This morning my wife Cindy left town for a week, volunteering as a leader for a Christian youth girls camp in Dallas. My two teenage daughters leave tomorrow for the camp, leaving me with two boys and our youngest daughter Phoebe.
After sending Cindy off I had breakfast with Phoebe. She said, “Dad, we need to talk”. I couldn’t help but smile and then told her I was all ears. Here’s the conversation:
Phoebe: Dad, I want a white BMW
Dad: You better start working right away
Phoebe: Kellen got a car
Dad: Kellen did not get a car. He drives the Civic and when he leaves home it stays with the family
Phoebe: Whatever. I like your black BMW but I want a white one
Dad: If I still have the BMW when you turn 16 you can drive it
Phoebe: Ahhhh, you’re not listening to me. I want a white one
Dad: Why do you care what kind of car you drive and why does it have to be white?
Phoebe: I want to be like you but I’m a girl so I want white
Dad: You should want to be like mom. She drives a big safe suburban for the family and it’s white
Phoebe: But I’m not getting married. I want to live with you forever
Dad: All SMILES
First, are you not feeling for me this week? This little girl is a handful. Second, this conversation reminded me of how important it is that we listen and ask questions when having important conversations. Whether they be with our kids or clients. I could have gone back and forth with Phoebe all morning about whether or not she’s getting a BMW when she grows up. Likely I would have lost the conversation as well. What I found at the end of the conversation was that Phoebe wanted something entirely different than what she was originally asking for. Ultimately, as most all little girls do, she simply wants more time with dad.
How often do our customers ask for one thing but really want something else? Quite often has been my experience. I know most conversations with sellers starts with “How much can you sell it for” or “How much money will I walk away with”. Though these points are indeed important, there are often other more important factors that they may not have shared with you. Why are they really moving (job, finances, marital issues, etc), where are they going, when do they need to get there, etc. Once we identify the real reason behind their decision we will have a far better opportunity to provide them with a fantastic experience. I believe that one of the most important roles we play in sales is to help our clients receive what they need most, and often this is different from what they originally asked for.
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