The Disco Ball Theory
I have the fortune of being on advisory teams for a number of technology firms in the San Francisco and Boston areas and I have a very distinct memory of when I learned the power of uncommon perspectives.
One of the companies I’m an advisor for is VendorRate.com – They take the risk out of buying technology. One day Rick, the CEO, and I had this conversation about selling and disco balls. When the conversation started my first thought was what do disco balls have to do with selling?
It turns out that whenever Rick clarified his business all saw the problem he solved from a uncommon perspective - their own. Rick is a very savvy industrialist and quickly figured out that once the customer has their own perspective on the problem he solves or the solution he provides the sale is half way there.
Every day sales professionals get to make a choice – Right or Rich. Let me give reasons for. I know a sales trainer who has a hyphenated first name and when people first here her name they often assume that it’s her last name that is hyphenated. She would rather be right than rich and if you make the mistake of just mission her by the first part of her hyphenated first name – thinking the last name is hyphenated – she’ll stop you in your tracks and make sure you know that you made a mistake and that it’s her first name that is hyphenated.
She could just let it go and be pleased making the sale – being rich. But she chooses to be right and as a result evenly alienates the prospect which causes her to lose the sale and more importantly ruin the potential to build what could be a fruitful long-term relationship.
So the next time you have a prospect that sees your solution from a perspective uncommon than the one you have – SHUT UP! The customer has already been sold! If you try to fix their perspective all you do is alienate them and reduce the likelihood they will become your customer.