Though this book was first published in 1996, it's completely relevant. The "aha" moment that inspired Kevin Davis to write Getting Into Your Customer's Head was his realization that after more than a decade in Sales that he knew almost everything about sales processes and very little about his customer's buying process. How comfortable are you with your grasp?...
Kevin begins by defining two distinct buying patterns, Buy-knowing and Buy-learning. Buy-knowing is comprised of fairly simple, transactional sales (simple products that don't require salespeople...like paper), whereas Buy-learning is a complex, strategic process where the customer must match their needs with multiple alternatives. Kevin stresses that because today's decision makers have more power and more risk, they are more apt to delay purchases until they are absolutely sure they are making the best decision.
To build up the case that a different approach is a must for success in the digital economy, Kevin shares a story about a loss using the traditional method where he led the prospect all the way through to the close only to lose the sale to a competitor a week later. He shares interesting research including a Thompson Publishing Study that found customers make 80% of purchases on or after the 5th sales call, whereas 90% of salespeople stop selling before then! Another poignant stat was a Forbes study that revealed the top 5 greatest customer frustrations with salespeople:
#5 over promising, un-delivering
#4 slow delivery
#2 lack of knowledge of their business
The coolest bit of the book is the practical categorization of sales behavior that maps to the Buy-learning process. The categories are simple, memorable...and brilliant (why didn't I think of this??). They are: Student, Doctor, Architect, Coach, Therapist, Negotiator, Teacher, and Farmer.
Here are a few examples of how these characters manifest during the sales cycle:
Before the call: Think like your customer. Anticipate challenges or opportunities. Do your homework. (Student)
During the call: Discover pain and needs. (Doctor) Propose relevant solutions that focus on your strengths. (Architect) Secure a commitment from the prospect with every interaction. (Coach)
During the close: Understand and address customer fears. (Therapist) Prepare and execute a mutually beneficial agreement. (Negotiator)
After the sale: Ensure that the customer realizes the full value of the solution (Teacher) and grow the account. (Farmer)
I strongly recommend you check out Getting Into Your Customer's Head. If you absorb and implement Kevin Davis' advice, you'll effectively align with the customer's buying process and unique needs to consistently win the business while building a strong, lasting relationship.
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