Forging relationships over problem solving, not penny pinching
The fastest way to new business, taking a problem off a decision makers desk
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For you readers
Let’s ask some questions about your prospects? What are their number one issues, problems, or opportunities for improvement?
Where are their largest losses and how can your product or service help turn that around?
Are they having an engineering issue and can’t get something to work?
Is there something prohibiting them from growing their market?
Now you ask, why am I showing a picture of the inside of a football helmet?
The Problem (Opportunity)
While out prospecting one day I came across a company that was molding cross-linked polyethylene. In case you are wondering, this is foam that has a very high impact strength. I called regularly on this prospect for nearly 1-year. I knew that he was already using our competitions products, but not being able to persuade him to try ours out. How do I know that he used my competition? I drove around the back of his factory and looked at the hundreds of empty boxes with their logo all over them. I must have made more than a dozen in person pitches hoping to negotiate a better terms to win his business.
During one of these meetings with the owner we were talking quite extensively about his current business. I asked him what was limiting his growth? I could see that he had a good business and was a key supplier to one of the auto companies with this specialized foam. What was holding him back, and what could we help him with so he could grow?
He answered me this way; this same product could revolutionize the sports helmet industry by limiting head injuries. His number one prospect was the largest football helmet company in the world, but they had one small problem. They could not assemble these molded pieces into their helmet. Nothing would stick to it …
I won’t get into the technical ins and outs of this, but the company I worked with developed an adhesive that could work with the foam and also with our fasteners. We landed the account, and this small molding company soon became the exclusive foam provider for the global leader in protective equipment.
The faucet opened up.
We were given opportunity after opportunity to work on current business. Every protective sports equipment company came knocking, and with every knock on his door, orders came and went through ours. As they developed new products we were invited to work with him. The account grew from nothing, to millions and millions of components each and every year.
Why us, and not them?
Not too long after we launched the product I asked the owner, “what made you finally work with us?” … It was simple he said, the competitor not only never asked him how they could help him grow, they basically only visited once a year and simply reviewed deliveries. They never once looked at all the sample orders he had placed and wondered why he was trying all of those adhesives. They didn’t know he had a problem, so they weren’t around to help him solve one.
Be a true sales pro, not just an account manager
There is a difference. Developing relationships with your customers by asking more meaningful questions. Understand their industry, what their hurdles are, and then be more creative and concerning, in your questioning.
Take a look at these questions side by side … which person do you want to be?
Having a tough time cracking into a company? You know there is growth opportunities, but you are missing them?
Have Kole Performance Group help you define your process so you can develop these deeper and more meaningful relationships.