is never good. Nobody ever remembers;

• an average day
• an average sunset
• an average meal
• an average song
• an average kiss

Average is bland.

Score 7-10:  “Yap, yap, yap.”

Being a Sales Poodle is not a strategy. It stems from a failure to plant your feet and assert your rights.

 

Ten tips to avoid the poodle trap:

1. Imagine you had $10,000,000 on deposit in the bank every time to engage with a prospect.
2. Keep in mind that you have the solution – the prospect has the problem (if you are thinking that the prospect has the money and you have a target, see tip #1).
3. Don’t forget that the prospect will not invest unless he is getting a good return for his investment – so he always get the better end of the deal.
4. Resist any urge or pressure to discount. Get the price right first time.
5. Never give a concession unless you get something of equal or greater value in return.
6. Don’t give into the temptation to justify a high price. This is something your prospect has to do (and is well capable of).
7. Remember that to get what others don’t you have to be willing to do what others won’t.
8. The fact you feel uncomfortable is exactly why you should do it (whatever ‘it’ is).
9. Have clear and unambiguous goals. If you’re not part of your own plans, you’ll be part of someone else’s.
10. Know your rights as a salesperson. No need to wear them as a badge. Just take them out when necessary.

 

Courtesy: Paul Lanigan: Sandler Training, Dublin Ireland

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.