I was once in a room with Tarik Taman, VP EMEA of Oracle Retail and a bit of a sales legend. I asked Tarik, "How do you pull off these multi-million dollar deals?"
Tarik replied, "When I leave the customer, the customer must believe that I BELIEVE THAT I AM THE BEST OPTION FOR HIM OR HER."
Note, not "good enough" but "the best". And note the emphasis on what the sales person believes.
Tarik explained, "The customer may or may not believe that I am the best option, but he or she must be sure that I at least believe so."
Then Tarik said, "Further, the customer must REMEMBER THE TWO OR THREE REASONS WHY I BELIEVE that I am the best option for him or her."
Wonderfully put! I memorized Tarik's lines and have used them profitably ever since. They are worth memorizing, because much of professional life involves the rhetoric of sales.
A footnote for the graduating class:
Even in a job interview, you cannot simply portray that you are good enough for the job. There must be thousands who are good enough! IMHO, you have to believe and convey - with all appropriate humility and tact - that you are the best for that particular role. And you have to arrive at the two or three reasons why you are the best for it. It could be your background, it could be your skills, it could be your interest, it could be your sincerity, it could be your desire to work for less money, it could be your openness to learning, it could be your knowledge of the city, it could be your skills with a language, it could be your personality - whatever.
7 comments:
Thank you Sir for the wonderful sales insight for both our personal and professional demeanor. It is all the more important as many a times our client, customer, interviewer and others are also aware that there are many other better than us but through our confidence and logic we still have a chance to turn the tide in our favor.
Regards,
Jagrat Sanadhya
Dear Sir,
Thank you for sharing the wisdom of nuggets with us
The thoughts shared by Mr. Tarik are true.
Just one question, as to which points to put in front of the customer so that he thinks that we are the best amonst all.
Regards
Vidit Shah
Sir,
Thank you for the great lines. I think this line should be followed everywhere along with interviews like in exams, deals, speeches etc.
This would provide us confidence and zeal to increase our performance each time.
Regards,
Varun Agrawal
Dear Sir,
This is the thing which comes out when one works by putting his heart and soul in a work beacause one does so only for the work in which he enjoys.
Thanking You
Nikhil Sukhlecha
Fall09
Dear sir,
Thank you for sharing your "BEST LESSON OF SALES" With us.I am sure that these Insight will help us in building our career.
Regards,
Jitendra Nainani
fall09
good morning sir,
Thank you sir for sharing your wonderful experience with us .
sir i have a question regarding
how can we add value in to organization at fresher level? i am waiting for your valuable suggestions.
Proton Swati Jain
Fall 08
thank you sir it is very veluable insight for me because not only in job, this is imp. in daily life also, because it improve credibility.
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