| His eyes were narrow and bloodshot from | | | | think through each of the issues listed |
| staying out late and partying too | | | | below, and compare yourself to your |
| heavily the previous night. A two-day | | | | competitors. How do you stand on...* |
| old stubble framed his face. He was | | | | your appearance* your product knowledge* |
| wearing a dark colored tee shirt, which | | | | your understanding of company policies |
| he hadn't tucked in, a pair of jeans, | | | | and procedures* your competence with |
| and scuffed loafers which had probably | | | | basic sales skills* your understanding |
| never seen shoe polish. It was the | | | | of the customer* your bearing and |
| second day of my Sales Academy seminar, | | | | demeanor.If you find that your rank |
| and this participant in the program was | | | | below your competitors on any of these |
| complaining to the group that his | | | | issues, then you need to spiff them up |
| customers were only interested in low | | | | so that you are thought of, at least, as |
| price.I didn't say this, because I | | | | a Taurus. Then, you can begin to move |
| didn't want to embarrass him in front of | | | | toward the Lamborghini position.2. Start |
| the group, but I thought it none the | | | | on the inside.In my book, 10 Secrets of |
| less: "Do you think your appearance and | | | | Time Management for Salespeople, I |
| demeanor have anything to do with your | | | | propose that you "get grounded." That |
| customers' reaction? Do you think that | | | | advice is based on the observation that |
| you may give them the idea that you are | | | | it is difficult to sustain a false |
| the lowest rung on the pricing scale? Is | | | | position. It is all a whole lot easier |
| it possible that you have inadvertently | | | | if you portray yourself to be who you |
| positioned yourself as the Wal-Mart of | | | | are. Integrity, meaning consistency |
| the industry?"I remember, as a child, | | | | between who you are and who you present |
| having a salesperson call on my family. | | | | yourself to be, is a foundation to a |
| He had an appointment to discuss a | | | | positive position.In order to do that, |
| correspondence course for one of us. He | | | | you must clearly understand who you are. |
| drove a big Lincoln, dressed richly, | | | | That means that you crystallize, in a |
| spoke articulately, and carried himself | | | | written document, these three issues:* |
| with confidence. It wasn't a coincidence | | | | Your purpose. This really speaks to your |
| that we bought his program without | | | | spiritual orientation. Why are you here? |
| quibbling about the price.These two | | | | What is your purpose in life and in this |
| scenarios illustrate a powerful and | | | | job? Why are you doing this anyway?* |
| frequently overlooked best practice in | | | | Your vision. What would you like to |
| the world of sales: Whether you intend | | | | become? What do you see as possible and |
| to or not, you always create a position | | | | ideal in your job, your career, and in |
| in the minds of your customers, and that | | | | your life?* Your values. What are the |
| position influences the customer's | | | | highest priority items in your life and |
| attitudes toward you as well as the | | | | in your job? What are the people, ideas, |
| buying decisions that follow.In other | | | | behaviors and qualities of character |
| words, if you look like you're the low | | | | that are most important to you?Once you |
| price, your customers will expect you to | | | | have thought deeply about these internal |
| be the low price.It follows, then, that | | | | issues, you'll find it much easier to |
| if we are going to be an effective, | | | | live them. The process of articulating |
| professional salesperson, we ought to | | | | them and putting them on paper keeps you |
| give thoughtful consideration to how we | | | | focused and attentive to the deeper |
| position ourselves in the minds of our | | | | issues.3. Do a sober assessment of your |
| customers.Let's begin by understanding | | | | strengths.If you are going to position |
| the idea of positioning a little deeper. | | | | yourself in the eyes of the customer as |
| Positioning has long been a term bandied | | | | having some combination of uniqueness, |
| about by advertising mavens and | | | | you first have to identify what those |
| marketing gurus. They define it as the | | | | unique strengths are. What are your |
| place that your brand or product has | | | | personal unique attributes, experiences, |
| carved out in the mind of the customer. | | | | and passions as it relates this job? Do |
| It's the pictures that enter the | | | | you have some special experience? Do you |
| customers' mind when they think of your | | | | have some unique capabilities? Do you |
| product, the feelings that your product | | | | have some unique relationships? Do you |
| evokes, the attitudes they associate | | | | have some unusual characteristics? |
| with you, and the thoughts that they | | | | Identify those strengths on a piece of |
| have of you.Chances are, for example, | | | | paper, and then add a line or two on how |
| that the words "Volkswagen Beetle" evoke | | | | each of those can bring value to the |
| a set of responses from you that are | | | | customer.At this point, you will have |
| different than "Chevrolet Corvette." You | | | | done the necessary homework to make the |
| expect a certain degree of quality, | | | | job of building a unique position much |
| price and service when you enter a | | | | easier. You now know who you are and |
| Wal-Mart that is not the same as your | | | | what strengths you can bring to your |
| expectations upon stepping inside a Saks | | | | customers. Now comes the fun.4. |
| Fifth Avenue store.Billions of dollars | | | | Continually seek opportunities to convey |
| are spent every year on carefully | | | | your brand.Act in a way that is |
| crafted impressions by businesses | | | | consistent with your statements of |
| anxious to carve out a valuable position | | | | strengths. For example, if you say that |
| in the minds of their customers.Alas, if | | | | you are good with high tech, don't take |
| only the same thing could be said of | | | | notes on a scratch pad. Put them into a |
| many salespeople.Just like the carefully | | | | PDA. If you say you are personally |
| designed impressions by advertising | | | | attractive, don't forget to shave before |
| mediums inexorably chisel a spot into | | | | you make a sales call. Be consistent - |
| our psyches, so do the repeated visits | | | | act like the person you claim to be.Find |
| by a salesperson embed a set of | | | | ways to utilize your strengths and |
| expectations, pictures and emotions into | | | | emphasize your uniqueness. In one of my |
| the minds of our customers. The position | | | | sales positions, for example, |
| you, as a salesperson, occupy is a | | | | recognizing that I had some unique |
| complex intertwining of the perception | | | | talents in speaking to groups, I |
| of your company, your solutions, and | | | | consistently found ways to organize |
| yourself. The most effective salespeople | | | | seminars and workshops for my customers |
| and sales organizations understand that, | | | | in which I presented to the group. I |
| and consciously work to create a | | | | could have made individual sales calls |
| positive position in the minds of their | | | | to six customers, but I found that when |
| customers.Creating your positionLet's | | | | I brought all six together in a group, I |
| begin at the end. A good starting point | | | | was more effective. It was just me |
| is to think deeply and with some detail | | | | utilizing my strengths.Be creative. One |
| about what sort of position you want to | | | | of my strengths happened to be my wife, |
| create. What, exactly, do you want your | | | | who is a gourmet cook, and extremely |
| customers to think of you? Let me | | | | good with anything that even looks like |
| suggest two possibilities: the minimum | | | | food. We collaborated, and as Christmas |
| acceptable position, and the ideal | | | | gifts for my customers, she would make |
| position.At a minimum, I believe your | | | | dozens of varieties of homemade cookies |
| customer should view you as a competent, | | | | and candies, and I'd pack them uniquely |
| trustworthy person who brings value to | | | | for each customer. Within a year or two, |
| the customer. They believe that you | | | | everyone looked forward to my arriving |
| generally know your products and their | | | | with our annual Christmas |
| strengths and weaknesses, that you | | | | present.Develop a reputation by |
| generally know the customer's issues, | | | | intention. Decide what you want to be |
| and that you can be reliably counted on | | | | known for, and then work to consistently |
| to do what you say you will do. That's | | | | make that happen. One salesperson makes |
| the least acceptable position to which | | | | sure, for example, that he doesn't call |
| you should work towards. If your | | | | on a customer unless he has something to |
| customers don't think of you at least in | | | | share with that customer which he |
| this way, you probably should not be in | | | | believes that customer will find |
| sales.At the other end of the spectrum | | | | valuable. As a result, he has no problem |
| is the ideal position. This builds on | | | | getting time with his customers. He's |
| the minimum, but adds a specific | | | | developed the reputation of always |
| understanding on the part of the | | | | bringing something of value.If you want |
| customer of your unique combination of | | | | to be known as the most responsive |
| strengths and attributes. It evolves as | | | | salesperson, set up a system that allows |
| you have history with the customer until | | | | you to respond to every phone call |
| you occupy a position that is totally | | | | within an hour or two. If you want to be |
| and uniquely yours and that carries with | | | | known as the fountain of product |
| it the expectation that your strengths | | | | knowledge, make sure that you study |
| in some specific and unique way add | | | | every price list and piece of literature |
| value to the time the customer spends | | | | on every product you sell. If you want |
| with you. The ultimate test of the power | | | | to be known as the specialist in some |
| of your position is the customer's | | | | application, make sure that you know it |
| willingness to see you and the resulting | | | | inside and out.Consider everything that |
| preference for doing business with | | | | you do. Question every single aspect of |
| you.Here's an illustration. If you were | | | | your interaction with the customer, and |
| shopping for an automobile, a | | | | gradually shape every thing to match the |
| low-mileage late model Taurus would | | | | position you want to gain. If you want |
| probably provide you with competent, | | | | your customer to think of you as |
| reliable transportation. So, when you | | | | confident and competent, don't drive a |
| think of that specific automobile, it | | | | dirty 10 year old car. If you want your |
| would evoke a set of ideas in your mind | | | | customer to think of you as worth an |
| all revolving around competent and | | | | extra couple percentage points in price, |
| reliable transportation. Now, think of a | | | | then don't come in wearing wrinkled |
| brand new Lamborghini and you would | | | | Dockers and a dirty tee shirt. If you |
| understand it to be transportation, but | | | | want to be known as intelligent and |
| with a unique flair - something above | | | | articulate, don't use slang.Your |
| and beyond just reliable transportation. | | | | position in the minds of the customer is |
| That flair would be a result of the | | | | a powerful and subtle component of an |
| unique strengths of that particular | | | | effective salesperson's approach. |
| automobile conveyed in a graphic way to | | | | Consistently working at building a |
| your mind.So it is with salespeople. You | | | | positive position will pay dividends for |
| want to position yourself in your | | | | years.About Dave Kahle, The Growth |
| customer's mind the equivalent of the | | | | Coach(R):Dave Kahle is a consultant and |
| Taurus. But if you really want to carve | | | | trainer who helps his clients increase |
| out a unique, memorable position in your | | | | their sales and improve their sales |
| customer's mind, you'd want them to | | | | productivity. Dave has trained thousands |
| think of you as a Lamborghini.The | | | | of salespeople to be more successful in |
| question then is, how do you want your | | | | the Information Age economy. He's the |
| customers to think of you? Once you | | | | author of over 500 articles and five |
| articulate a specific picture, you can | | | | books. His latest is 10 Secrets of Time |
| then start to build that position. Here | | | | Management for Salespeople. His |
| are four essential steps to help you | | | | "Thinking About Sales" Ezine features |
| convey a positive position to your | | | | content-filled motivating articles, |
| customers.1. Soberly assess | | | | practical tips for immediate |
| yourself.What sort of position are you | | | | improvements, useful resources and |
| currently occupying in the customer's | | | | helpful tips to help increase sales. |
| mind? Be as objective as possible as you | | | | |