During World War II the Germans developed tank barricades that American troops found impenetrable. At several points these obstacles virtually slowed the drive on the Western Front to a stop. The American command called on its foremost experts for a solution to the problem. Top officers and engineers spent weeks unsuccessfully seeking an answer. It was a G.I., with little education, yet smart and imaginative, that was clever enough to beat the Germans at their own game. This G.I. envisioned a strong, plow-like device built onto the nose of the tank. The idea was that it would demolish a barrier as the tank pushed ahead. The G.I. built a prototype of the "ramrod" and tried it out on mock targets. Satisfied with the experiment, the Army approved its use in combat. The weapon was a success and the Allies' advance continued.

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There is a powerful lesson here for sales professionals. Knowledge is a splendid thing but will be of limited value without imagination, an open mind and a belief that anything is possible. The sales professional needs to be smart, much more than just possessing knowledge. It is being smart and imaginative that helps find solutions to "tank barriers," the tough buyer and our skillful competition.

If you are going into a sales call with a predetermined focus and presentation, you are in trouble. You will come across as an "I" centered person who doesn't really care. It's smart to avoid words like "My company"; "my product"; "I can do..."; "I know how to..."; I, I, I. Shouldn't the prospect's interest really come first? How could the buyer possibly feel that a salesperson genuinely cares if they are doing all the talking? If the salesperson is talking, listening is impossible and the salesperson may never really know the prospect and the possibilities. It's only when the salesperson goes to the prospect with lots of questions and an open mind that all the possibilities present themselves.

The buyer is the only one who truly knows the problem. The buyer knows what these problems have cost and what has been unsuccessfully tried before. It is the buyer and only the buyer who determines how important the problem is, whether they are ready to do something about it and what they are willing to spend.

The greatest service a salesperson can do for a buyer is to ask questions that bring out the "why" behind the "what". The "what" is the buyer's need or interest, but "why" do they have the interest? Why is there a need at this time? What caused the situation? What has already been tried? Why didn't it work? And, how do they feel about it? This is how the smart salesperson obtains the truth. When the salesperson gains the answers to these questions, they can truly determine if they can solve the prospect's problem and which products or services are a fit.

Be smart: sell today and educate tomorrow. Just solve the problem, satisfy the buyer, and allow them to easily buy. There will be plenty of time later to show the buyer just how much knowledge you have.

Ask Max! Max-a-Million, the Sales Expert! What is YOUR sales Challenge? Ask Max the sales questions you want answered. Ask Max.

About Sales Focus Inc. Sales Focus Inc. is a consulting, training and outsourcing company that focuses strictly on sales. We help our clients during these difficult times to take business away from the competition. In down economic times, focused companies will not only survive, but also thrive! We offer cost containment and profit enhancement solutions. Profit enhancement is a different mindset than cost cutting. Cost cutting means doing less of something; profit enhancement implies doing more of something that will boost the bottom line. We represent the concept of focused profit enhancement solutions. Sales Focus is driven towards a single goal: "Generating Immediate Revenue for our Clients!" Whether it's implementing our S.O.L.D. Methodology, Developing Specialized Training Programs or Launching an Outsourced Sales Force, we remain focused on the goal of TACTICALLY GENERATING RAPID REVENUE.

For more Information or to see if we are a good fit with your company, contact us directly, 866.840.8305 or 410.442.5600, send us an email at info@SalesFocusInc.com or visit our web site: www.SalesFocusInc.com. Request a free white paper while calling us or visiting our website.

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