On an almost daily basis, I am reminded of something that still amazes me: In many situations, it doesn’t matter what I know.
Sounds odd, huh? When selling search services it can be so easy to start going down the path of talking about all the techniques and tactics that will benefit the prospect in their search engine optimization (SEO) efforts. I can get 20 minutes into a “Well, Mr.Prospect, obviously your page titles need to be unique for each page but without overstepping the bounds of “good taste “(translation: don’t be spammy). This will be coupled with the internal linking structure changes that will be necessary to …..blah, blah, blah, blah” If I am paying attention, I will look across the desk or conference table and see the glazed eyes of the prospect who has already mentally checked out of the presentation and is working on the other 15 priorities they have facing them when they finally shake free of my “wisdom”.
Why does this happen when selling something like search services? It’s simple. We (salespeople) think that because we have a little knowledge that we are special. We want to show off and impress the prospect with our knowledge. However, if that knowledge is being dumped on the client without actually understanding their needs then we are doing the ultimate disservice to our prospects, ourselves, the search industry and this knowledge we have. When a prospect is faced with the task of making purchasing decisions regarding marketing, they are concerned about results. They need to know how you solve their problem and how they can show that these efforts resulted in a positive ROI, more leads etc. The “how” of getting to those results is purely secondary to the prospect unless of course there is a tactic that is risky in their mind then that has to be addressed immediately. Part of our responsibility as providers of search marketing services is to ensure that we are not just selling a service but rather we are solving a business issue.
If you are in sales in the search industry, please take the time to listen to the needs of your prospect. There is much truth in the saying that “We are given two ears and one mouth, use them in the same proportion”. Put more bluntly; shut up and listen. The prospect will tell you everything you need to know to provide the right solution for their particular business need. If you are ever in the situation where you say that you closed a sale I would propose that it may be bad business for your company. A good sales process helps the prospect to have little or no choice but to go with your solution because you have answered all of their needs and concerns. Closing a sale is transactional while solving a prospect’s problems is relational. It’s the relationship that turns into long term business success on both sides of a deal.
If you are contracting for search marketing services from an agency, be sure to demand that they show how their knowledge resolves your concerns. Don’t get baffled by a bunch of search industry jargon that sounds so complicated. First of all, it’s not and second of all much of it may not even apply to your specific situation! Make your prospective agency earn your business by showing that they actually care about your business.
Thanks and have a great day!
