I KNOW TOO MUCH TO SELL THIS

I want to start today’s post with a question; do you think that someone can know too much about their product or industry?

Last week I was with a rep who was one of the most knowledgeable people I have ever met about the industry he was in. He had come from the industry and held about every position up the ladder over his career.

As he carried on conversations with prospects, I was lost most of the time. The prospect and he went off on tangents that sounded like they were speaking a foreign language to me. But, I listened, and listened, and listened. Although I didn’t really understand a lot of what they were talking about, I did know enough to pick up that some of the conversation was not very positive.

After a few days with the rep, and after listening to several of his presentations, I asked him why he was taking the conversation in a negative direction. He looked at me and said, well everything I said was true about the industry and he understood that some of it was negative but he said it was the truth.

I asked him if he thought the information helped him make sales. He said he didn’t know. I assured him it didn’t.

I talked to the rep about what a sales rep is supposed to do. I started with NEVER lie to a prospect or customer. I have personally fired reps that I have caught lying to customers. However, I also told him that you don’t need to offer negative information either.

Let me try and give you an example of what his conversations were like. The prospect and the rep would be talking about the industry and the rep would make statements like, a lot of the businesses I am walking into are having a very hard time right now paying their bills.

This may in fact be a true and accurate statement, but unless the customer says to you, are other businesses having trouble paying their bills, I sure wouldn’t offer the information. As a matter of fact if I were asked I would say I didn’t know, it isn’t my place and I don’t know for a fact that other businesses are having trouble. I have had some very successful and profitable businesses tell me they were in financial trouble to get rid of me, as I am sure every sales rep on the streets has also.

My point being, just because you know things, doesn’t mean you need to convey everything to your prospects. Especially the things that can hurt your sale.

So I started with the question, do you think that someone can know too much about their product or industry?

Now answer it for yourself.

Lorin