Respect Your Client’s View

Jacqui Sakowski
August 4, 2009 | COMMENTS

Respect your client's and prospect's views, even though you may disagree with them completely! Your client's views may be based on invalid information or past experience, which is no longer relevant but you should not argue with them. In this rapidly changing world, it is almost impossible for clients to stay abreast of new possibilities. As you build your relationship, you can help your clients develop new thinking.

I love my smart phone. As a fifty-year-old, I remember when such devices were mere science fiction, so I can understand when buyers are highly skeptical of the claims of sales professionals. We ask them to believe the impossible of the products and services that we sell, because we have knowledge that they don't have.

Sales professionals are agents of change. We spend much of our time seeking out new clients and new opportunities within our existing client base. For our prospects to become our clients they have to agree to make a change and try something new. Human beings are generally not fond of change. We like well-proven and long-established solutions. Or we want to hear about the new things from people whose word and judgment we trust.

Our clients need to have complete trust and confidence in us to take that leap of faith and try our new solution. It will be almost impossible for clients to build that trust and confidence if we do not show respect for their views. Rather than argue with our clients, even when we know they are just plain wrong, explore their views instead. Learn the basis for the position that they hold. Find out what they like and dislike about their current solutions and what they would like to have if anything were possible; in their wildest dreams. As you gain their trust and confidence, introduce them to the new information they need to change their views, especially if it will help them accomplish some of the benefits they wish for in their wildest dreams!

Understanding why your clients think and act the way they do will empower you to provide better solutions, which more ideally meet their needs.

I love my smart phone not for reasons of functionality (although I'm impressed and delighted by all that it can manage for me). Mostly I love it because it reminds me of Mary Poppin's carpet bag—it contains far more stuff than can possibly be contained in such a small space!

Jacqui Sakowski is president of Sakowski Consulting, LLC, a sales training firm in Madison, Wisconsin. Contact her at 608-218-9003 or Jacqui@sakowskiconsulting.com.