Don't Forget The Foreplay, Boys

I was reminded of the difference in the approaches of the sexes to selling, when running through an ideal first meeting template with one of my new winners.  When I entered sales over 15 years ago now, it was a rare occurrence indeed to find girls with order pads, and the boys revelled in this state of affairs.  Yet now, there is thankfully an imbalance correction fully underway.

There seems to be a general trend that those of us with a Y chromosome view life as a destination, whereas those without, see it more as a journey.  And this certainly comes across in our selling strategies.

When conducting an initial meeting – one where you need to establish requirements, order priorities, propose initial solution options, give credibility – there’s a theme of boys going for the jugular early.  Within seconds they go straight for the belt-buckle.  “You can see my wonderful product changing your life, right” type thing.  Yet they forget to nibble the earlobe first.  More the “any occasion spring to mind where this might be of use?” type line is often the most satisfying way forward for both parties.

The clear dangers of trying to force said hand down pantees so quickly, include the implicit lack of sincerity, the questions as to why the rush, and the lack of full appreciation as to what is wanted. So, boys, when you next think about closing someone, think about whether a succession of closes, increasing in amplification will get you better to where you ultimately want to go….