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Close More Sales: Explore the buyer’s personal interests

by Roger Brooksbank

Once upon a time there were two sisters, and one day they both went to the fruit bowl to get an orange. Unfortunately though, there was only one orange left in the bowl. So they started to squabble over who should have that last orange. After arguing for a good ten minutes or more it was finally agreed that the only way to resolve the problem was a compromise: they would cut it straight down the middle and take half each.

But guess what happened next? One sister went to her bedroom, ate the fruit and threw away the peel, while the other sister went into the kitchen, threw away the fruit and used the peel to bake a cake!

Well it’s a great story, and for a salesperson the moral is that it’s well worth exploring the buyer’s personal interests. Always go beyond just finding out what buyers need and want and try to uncover any underlying personal motivations too. In effect, the personal interests of the buyer often represent a ‘hidden agenda’ which is potentially the most powerful of all information for the salesperson. For example, a little investigation might reveal that your buyer is particularly interested in such things as being seen to be ‘politically correct’ within their organisation, or minimising their workload, or making a quick decision, or avoiding risks at all costs; and that’s the kind of information you can use to your mutual advantage.



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