GET THROUGH THE TWO “GATES” TO WIN MORE SALES
8/4/10 Sales Training Update: GET THROUGH THE TWO “GATES” TO WIN MORE SALES
I was talking with a colleague this morning. We were actually doing some back and forth sales role play. Yes, even though I’ve been training and coaching sales for many years, I still do role playing to keep my skills sharp. It never ceases to amaze me how resistant most people are to role play. It is the single most effective way to synthesize all of your skills into a consistent and cohesive approach to sales.
Anyway, that’s not actually the topic of this blog. Perhaps it will be a future topic. As Jeff (my colleague) and I were working, it reminded me of the “two gates” concept of selling. In a sales situation, if we remember that we need to get through these gates sequentially, and not try to get through them in the wrong order, we’re going to stay on track.
GATE #1: THE PROBLEM The first gate is to ascertain that the prospective customer has a problem that he would like to solve. It sounds simple, but all of your early questioning must be focused on how the customer is currently trying to accomplish whatever set of problems you help your clients solve. What is going well? What might they like to change or improve? This step has nothing to do with the solution you are selling. It’s all about the prospective customer and his problem or challenge. It is critically important to get through this gate prior to moving on the Gate #2.
GATE #2: THE SOLUTION Once you have successfully gone though Gate #1 — in other words, the prospective customer has acknowledged that she has a problem she would like to solve, or at least she would like to make some improvements over what she is currently doing — then, and only then, do you move to Gate #2. This is the point at which your conversation turns to why your solution is the best way to solve that problem.
Too many times, salespeople jump right to Gate #2. They immediately jump to why their solution is the best, without first establishing why the prospective customer would want to take any action at all in the first place.
Put yourself in the customer’s position. This is what he is thinking as you walk with him through these two gates:
- Gate #1: I have a problem I would like to solve. I am willing to invest some combination of time, money & effort with somebody to solve it.
- Gate #2: I believe that Solution X is the best investment of my time / money / effort to solve my problem.
These two gates are the true gates to success in sales!
September 27, 2010 at 4:52 pm
Great post! The first “Gate” you mentioned is spot on, and a point that so many salespeople miss…they try to begin selling before they ever establish a “pain.”