Voting Is A Buying Process - Every Buying Decision Has Five Steps

Voting Is A Buying Process

Every Buying Decision Has Five Steps


This is not about politics; it is about the way we all buy anything.

Every four years the people of America participate in a very important buying decision; the election of the next President. The candidates have been participating in what is called an election campaign. It should properly be called a sales campaign because they have been selling the product they know best; themselves, their ideas for the future of America. They are competing sales people; we are the buying committee, in the corporation called America. This is a big ticket sale, and a big ticket buying decision.

Selling is an educational process and during the primary selling effort, you and I were prospects listening to a variety of sales pitches. Each of us on the buying committee has the power to say no or yes and we gradually did that with our attitude, answers to pollster's questions and election results. We, the members of the buying committee have essentially narrowed the decision to two salespeople and their product.

From now until the election, the sales people are going to be asking for appointments with us for the purpose of further educating us about the benefits their product will give us. Between appointments we will be telling them what our needs and hopes are. We'll do this by writing letters to the editor, attending meetings, answering poll questions and even sending them emails. During the appointments we will be listening to their answers. At the end of each appointment i.e. speech, published interview, etc., they are going to ask us for the order. This is the way all, big ticket, selling efforts have been done since selling and buying came into being.

I have watched the whole election process with this analogy in mind and have enjoyed it. I know that each of us has performed the first four of the five steps in the buying decision, for each of the primary candidates. Every buying decision is a five step process. For some purchases we complete all five in ten seconds, for others we need as long as four years.

I have recognized my own progress in this national buying process. I completed the key step about three months ago, a majority of the other folks in the buying committee have also completed this step; many completed it much earlier. My experience in selling tells me that almost everyone has completed it. The great majority of us are now in the last step.

It is interesting to me that none of the candidates that entered the primary election, indicated they'd had selling experience. Experience selling might have taught them the five steps in the buying process and saved them a ton of money. What a shame. They should have read my book - The Perception of a Difference.

Wes

Wesley W. Zimmerman
wes@perceptionofdifference.com

Technology: A Door Or A Window?

Technology: A Door Or A Window?

In business or personal relationships, two things have been key to success for at least 9,000 years. Stop and write down what you think they are, then continue reading and when you are finished, see if you were correct.

Sears, the retail giant, was known for the helpfulness and service of its salespeople. They were ever present to answer questions, give advice on wearability or to find an item in the storeroom if the shelf or rack was empty. When Sears bought point of sales computer technology, the cost was offset, by replacing salespeople on the floor, with strategically located checkout locations. The customers had to search . . .

Read the June, 2008 Zinger to see if you were correct on the two keys to success and the results of the Technology decision at Sears, once the retail giant of the world.

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In Transition - What To Say In The Job Interview & Why

In Transition - What To Say In The Job Interview & Why


I have lived through several job interviews as the candidate, and many more as the one looking for the ideal person to fill a vacancy or to make my organization's growth possible. What I tell you in this blog is the result of these experiences and the success or failure of the subsequent decision to join, or hire. Come to think about it, everything I have written in the preceding In Transition blogs, has resulted from this experience.

Looking back I note that I have never been turned down when applying for a position I wanted. That's not a bad record now that I think about it. I've lost other sales efforts, however, and I have been fired three, maybe four times. I say maybe four, because in one case it really was a mutual decision. I had decided to quit before coming to work that day and was fired before I could do it. The man told me he thought from my lack of enthusiasm, that I had quit on the job; he was correct.

The Interview is an educational process and a social experience.

This is true of all sales calls, but particularly so on the first one with a person who you will report to, or is in the management level above that. This person wants to get acquainted with and know something about you, as a person. You also want to leave the interview, with a sense of knowing about the hiring person, as an individual you will be with on a daily or certainly weekly basis. The easiest way to accomplish this mutual desire is for you to ask,

What has made you successful?

If you have been asked a question first, answer by saying,

Before I answer that question, please tell me, what has made you successful?

It is almost impossible for the person not to answer this; because we love to talk about ourselves, if we sense the other person is really interested, (and you obviously should be) and because by asking you are showing interest in and respect for him/her. Look her in the eye, except when you are writing key words on the pad you have brought with you, words like honesty, enthusiasm, persistence, always trying to do the right thing, empathy, helping others to succeed, growing the company; these are words that tell you a lot about the person. Jot down just enough so you can fill in the balance later.

When she stops answering that question you have

Made her/him feel good,
Shown interest in her as a person, and respect for her experience.
By writing notes you have shown that you are going to listen and learn on the job.

To strengthen that message, pause and count ten, before you comment on what he has said, or answer the question that you deferred answering. The pause will add to your credibility and give you time to think. Do you want to know more about the person, if so, don't hesitate to ask about something they have said; and write the answer; never ask a question without writing what they answered, because not doing so, signifies the question was not important to you, and you should not have asked it.

If you possibly can, ask now, or at some point later in the conversation ask,

What three things concern you now?

Be certain to write these down in sequence and do not say a word if there is a pause between the first and second and the second and third concern. If you speak you will never get all three concerns. Then ask

Why is this position open or, why are you looking for a person?

The answer is important for two reasons.

1. If the opening exists because someone was promoted, it tells you this person and the company, believes in holding on to good people.

2. If it's because someone quit, you must wonder why; in this case I always ask: what is the turnover in the department, or company if it is a small organization.

If this number is high, you had better ask why because it should be a red flag in your mind. Remember, most of us get bored and want a promotion or transfer every five years, if we don't get it, we move on. If most people have less than three years with the company, there may be something wrong with the management on a personal level.

If this isn't the case it is time to compare the results you planned to bring to the organization, to the concerns the person has voiced, particularly the third one, (it is the most troubling to the person), and explain how you can help with the concerns.

If you have gotten this far in the conversation, you need no more help from me as to what to say next. Actually, there is more than a 50% chance you have gotten this far, because this line of questions has created great interest in you. Now just be yourself and continue the conversation, taking notes all the time. By the way, a smart interviewer is going to be writing notes also, if they don't at the start, they will take out a pad and do it just because you are, and that is good.

If the person has not already seen and read your five proudest accomplishments, this is the time to give it to him. After he has read it, answer any questions he asks you.

Are you comfortable or uptight at this point?

The aim in all this has been to get you and she/he comfortable with each other. If he isn't you will not get a job offer, if you are not, you should not take the job if offered, until after you have sorted out the cause of your discomfort, i.e. is it this individual, or is it the whole environment. Remember, if your liver quivers, it will not work.

If your problem is this individual, and you are going to report to or work with him/her, forget it. If you will report to and work with someone else, it is safe to look into that person, but only if they are above this interviewers position on the organization chart. If the one that makes you uncomfortable is the owner/CEO in the company, forget it. What ever is making you uncomfortable is probably bugging everyone else down the chain of command below him/her.

Remember the blog titled, Crazy Like A Fox?

Mr. G was one tough character. I respected him, but would never have taken the job in the rubber extrusion plant if it had required working with him, even talking with him on the phone once a week, would have kept me from taking the job. I took the job he offered, because I sensed during the interview, that he would never be involved. I confirmed that during my visit to the plant and talk with the general manager. I just did not tell you those details in that blog. The rule that always works is

Never take a job with someone you do not like, Never!!!


Wes
Wesley W. Zimmerman
wes@perceptionofdifference.com

In Transition: Interviewing With The Hiring Person

In Transition: Interviewing With The Hiring Person



The Hiring Person Is Key

Yes, the hiring person is key to your getting the job you want. This is the person that will actually decide you should be hired and which position/job you will fill. You may interview with several people in succession, they may be part of a hiring committee, which is not unusual in well run companies or there is more than one position open without your knowing it. In that case each of the people you talk with, may be a hiring person. In either of these situations you should treat each person you talk with as though they were a hiring person.

In a large organization with a Human Resources department, you will be told that one or several people will interview you. Ask the Human Resources person what role each person is playing in the selection process. In a small organization, less than 25 or 30 employees, at least two people will interview you, the person you will actually report to and the top person in company. Both will have a budget salary number, the top person will have the power to exceed it, for a person both of them decide can really help the organization.

The Day Before The Interview

The day before the interview, review what you plan to accomplish for them after you are hired. Then practice the interview speaking out loud, in private looking at your self in the mirror, or looking at a doorknob, as I do when preparing to speak to a TV audience via the camera. Better yet, do it live to a friend that will say nothing in response to your questions but will silently note your body language, posture and conviction in your tone of voice. Do this once, if with a friend, discuss her/his observations, then wait till evening and practice it one more time, then quit and get a good nights sleep; this because you do not want to memorize it; which would kill its effectiveness.

In the morning tell yourself that you really are a great person, manager, salesperson, or whatever, dress professionally, and particularly, check your shoes. Clean and shined, if appropriate. Do not overdress; you should have noticed the basic dress code of the place on your test visit, now dress just slightly above that level in a way you are comfortable with. You have to be comfortable on this sales call.

The Interview

Yes, this is a sales call, you are the salesperson: The product you're selling is the results they will receive after you come on board. This is exactly what every successful salesperson knows: that the prospect is buying the results that will be possible with the product being purchased. The salesperson educates the prospect on the results, why they will happen and how the salesperson will make certain they happen; this is the essence of every discussion between a sales person and a potential buyer. In the book, The Perception Of A Difference, there is a story that ends with the buyer saying,

"Six weeks ago I didn't know I had a problem and now I'm buying the solution. You know what inventory is. Most of the salesmen I see don't know what it is when they are standing on it. You are one hell of a salesman, a professional. I'm glad you called on me."

The salesman had done his homework about the company, before the first call. You have done the same in your research of the company, its needs, and how you can help it reach its goals. On the first call he had asked enough questions to confirm that he could produce results the company needed. On this second call he presented the results, which would be obtained with the product he was selling. You are going to do the same in your job interviews. Note I said interviews, not interview.

If you will only be interviewed by one person, plan on two interview discussions with that person. On the first be prepared to ask enough questions to fill the gaps in your research. These questions, which I will give you, will accomplish two very important things.
1. They will make the person want to talk with you again.
2. They will make the person glad they talked with you.

This is key to every sales call and you are selling on this call. The person must think or say, "I'm glad you called on me."

If Human Resources said multiple people would interview you, the answers the first person gives you will prepare you for the meeting with the next person. Each one must be glad they talked with you, after you shake hands and leave. This is key; it means they will be glad if you are hired.

They will be glad, because the questions you asked, created new ways of thinking about their work and created insights in their minds. They liked your attitude, the way you dressed and presented yourself, and they liked the fact that you listened to their answers, took notes and did not dominate the conversation; this told them you would be a good person to work with. Can you think of a better result from your first visit?

If you think this is a crazy way to interview for a job, your wrong, If you think this is totally different from what many other job counselors have told you, you may be correct, at least on the surface, but if you read this blog over again and really think about what it says, you will find that the other job counselors have told you much the same, in a different way. Why different? Because most of them have not been involved in a big ticket sales situation, as the lead salesperson. This sale is Big Ticket; the results will be worth every penny they pay you.

I have already written the next blog, with the questions you ask in the interview/first call. I've done this and given it to Bill Austin, who posts them for me, so you will not be delayed if something happens to mess up my schedule, as was the case the last few weeks.

Thanks for reading this, your comments, agree or disagree, are welcome.

Wes
Wesley W. Zimmerman
wes@perceptionofdifference.com

In Transition Part Five - Getting To The Correct Person

In Transition Part Five - Getting To The Correct Person


Where we've been, where we're going

In the four preceding In Transition discussions, we have decided on the five accomplishments we are proudest of in our life as a whole, we have discovered what makes us happy on a daily basis, and from these efforts have decided what kind of work we want to do during the next five to seven years. We followed this with research on the companies/employers we would like to work with and researched them carefully to learn their management's goals and ensure we know how we can help them reach those goals. In all of this we have been in buying mode; now we must switch to the selling mode, the professional selling process.


Landing your position of choice and hiring you, are both educational processes

Everything listed in the preceding paragraph has been an educational process. Think about it; you have been educating yourself. Now think about the person(s) in each target company, that you believe will most benefit from what you can do for them as a member of their team. They haven't the foggiest idea of what you can do for them until

• They know you exist.


• They know how you can help them and


• They know enough about you and your experience, to believe you can.

Accomplishing these three things is an education process in which you are the teacher. Every professional salesperson performs this education process in order to gain each new customer.

You are not applying for a job; you are educating them on what you will do for them. You must reach the person, who will appreciate and profit from what you will do for them. Remember, as in every selling situation, there is a "buying committee." In a larger company this will be the Human Resources (HR) department. In a small company organization there may not be an HR department so labeled, but the function will be there in one of two forms.

1. The owner/CEO and people you will work with on a daily basis. In a fifteen to thirty person company the owner/CEO, his/her spouse and the person you will directly report to, are key members of the selection/hiring committee. Any of them can say no, but only the CEO and spouse can say yes to your coming on board and they will negotiate your compensation plan. The rest of the staff, who you meet during the hiring process, are influencers; be wise and assume one of them can say no.

2. An outside contractor, such as Administaff, a nationwide firm, that performs all HR functions, payroll and other employment support services for small companies. If this is the case, they will perform the HR function of screening applicants, doing background checks etc. before sending you to the next step. They must approve of you; they tend to look at details and tend not to make decisions on concepts or gut feelings. The details of your appearance, demeanor, attitude, are important to them; their reputation and the continuation of their contract with the company are stake when they are involved in the hiring process.

They will study your resume and compare it to the written criteria in the job description. They will look for things that don't make sense, the typos, misspellings and bad grammar. They will administer the various tests used to filter out those who will not fit the company's culture and image. The tests are used to learn if your characteristics are similar to those of successful performers in the position they are filling. The tests and interview questions are designed reveal what makes you tick. If you are lucky enough to get hired without going through all I've described, you will have to do it later. That is what happened in the true experience described in my blog, "Crazy Like A Fox."

Chances are the HR people have never seen anything like your Five Proudest Accomplishments. Having never been a part of a Human Resources Department, I cannot know how the five proudest accomplishments will work with them, but my years of experience in professional sales, tell me to suggest you save your Proudest Accomplishments for use when you meet with the actual hiring person. You want to have something extra for the meeting with them.

Your time with the people in the HR function is your opportunity to get educated about the company and the hiring person. To get educated you must ask questions that you have written and practiced. You want to know what you have not been able to learn in your advance research about this company.

Begin as if you had met this person at a networking event; ask about them, start a relationship by asking them how long they have been doing their present job; what did they do before this; why do they like working in the company: Listen between the lines as they answer, their tone of voice, body language. Remember what I learned watching people leave the company in part three of this series on In Transition?

You are still buying at this stage, you must be sure this is the place you want to be a part of. If it doesn't feel right, if your liver quivers, be careful.




Wes (Wesley) Zimmerman
480.628.2450
wes@perceptionofdifference.com