Shut Up And Take The Order
Jerry Fletcher
Messaging Master and International Professional Speaker, I find the words and graphics Coaches, Consultants and Entrepreneurs use to become more memorable and more profitable even when they are not sure they are unique.
Role Play
Lew and I had agreed to do a sales seminar for a client we shared. He was their management coach. I wrote all of their marketing materials including the new catalog the sales force would be introducing in the following weeks.
Jim, the youngest member of the sales team, had gamely agreed to be the salesman in a role play and Lew asked me to be “A difficult customer.”
The order.
After the introductions and hand-shakes, I leaned across the table we were pretending was a desk and said, We’re going to need the same order for this job that we had on the last one plus a couple more of the big tees and one more terminator. (The products were pre-cast concrete fittings for sewer systems.)
Jim said something like, “Great, let me walk you through our new catalog.” He proceeded to do just that. Lew let him ramble for about 3 minutes and then seeing how bored I was getting stopped him.
Expert Advice.
Lew asked each of the salespeople to critique Jim’s role play. All of them were gentle until Milt, the grizzled veteran of the group cleared his throat. The room went silent.
“Y’all are being kind to the boy but he needs to understand that when a customer gives you a sign that he wants to buy you should only do one thing: Shut up and take the order.”
Listen
I’ve never forgotten that sage advice. When you want to use that presentation you’ve practiced until you’ve got it down cold, pause. Listen to what the client is saying. When you’ve got a great new pitch deck and want them to see every slide, stop. Ask the prospect to let you know what they want to know. When your team expects you to stay on track and finish the way you did in rehearsal, check in with the buyer.
If they are ready to buy, Shut up and take the order.
I guarantee that will make you more credible. And credibility leads to cash.
The Takeaways:
1.??? The potential buyer wants to solve their problem.
2.??? If they want to know about your new product they will ask.
3.??? The buyer is busy. Save them time by being “tuned in” to their words and their body language.
“I’m Jerry Fletcher, strategic messaging consultant and international professional speaker. I find the words and graphics individuals and organizations use to become more memorable and more profitable. Together, we craft trust-based strategies that build businesses, brands and lives of joy.”? Learn more at my web sites: