When a buyer and seller open a dialog, exchanging information can be awkward. Unfortunately, suspicion lurks in the back of each person’s mind.

“Why does he want to know that? What’s he up to?”

“Why is she telling me that? Where is she trying to lead me?”

This occurs because most of us, either as buyers or sellers, have felt manipulated at one time or another. But sellers can ease tension by staging early discussions in the proper order. Sellers are concerned with understanding customer needs in three areas–

1. Product needs.
2. Customer support needs.
3. Vendor relationship needs.

Which is most important? Normally, the vendor relationship is the key consideration for a buyer. If the seller falters there, it doesn’t matter how good the product or service is. After that, the buyer will be most influenced by the level of customer support. The best product in the world is of little use to a buyer if it is always delivered late or takes months to be serviced or repaired. If relationship and support factors are positive, the buyer will then consider the product (or service) itself.

So what should sellers talk about? It might seem logical to begin a dialog by focusing on vendor relationship issues, because it is so important.

That would be a mistake.

Most people will not share their feelings about business relationships with someone they don’t know. It’s too personal and too revealing. When sellers abruptly ask questions such as, “How’s your relationship with your current vendor?” they are likely to get an incomplete or misleading answer, or none at all.

Buyers are generally much more comfortable talking about product and support expectations. Those topics are much less personal. In addition, they are much more concrete, making them easier to articulate.

Further, sellers must avoid peppering customers with a barrage of product and support questions. Nobody enjoys being grilled, especially by a stranger on a first sales call. A sales master once taught me an approach that’s always worked quite well–simply ask the buyer to tell you about his or her business.

“How does your business work?”

“Who do you sell to, and why do they buy from you?”

“What factors have made you a successful business?”

“How do our products and/or services fit in to your business?”

Most buyers enjoy talking about their business. And the information they share helps sellers understand customer needs quickly and clearly. Most important, by demonstrating a sincere interest in the customer’s world, the seller earns a measure of trust and respect that opens the door to a fuller dialog.

Word Sell … Scrambled Toast