3-F’s for Selling and Closing

This is a re-post of a blog I shared five years ago which had a high readership rate. Hardly a week goes by that I don’t get at least 10-15 hits on this blog after all this time. And I can see why because this is still a terrific selling technique that works. Heck, it’ll help in an argument with your spouse. I first heard it at a Tom Hopkins selling seminar titled The Art of Selling.

The technique is using three easy to remember words (Feel, Felt, Found) to remind yourself when it’s time to wrap up with a client or prospect. The goal is to connect with your customer by relating you have been listening and you might have a solution to help them based on other client’s feedback.

The purpose of this technique is to move your customer or prospect toward a new way of thinking while keeping them engaged.

1. The first part begins with getting the prospect or customer to share how they feel about something in your area of expertise and you connect by saying, “I understand how you feel.”
2. Then you let them know that their initial thought is common with many in their position by saying, “I understand how you feel” and then lead into, “Initially, other agents (or people in your position) have felt that way.” This implies that their perspective or situation can change and you want to help them learn a new or better approach.
3. Finally, you go in with a proof statement by saying, “What they have found, however, is that after doing ‘A,’ was that ‘B’ happened.”

Some explanation regarding the ‘A’ and ‘B’ …

‘A’ is what you want the prospect or customer to do (purchase your product or service … or start a transaction with a deposit, … etc.).

And ‘B’ is something positive the prospect or customer will receive that they care a great deal about.

Your meta-message is that this other group of people changed their minds … did what you recommended they do, and were very pleased with the result.

Possible phrasing:

“So, June… tell me something you would like or that I can help you with now.”

June replies, “I have been impressed with some of the stylish metal chairs I’ve seen in the breakfast areas instead of woodframed chairs. I would like to go with the metal chairs but can’t justify the higher pricepoints.”

“June, I understand what you are saying and how you feel. I have noticed that initially, other interior design purchasing agents have felt the same way. However, by illustrating that our metal frame chairs don’t nick and scratch … as well as they last 4 to 5 years longer, that they were very pleased with their decisions to go with the stylish metal framed chairs at the higher initial price. In the long run they found them to be a substantial cost savings due to ease of care and extended time of use. A real success for them and their organization.”

Think about it … think it through with a scenario you may deal with in your profession. I believe you will find that it is simple and easy to apply to your sales pitch. You will be glad with the result$!

Simple:  Feel  –  Felt  –  Found

 Good Luck and Keep Selling!

© Copyright 2018 Phil Hoffman, all rights reserved

Executive Coaching or Mentoring

(Note this is a repost of my Blog from May 16, 2012)

The ultimate goal of our topic points is to enhance one’s knowledge, skills, and abilities so that they can increase their performance on the task for which they are being groomed. However, these are also two different areas in the business world today that need to be addressed with upcoming trainees and mid-level managers depending on what you and they want to accomplish for the company and for each other.

Coaching

In today’s fast-paced business world, coaching usually refers to a task at hand that is important. The coach is to help the person learn the required attitude, behavior and skills needed to perform the job successfully within the agreed success guidelines. The task is therefore well defined and the conversation begins and ends with a clear focus on specific timelines. The role of the coach is to create a specific agenda … split the task into manageable sub-tasks that have clear skillsets and look at the different ways a person can learn them. Experience as well as research tells us that actual experiences are the most effective learning tools.

Mentoring

Mentoring focuses on the whole individual and the discussions go beyond the general work life. This means that the interaction becomes more philosophical, more focused on attitudes and behaviors than on specific skills. You can attempt to add the same level of focus and timelines that you use in coaching, but the entire individual is the topic of discussions and exploration. Therefore, you have to be more of a comprehensive tutor than a coach who is teaching a specific skillset for the current timeline.

Training is not the same as coaching. Training can be one component of a larger coaching initiative. At the same time, mentoring is more abstract … happens mostly through the stories or experiences of the mentor.

Important Leadership Decision

While mentoring and coaching have their use in the leadership involvement of a  company, it is important to know that leaders must be clear about what the goal is, what they are doing and why, what each person needs from this experience, and what the company situation needs are and what is to be accomplished.

What would you like to share in the Coaching and Mentoring areas?