Ramaprasad: In a way, all of us are salespeople. We sell something or other in our day-to-day lives. We persuade or convince somebody to do something. We move others to accept our ideas. That’s, in a way, a form of selling. So, sales is no longer confined to salespeople. It’s open to everyone.
In the pre-internet era, we had an acronym ‘ABC’ that meant, whether you sell a product or service, you must always be closing the deal. According to Daniel Pink, ABC has changed in the post-internet era to attunement, buoyancy, and clarity. He also says that you need not be an extrovert to be successful in sales. You can be an introvert. He comes up with the term called ambivert, which is a mix of introvert and extrovert. You can choose to be an extrovert when you want, and at other times, you can be an introvert, and you can still be successful in sales. That is a very interesting perspective.
In the ABC acronym, attunement is about understanding the buyer even before selling anything. Buoyancy involves motivating oneself, especially in the face of frequent rejections. Salespeople often encounter numerous rejections, such as in the insurance industry where out of 20 calls, 18 might result in rejection. Despite this, they must cultivate buoyancy or resilience to persistently engage in their tasks. Clarity refers to being clear about what you stand for, enabling you to effectively pitch your product.
Before the internet, sellers held significant power as all the information a buyer needed came solely from them. This era was characterized by the term “caveat emptor,” meaning ‘let the buyer beware.’ However, in the post-internet era, this dynamic has undergone a complete transformation. Today, buyers possess access to abundant information. Consequently, the paradigm has shifted from “caveat emptor” to “caveat venditor,” meaning ‘let the seller beware.’
When selling something, it’s crucial not to push a product that isn’t genuinely useful to someone. Instead, the focus should be on facilitating a transformation in the other person’s life. Selling should be approached as a means of serving the individual by offering products or services that genuinely meet their needs. The service aspect is paramount in sales.
Ramakrishnan: We typically perceive a salesperson as someone pushy, always promoting a product or service. However, sales isn’t limited to corporate settings. From the moment we’re born until we depart from this world, we engage in selling in various forms. We persuade, convince, and influence others throughout our lives. Mastering the art of selling is integral to leadership, negotiation skills, and personality development.
Extroverts are often seen as pushy individuals who dominate conversations, sometimes not allowing others to speak. Conversely, introverts may shy away from dialogue altogether, lacking the skills to ask pertinent questions. Daniel Pink’s notion of ambiverts, who fall somewhere in between on this spectrum, resonates deeply with this understanding.
Harinie: Our inboxes are often inundated with salespeople asking, “Do you have this problem or can you resonate with this problem?” before proposing their product as a solution. However, in today’s information-rich environment, individuals can often find solutions to their problems independently. According to Daniel Pink, the modern salesperson is not merely a problem solver but a problem finder.
It’s widely acknowledged that extroverts may not excel in sales roles due to their tendency to dominate conversations. Effective salesmanship requires being a good listener and asking the right questions. I can draw parallels between theatre acting and sales. My co-founder has a background in theatre and acting. We have incorporated improv into our sales training programs. Improv involves spontaneous performance without a script, requiring individuals to adapt and respond in the moment.
In sales, where customers often conduct their own research and can surprise you with their knowledge, being able to improvise and add value to conversations is crucial. Salespeople must be adept at going with the flow and responding dynamically to the customer’s needs.
Ramaprasad: Those aspects are indeed crucial in effective salesmanship. Finding the problem, asking pertinent questions, active listening, and utilising improvisation techniques can greatly enhance the effectiveness of sales interactions and ultimately lead to more successful outcomes.
Harinie: I’ve always felt that in sales, we tend to overestimate our communication skills. I expect the party on the other end to receive what I’m saying exactly the way I intend to say it. This is the root cause of many relationship problems. Research indicates that people typically receive 30 to 40% of what we communicate. I consistently remind my team to communicate thoroughly, to over communicate if necessary, and to ensure that the recipients understand the message.
There are interesting exercises in the book. In one of them, two people are tasked with having a conversation. One person is from the 20th century, while the other is meant to be from the 17th century. The individual from the 20th century must sell something to the person from the 17th century in a manner that the latter can understand. It always proves to be an engaging exercise.
In our interactions with customers, it’s important to ask thoughtful questions. There may be a temptation to simply suggest, “Why don’t you try it?” But we must resist this urge. Instead, we should focus on asking probing questions that encourage customers to express themselves clearly.
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Ramakrishnan: Today, we often encounter information asymmetry, where one party has more or better information than the other. One crucial concept proposed by the author is the curation of information. Our responsibility is to curate the most relevant and valuable information to share. This is a process that begins with understanding the perspective of the customer.
Once we’ve identified the areas in which we want to curate information, we must compile a list of the best sources. Regularly scanning these sources allows us to gather the most relevant items. This approach enables us to add genuine value to our interactions with customers by providing them with curated insights tailored to their needs.
Curating can be as straightforward as creating an annotated list of web links or consistently updating your own blog. The author suggests that we should dedicate time every day to maintain our list of resources. Once we’ve gathered the necessary information, we begin the curation process and then share it. This is the essence of curation. For instance, a potential buyer approached us and said he was interested in purchasing a property. However, through extensive questioning, we came to know that he didn’t actually need a house.
Harinie: Many of the concepts presented by the author in the book are easy to comprehend, but their application can prove challenging. While everyone talks about achieving win-win outcomes, it’s often difficult to put this principle into practice.
Consider a domestic scenario where you want to watch a particular TV show, but someone else in your household prefers a different one. In such situations, the immediate impulse is to prioritize your own desires, without rationally thinking if a compromise could lead to a win-win outcome.
Achieving continuous improvement, even by just 1% each day, requires significant training and commitment in any area we seek to improve. In our sales training sessions, participants typically absorb only about 50% of the information initially delivered, and a month later, retention rates drop to around 20%. This underscores the need for training on a regular basis. Monthly training sessions are essential to reinforce and expand upon previous learnings. Continuous improvement is a lifelong journey, and there are no shortcuts to mastering it.
Ramakrishnan: In Harmony Homes, our initial salesperson didn’t come from a traditional sales background; instead, they were from a customer service background. We’ve always approached hiring with the understanding that every role involves some form of selling, echoing Daniel Pink’s perspective. The principles outlined in the book remain pertinent and will continue to be relevant.
While the concept of improv may come naturally to creative artists, it can be challenging for the average person. However, I am sure our sales team can use this approach effectively. Unfortunately, it’s common for salespeople to begin objecting when customers express their requirements, often due to a lack of active listening. This is an area where improvement is necessary.
I believe it would be beneficial for all our salespeople to consistently incorporate offers and compelling information into their conversations. Every sentence presents an opportunity to engage customers with intriguing offers or valuable insights. Improv, in particular, is an incredibly powerful concept that can enhance the effectiveness of our sales interactions.
Ramaprasad: True. Improv can be an incredibly effective approach for handling objections in sales situations. I recall a specific instance where a client requested a product feature that our offering didn’t have. Instead of immediately conceding or withdrawing, I engaged the client in conversation to understand the relevance of the feature. Through thoughtful questioning and active listening, we discovered that the feature would actually be detrimental to their needs. This highlights the importance of quick thinking on one’s feet and asking probing questions to genuinely understand the customer’s requirements.
As technology continues to evolve, with advancements like ChatGPT, it’s natural to wonder if the concepts discussed in the book will remain relevant over time.
Ramakrishnan: The Y2K phenomenon was predicted to cause widespread computer shutdowns, yet ultimately, the anticipated disaster never happened. Similarly, the notion of going completely paperless a decade ago hasn’t fully materialised either. What these instances demonstrate is that while we continuously embrace technology, there remains a significant human element in all our endeavours. Despite the increasing complexity of our world, humans possess a remarkable ability to adapt and find solutions. This adaptability has been a cornerstone of our survival for ages, reflecting the enduring principle of “survival of the fittest.”
Harinie: I also think that the concepts are timeless because as long as there are humans, people will try to sell something to other people. We all have to learn continuously to be good at what we do. ‘The Psychology of Selling’ is the first sales book that I ever read. Till now, good salespeople have done pretty much the same things discussed in that book. They have wanted to serve their customers and improve the lives of the customers.
When I began my sales career, acquiring email addresses was a significant challenge. Today, however, my team has access to a vast database of 3 million contacts. As time progresses, advancements in AI and other technological tools continue to streamline the selling process. Now, we can efficiently send customized and curated messages to even 10,000 customers at once. It’s clear that leveraging technology is essential in today’s marketplace; those who fail to do so risk missing out on valuable opportunities on the table.
Ramaprasad: How will you do a sales pitch for your company?
Ramakrishnan: We build and provide dream homes, trying to meet the aspirations of the buyers. We build elegant and functional homes in the city of Chennai. We meet aspirations and build aspirational homes for the new generation.
Harinie: My one-word pitch for my company is ‘Growth.’
Ramaprasad: Does selling concepts from a foreign culture work well in Indian culture?
Ramakrishnan: They are very much relevant. Concepts like genuineness, authenticity and principled negotiation are applicable in any culture. The western culture is more extroverted. In the eastern culture, people are more of introverts. I know, it’s not very fair to generalize but I intuitively feel that people of the eastern cultures are shy. In Indian culture, we have just started to express ourselves.
Ramaprasad: You talked about asking questions to a customer and finding out that he really didn’t need to buy a house. Would that approach not affect your sales and revenues?
Ramakrishnan: I do a business in which the supply is always lesser than the demand. We build residential homes inside the city. I won’t say I’m a magnanimous person. I don’t go against the conventional sales process. I know that if I am not able to close the sale with one person, definitely, in another two, three months’ time, I will be able to find somebody, who will genuinely value that particular product. That is more important.
Ramprasad: You must understand that not everyone can be your customer. Not everyone will have the need that can be fulfilled by your product or services. But you will definitely find a person who has the need, which can be fulfilled by your product. You can even guide the buyer towards your product by asking insightful questions. That’s what I did when somebody wanted a particular feature. He withdrew that feature because it was irrelevant and even against their core values.
Ramakrishnan: Probably if I were selling a pen or a brush which is valued at 10 rupees or 100 rupees, I might have just sold that. I have a product and as a sales person, I have to sell it. But when I’m selling a 2-crore home to somebody, then I have to really think whether my offering is relevant to that person.
Harinie: We generally say that we have to create the need. But in today’s environment, what you can potentially do is to make people aware of a problem which they do not necessarily realise. By asking the right questions, you can find a potential customer. Your product will be a good fit, if it solves the root cause of the customer’s problems.
Ramaprasad: When we network, everyone comes to sell to each other. How can we handle such a scenario?
Harinie: I don’t sell when I go to any event. The key piece in any networking event is to listen with attention. In our office, we ask people what they think is their superpower and what they think is the superpower of others. I was very happy when my team said that my superpower is that I listen very intently. Truly, it is a superpower. If you find five people, have deep conversations with them. Maybe one or two people will end up buying from you. This has always been my experience.
If you have two hours to network, you can’t spend the entire time talking to just one person. I would say twenty minutes is a good timeframe to spend with an individual. In every conversation, I consider: what can I learn about this person? How can I add value to them? If you do that, they will likely come back to you, ask for your card, and potentially reach out to you later.
Ramakrishnan: The example quoted by Daniel Pink in the book is a powerful illustration of the significance of listening to customers. Whenever Jeff Bezos enters an Amazon meeting room, there is always an empty chair placed there, unoccupied. This chair symbolizes an invisible customer who is always present, listening in on the discussions. It serves as a constant reminder of the importance of considering and prioritizing the customer’s perspective and needs in every decision-making process. The author suggests a method to generate questions. Write down all the questions you can think of. Sort them into close-ended questions that invite yes or no answers and open-ended questions which will invite an elaborate answer. Then, refine your questions.
Ramaprasad: How can we maintain authenticity and integrity while trying to influence others or making a sale? Does it depend on the brand of the organization?
Ramakrishnan: Authenticity is the quality of being genuine, true to oneself, and transparent in one’s actions and interactions. In sales, establishing trust with customers is essential, and authenticity plays a crucial role in building that trust. Authenticity is closely linked with integrity.
Certain organizations, such as Tata, are widely recognized for their authenticity and integrity. Over time, these organisations have built a reputation for reliability, honesty, and ethical conduct. Similarly, individuals who demonstrate authenticity and integrity in their actions are often perceived as trustworthy and reliable.
Authenticity and integrity are qualities that must be cultivated and maintained over time. They are not just important traits of individuals, but also fundamental attributes of successful organizations that aim to establish long-term relationships with customers and stakeholders.
Attunement, buoyancy and clarity for effective selling
Harinie: Attunement involves understanding the perspective of your customer and empathising with their needs and challenges. During a sales call, the initial 10 to 15 minutes are dedicated to ‘discovery,’ where you enquire about their background, concerns, and objectives. This phase provides valuable insights that help the rest of the conversation.
Buoyancy entails maintaining a balanced mindset throughout the call, neither overly optimistic nor overly pessimistic. Positivity is key, both in attitude and conversation, to keep the interaction constructive and engaging.
Clarity revolves around identifying the core issues faced by the customer. Prior to the sales call, it’s crucial to conduct thorough research on the customer to gain insights. This preparation allows you to curate relevant information for the initial portion of the call, ensuring that you address their needs effectively from the outset.
Ramaprasad: How can we incorporate empathy in our sales approach?
Ramakrishnan: Empathy is always very important. Empathy is about understanding the minds of other persons and feeling for them. But as a sales person, to get the right information, you must connect with the customers’ heads more than with the hearts. Harinie: Yes. If I worry too much about my customers’ feelings, I will probably end up with a bad deal. Instead, if I find out what my customer thinks, then I will be able to get a win-win deal.
