Remember your childhood when your parents continuously nagged you to tidy up your room, eat your peas and carrots, or remove your shoes when entering the house. The more they insisted, the more you rebelled. Even though you knew you didn’t want to grow into a disorganized, messy adult or ignore the starving kids in other parts of the world, or behave like you were born in a stable, their relentless reminders just pushed you further away. This constant tug-of-war was a familiar, almost comforting routine that both you and your parents fell into.
Bearing these experiences in mind, it’s safe to say that most people dislike being told what to do or how to behave. A fundamental principle in our marriage, for instance, is to consciously avoid telling each other how to act or what to do – neither of us responds well to such directives. I’m sure the same goes for you. So, why do salespeople assume their clients will be any different?
Clients in the OOH sector have been conditioned to resist salespeople who attempt to dictate their actions. Regardless of how beneficial the advice may be, or how many features and benefits of OOH advertising we can enumerate, a pushy approach often leads to resistance, much like being forced to consume your vegetables.
In sales, telling is not selling. It’s critical to pose detailed questions or share relevant anecdotes that will help potential clients uncover the advantages of OOH advertising (or leasing their land) for themselves. People may be skeptical or even deny the validity of our claims, but they will never dispute their own realizations. In our OOH Sales Mastery classes, we encourage salespeople to think of themselves as guides, leading prospects on a journey of self-discovery about their business through carefully designed queries.
To illustrate, here’s a question that might help your prospect self-realize their need or desire for OOH advertising:
“Many of our leading advertisers believe that maintaining high visibility and continuous brand awareness is crucial for safeguarding their market share. Do you consider this to be an important aspect for your business as well?”
Need help with sales skills or coaching to take your out of home company to the next level. Learn more about OOH Sales Mastery at oohmastery.com or Contact Dan Nausley at dan.nausley@sandler.com, 423.702.5579.
Lisa & Dan Nausley of Sandler Chattanooga have developed the OOH Sales Mastery Program after more than a decade of training/coaching scores of OOH Operators across the country in sales, leadership, and executive coaching.
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