With the outbreak of a global pandemic, sales professionals from all industries have had to adapt quickly to stay viable. For those of us who are accustomed to meeting people in person, it has been imperative that we start using assorted video conferencing apps like Skype and Zoom. Some, like myself, have even gone back to the good old telephone (minus the rotary dial).
With all of the technological toys we have gained in the last few months, I think it's fair to say that we have lost that sense of connecting with someone else. Chatting with a prospect over a cup of coffee has a certain intimacy. People will let their guard down and share more when they are comfortable. Maybe I'm a little different, but I've always enjoyed it when someone who barely knows me divulges and tell me their goals, dreams and hopes. And not just what they want for themselves, but for their families or employees. That's when I know I have earned their trust.
Last week I had an old networking friend give me a call in regard to some life insurance. This lady and I had done some volunteer work together years ago and had gotten along well. We had a similar sense of humor and liked to kid around, but since this conversation was on the phone, it wasn't very personal and something was missing. We were not able to see each other so trying to decipher body language and facial expressions was off the table.
We discussed her concerns. Her life insurance was nearing the end of its term and she was worried about the inevitable price increase. And she was no longer working, another economic victim of the Coronavirus. We talked about her budget and her current life insurance plan. She didn't like the company that she had purchased the plan from and was suspicious that she hadn't gotten a good deal. From my perspective, she was paying a lot more than she should but I kept that to myself. I've never been a "trash the competition" kind of guy.
I told her to give me some time to come up with some options and spent an hour or so doing some research. After making a few calls and getting some great rates for her, she declined. Maybe it was the underwriting requirements that turned her off, or maybe it was her lack of income. Either way, I had invested a couple of hours with no return.
But something kept bothering me. The truth hit me like a ton of bricks: The whole time I was speaking to her, there was no emotion from her. Not a drop enthusiasm at all. Yes, she chuckled at a couple of my jokes, but not like she would have laughed if we had met in person. The sales process had become transactional. Yes, I consider us to be friends, but now the process was as friendly as ordering a burger at a fast food restaurant.
After I meet with someone, I try to replay the meeting in my head, word for word. Successful or not, I want to know what I can improve and what worked. That's what makes us better sales people. As I went over the conversation with her, I kept asking myself what had gone wrong.
Perhaps I should have suggested a video conference, but I don't know if that would have worked. She seemed as if she needed information quickly and a video call would have taken longer to set up. I assumed that we could handle the whole thing over a phone call. Given our history of a "professional friendship", maybe I assumed incorrectly.
With 20/20 hindsight I should have at least asked her about a video call. She may have been good with that, and maybe I would have closed the sale. Who knows? All I'm sure of is that when this pandemic is over and things get back to normal I'll have a whole new appreciation for coffee shops.
Chris Castanes is a professional speaker who helps sales people succeed through workshops and humorous presentations. He's also the author of "You're Going To Be Great At This!", a humorous look at sales. For booking information, click here. He's also the president of Surf Financial Brokers selling life and disability insurance in several states.
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