September 2002 Track Selling Times Feature
"Approach or Qualification: Which Comes First"
by Roy E. Chitwood, CSP, CSE |
(From October 1999 Track Selling Times)
The first goal in sales is to establish rapport. To do this effectively involves steps one and two of the Track Selling System, Approach and Qualification. Occasionally, salespeople are confused about the order of these two steps and how they and how they should be used to establish rapport.
Some salespeople say Approach must always come first in order to build trust. These individuals will immediately discuss the weather, the stock market or sporting events on every sales call, convinced this helps to establish a bond with the prospect.
On the other hand, there are salespeople who believe the Qualification step should take precedence. These are the individuals who promote the 'straight-to-point,' no-frills approach, feeling it is important to show respect for prospects' time.
Accordingly, they believe that being subjected to unwanted Monday night football analyses or inane chatter about El Nino represents a diversion or distraction from the business at hand. While these sales pros focus solely on sales and business-specific matters, their critics may argue this style is impersonal, with rapport coming slowly or not at all.
The question is, 'Who's right?'
Although both are partially correct, neither provides a factual, workable method of selling. Each will sometimes function, but just as frequently fall short.
Why?
Because both call for a canned approach to selling as a substitute for the most important ingredient of rapport building - judgment.
The truth is that you have to be aware of the person in front of you. Some want to discuss nothing but the immediate nuts and bolts of the sale. You must oblige them by steering clear of small talk or predictions about the World Series outcome - at least for the time being.
Similarly, there are many other times when the prospect will only express involvement in a presentation once he/she has become relaxed through skillful building of rapport. Once this is established, the conversation can be swung easily into the Qualification step.
The most crucial point to grasp about the first two steps of the sales process (Approach and Qualification), therefore is that they don't have to be done in a particular order. Rather, the correct sequence is determined by the prospect's frame of mind. If he/she wants to talk brass tacks, don't bring up the presidential candidates. By the same token, if the prospect is stiff and not communicating, by all means establish rapport.
But whichever path you travel at the beginning of the sale, before you move on to Step 3 (Agreement on Need), you have to complete both the Approach and the Qualification.
Perhaps all will become clear to those who dislike 'buttering up' the prospect, when we deal with WHAT to talk about. Instead of a few pat phrases, find out what the PROSPECT wants to talk about and discuss that. Once rapport has been built, move on to Qualification and the sales process will remain intact.
On the other hand, if small talk is spurned by the customer, complete the Qualification step immediately. But don't forget to go back to the Approach and personally create a connection with the prospect. Otherwise, your sale will soon run aground.
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