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Stop Selling! E-Zine - Issue No. 49 /March 2009

Dear Reader,

Following the initiative of the author of this ezine, my colleague William Ho, six people passionate about sales met on 10th March 2009 in Central, Hong Kong to discuss the founding of a new association targeted at leaders in sales such as VP Sales, Sales Directors, Sales Managers, etc.

I’m excited about this initiative which might have the potential – if successfully established in Hong Kong – to expand into other major Asian cities.

If you’d like to be part of this new association or to stay informed about it, please send a blank email to sales-leaders@progressu.com. The second meeting will be held in Hong Kong / Central on 31/March 2009. To join, write to the same email address.

Note that this association will be a completely independent organization - Progress-U is merely one of the founding members because we are passionate about this idea.

Today’s article might be particularly relevant to anyone who is looking for a new job. William shows that a job interview and a sales conversation have a lot in common and how the Stop Selling! Approach might help job seekers be more successful in job interviews. I’m sure you’ll enjoy his article.

Let’s keep progressing!

Charlie Lang
Executive Coach, Trainer and Founder of Progress-U Ltd.
Author of The Groupness Factor

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Yes, you might have heard this question a few times during your previous job interviews. You wish you had done a lot better then.

Now, this is THE job that you are so keen to have; the company that you have been dreaming of; the job that would take your career to the next level.

Yes, you have done your homework, or so you think.

Are you prepared to answer this question this time though, when everything is on the line?

You recall about half an hour ago when you walked into the meeting room. You were meeting the CEO of the company. You were dressed up suitably. He dressed up suitably too. Both of you matched the circumstance, and matched each other. You exchanged conversation with him. You adjusted a little bit to match his comfort zone – his tone, his pace. He tends to smile more than you. You smile, too, and you notice that he is matching your comfort zone as well. 

Five minutes later you know the rapport has been built.

You are glad that you have learned the STOP SELLING approach before.

You know that this is an executive sales position that they are looking to fill. The current person is about to retire. They need to have someone who has enough industrial experience to lead the business unit. They also want to have someone who is bold enough to lead and guide them to the next plateau.

However, they have both internal and external problems to deal with. They are not sure which way they should go. They are looking for options: whether to promote someone within the organization who understands the company culture more or getting some fresh blood from outside that perhaps will bring in new ideas? At the end, they know they need a change.

You recall that you have simply revealed all information that seemed relevant for them during your first interview. You know that this would be essential in order for them to see that you are probably a very suitable candidate. You were using all the questioning techniques that you learned: ask like a coach and listen actively. You have asked for their conscious needs, and also asked for further to reveal any other requirements they were not really thinking of but appeared to be critical in their decision-making as well.

You are confirming these requirements with the CEO again right now. You know that you must not make any assumptions - customers might change their needs and requirements.

Huh, customers?

Yes, a customer can be defined as someone (or an organization) who has a NEED and in order to become YOUR customer, you must be able to provide something (whether goods or services) that can match their NEED.

Isn’t a job interview similar to a sales call? Only in this case, they are not purchasing; they have a need to find a person that will fulfill the job requirement, and hopefully YOU are that person.

You recall the CRC concept – competence, rapport and care. That is how you gain TRUST from your customers. You know that is how you win over your competitors; you know that is why customers are buying from you.

You also know that this is not just to become successful as a sales professional. You know that TRUST works for any relationship. 

You also realize that you have to build TRUST during a job interview, too. In fact, you are demonstrating the importance of what makes a true sales professional, someone – albeit on management level - they are looking for now. Only this time, you are doing it in front of a CEO – the person who is about to hire or reject you. 

Is he similar to a customer who you have been dealing with all your life? Sounds like it, as they are quite similar: he needs to have someone that he can trust and work with. 
  
You have competence, all right. You have built your rapport. You do not have to learn about the CARE part, because everyone knows how to CARE. The hard part is to apply it to this situation, and you know that you are applying it well. You put the concern of the company, a.k.a. customer, as your own concern. You put away your own interests: this is THE job that you are so keen to have; the company that you have been dreaming of; your career is about to be changed. “Not Attached to Own Outcome”. Instead of thinking how good you are, you are thinking “why should the company hire this person?”

You take a deep breath, and start responding. You do not just tell him your strength; you also align with their true need and how they match, and you always put the company first.

Ten minutes later, you shake hands with the CEO, and leave the room.

You start to think about the other candidates that have yet to learn the STOP SELLING concept.

You are glad you did. 

For more information related to Progress-U's Stop Selling! programs including our negotiation program, please click here.

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