SALES 102 – The “Hot Button”

Years ago, I took a course on Salesmanship from a man who was the top producing salesman in the country for General Electric.

He started his presentation by saying that salesmen were born – not made.  It was like an embedded gene.  So he did not promise to make us all top salesmen.

But, he added, “I can make you a much better salesman.”

His first statement was that customers lie because they really don’t know what their motivation is.   Therefore, they do not tell you what they really want and why.  It is your job to find out what that is.  If you engage them in friendly conversation and LISTEN carefully, they will reveal it.

He called this reason their “hot button.”  Your job was to uncover this hidden reason.  Then, to keep pushing that button.

The audience was all real estate salespeople so his examples were about selling homes.  But I found, in my various businesses and even in personal relationships, the same principles apply.

I had been working with a couple with two young children who wanted to move to the suburbs from the city.  All the advance qualifications had been done – price – income – financing had been approved and the areas they wanted to live.  Good schools – nice backyard – and they particularly wanted a ranch house all on one floor.

I showed them many houses they liked and which met their requirements but kept running into the “Yes –buts”  I thought I had all their hot buttons in mind but no sale.

Then, one day while we were driving around, the wife happened to mention her grandmother’s antique dining room set which had been left to her and which had been in storage for ten years.  She said, “Some day I would love to have a large home so I could use it.  It has great sentimental value.”

Bingo!  There it was!

You may have noticed that most ranch houses have a modest “L” shaped dining room off the living room.  That is unless you are buying a really large ranch and that was above their price range.

I had just listed a lovely two story colonial home with a center entrance, dining room on one side, living room on the other.  Bedrooms, of course, upstairs.  Not a ranch but it was in their price range and in the right area.

They agreed to look at it.  And guess what my sales pitch was?  Yup!  The antique dining room set which would definitely fit in the spacious dining room.

You can guess the outcome.  They loved it.  They bought the house on the spot.

So, the GE pro was right.  There is always some hidden motivation that will prompt a person to buy.  You have to listen to find it.  And it applies to every sale.

Sometimes, it is a bargain.  Prestige.   Buying a car better than a friend has, a vacation destination, a Rolex watch that will impress.  Luxury.  Comfort.  Energy efficiency. A stock portfolio that will benefit their estate in the future or present income for themselves.  No matter what you are selling, you have to discover what your customer will buy.

This also applies when you are interviewing for a job.  Listen to what the prospective employer is looking for and then apply your transferrable skills exactly to that.  Going off on a tangent about what you have done for another employer in a different area will not help you.  It is not their “hot button.”  Read the job description carefully and talk about nothing else except what you can bring to this job.

When you find a “hot button,” sell it.

Keep pressing it.  It will get you what you want.  And what the other person wants.

Making the deal.

For SALES 103 – Click here

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