This year marks my 18th year in med/surg sales, and 21st in the sales field. If you have ever been fortunate enough to sleep through one of my presentations you know my bio reads, “After barely graduating from Liberty University in 1993, Scott got his MBA in the art of selling at Westside Toyota in Jacksonville, Fla.”
While some people may not take pride in selling cars, I was fortunate to learn from some of the best salespeople around. Keith Palmer, the owner of the dealership, could wow a customer with features and benefits, then switch to a different subject, usually about the customer’s kids or who their favorite team was. Then he would come back to selling. If the conversation went well, he would go for the close, but if the conversation started going the wrong way, he would jump back to the other topic. He was a master at asking for the order or changing the subject until he got the answer he was looking for.
Esmond Donawa had the gift of owning a relationship with a customer for life. Once you bought a car from Esmond, you always came back to him to buy more. He would sell 35 to 40 cars a month. Think about selling 35 to 40 EKGS a month, or one a day. Esmond was incredible to watch. He could begin and solidify a relationship within two minutes of meeting someone.
It is my belief that selling equipment requires similar skills. In this month’s cover story, Mark Thill investigates eight skills successful equipment salespeople:
- Willingness and ability to identify the decision-maker(s)
- Great communication skills
- Willingness to do their homework
- Problem-solving
- Confidence, bordering on fearlessness
- Willingness and ability to work with manufacturers
- Time management and organizational skills
- Follow-up
I would like to add a ninth based on the two individuals I described above.
- Make the process about the buyer
When the buyer feels in control and feels like you care more about their success than closing the deal, you will win more times than not. Keith and Esmond are great salespeople because the buyer never feels like they are being sold to. If things start going south, then start talking about the customer. Once you have them in a positive mindset, go back to selling.
I hope you enjoy Mark’s cover story this month as he interviews the best of the best in capital equipment sales. Hopefully it will help you close your year strong.
Dedicated to Distribution
Scott Adams
PS: Don’t forget we host the BlackBook in RepConnect, where you will find an article on Section 179 about the tax code on equipment. This article can be emailed from RepConnect to your customers.