Making Recommendations
When you are a sales or service person, the words you choose are important especially when you are asking your client or prospect to do something or buy something. In fact, making recommendations in the right manner is a key skill that separates top performers from the rest of the pack. Let’s take a look at a couple keys to making successful recommendations to clients and prospects.
- Choose the right words. Often we observe sales and service people using words that convey that they may have a good idea, but they’re really not sure. For example, “If you’d be open to it, maybe we could get together for lunch?” This is obviously better than not asking for the meeting at all. Consider this approach with words that suggest you’ve been there before: “Based on what we’ve discussed and what we’ve done for other clients like you, I’d recommend we meet over lunch. Would you prefer the week of the 16th or the 23rd? Which approach will result in more lunches? Of course the latter one because the salesperson is making a recommendation vs. just throwing out an idea. This takes practice. Top performers often jot down some bullet points with strong words (e.g. suggest, recommend, other clients like you, important, definitely), then practice making their recommendations in their pre-meeting planning.
- Perfect your tone. The other person would not be speaking with you if they didn’t believe that there was a way that he or she could benefit from your expertise. That’s right, you are an expert and that needs to come across in your tone and attitude. Too often, when salespeople make recommendations they sound timid or unsure. How do you think that makes the prospect feel? Top performers use a tone that’s genuine, confident, and conveys a sincere interest in solving the other person’s problem. Do you want to go to a doctor who sounds like he may have a solution or one that’s confident he knows exactly how to help you because he’s worked with other patients like you. Perfecting your tone can be even more challenging than using the ideal words. Role-play and practice with peers, using video/audio recording when possible so you can continuously improve.
- Build the solution WITH the prospect/client, not FOR the prospect/client. Top performers create a collaborative dynamic with their clients and prospects instead of a buyer vs. seller approach. It’s common for salespeople to ask a prospect some questions, then email a proposal and wait for a yes or no. This can work. What’s more effective is working with the client to create the solution. Take the example of building an advertising campaign for a client. If the salesperson and client take time to sit on the same side of the table, evaluate options and jointly create a solution, is the client more likely to buy? Of course! Clients will prefer and buy “their” ideas more than “your” ideas. So it’s your job to work with the client and make them a significant part of the solution. How can you apply this approach to your prospects and clients?
Make this month your best month of the year by using the right words, a confident tone, and by working with clients…not for clients. Keep making it happen!