Make More Sales: Tell Them What You Can't Do

[BizyDad]

Been a while since my last post. Been busy, and busy is good.

I just got back from lunch with a colleague, and I thought I would share some thoughts.

This colleague and I have been trading clients for about four years now. Let's call her Kelly. But she lives in Utah, so today was the first time we've actually met in person.

At one point in our conversation, we were discussing the difficulty of dealing with clients. How sometimes clients want things that are not in their best interest. She made a comment about how she often feels her recommendations are ignored.

I've had this conversation recently with a couple other female colleagues. They run their own marketing agencies, and we have several clients in common.

All these women are more professional than me. They are at least as competent as me, if not more.

But in all these conversations, we all marvel at the fact that when I make a recommendation it is often followed.

It is so strange to me, this entire time I've been thinking it's a gender thing. But that hasn't always felt like the truth either, because I know men who get ignored too.

So I told Kelly about the newest client I'm signing up. My social media go to, this lady has been making certain website recommendations for 2 years. They finally grew to the point where SEO can help them, and in my first meeting, I made almost all the same recommendations.

And they are now implementing those recommendations.

So I was telling Kelly this story, and I honestly don't get it. I know this is a common theme I have heard from many women.

But I don't understand why I am able to get these people to take the action. I'm making the same recommendation.

" Do you want me to tell you why?" Kelly asked. " I know exactly why because multiple people have given me this feedback about you."

I was all ears.

"It's because you are vulnerable and transparent in the meetings. You always tell us what you are not capable of. You always tell us about the things that you can't do for us. So when you make a recommendation, it comes with an extra amount of weight. Three different people have given me this feedback about you. You are just super honest. And so they trust your recommendations more."

"That's why I always try to get you on my side before we meet with clients."

It was many years ago when I was waiting tables that I first discovered this "trick".

I used to work at unique type restaurants. People would come in unfamiliar with the food. So they would always ask for recommendations. And I would tell them my honest opinion.

Occasionally you would get that one jokester who would ask what not to order. And we would have a good laugh, and when the chuckles stopped, I would tell them that too.

A lot of people were surprised that I had an answer to that one.

Pretty soon, I started incorporating it into my response for what they should order. I would tell them which one is my favorite, I would tell them which one is most popular, I would then recommend the second most expensive thing on the menu and rave about it, and then I would tell them one thing they should avoid.

Because of the way my brain works, I would do this one night and look at my tip percentage. And the next night. I would do it though old way, and compare the tip percentage.

I also would make a note of how many people ordered the second most expensive thing.

Invariably, telling people what not to order, made them want to order the other stuff more. And I would get a bigger tip.

Pretty soon I made it a bigger deal. I would lean into the table and lower my voice, like I was giving them a big secret. And I mean, I kind of was, because the manager and chef didn't like the fact that I said anything bad about any of it.

But they didn't argue with the sales figures.

So it just kind of became a habit in all my sales presentations. When I sold the gym memberships, I set records. But I always told them the things about the other gym across town that was better than the gym I was working at. If you wanted tennis and racquetball, go over there. If you were uncomfortable around young people, and wanted to be surrounded by more older people, you needed to go over there. But over here we have clean smelling locker rooms and the newest equipment. I just want you to make an educated choice.

I think in sales and in business we are always spending time talking about why we are great, why we can help you, why you should buy our product or our service. But that's what everybody is doing. Isn't it? Okay, mostly everybody.

I think you do yourself a solid if you utilize some strategic honesty. You set yourself apart when you tell people what you are not good at or what you can't do.

I can't do email marketing or social media marketing. I really am terrible at it. I've tried. I'm not even average. Which is how why I have these female colleagues I mentioned in the first place.

Kelly told me she was going to start using this tip more, and I hope it helps someone here too.

 

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[Andy Black]

Been a while since my last post. Been busy, and busy is good.

I just got back from lunch with a colleague, and I thought I would share some thoughts.

This colleague and I have been trading clients for about four years now. Let's call her Kelly. But she lives in Utah, so today was the first time we've actually met in person.

At one point in our conversation, we were discussing the difficulty of dealing with clients. How sometimes clients want things that are not in their best interest. She made a comment about how she often feels her recommendations are ignored.

I've had this conversation recently with a couple other female colleagues. They run their own marketing agencies, and we have several clients in common.

All these women are more professional than me. They are at least as competent as me, if not more.

But in all these conversations, we all marvel at the fact that when I make a recommendation it is often followed.

It is so strange to me, this entire time I've been thinking it's a gender thing. But that hasn't always felt like the truth either, because I know men who get ignored too.

So I told Kelly about the newest client I'm signing up. My social media go to, this lady has been making certain website recommendations for 2 years. They finally grew to the point where SEO can help them, and in my first meeting, I made almost all the same recommendations.

And they are now implementing those recommendations.

So I was telling Kelly this story, and I honestly don't get it. I know this is a common theme I have heard from many women.

But I don't understand why I am able to get these people to take the action. I'm making the same recommendation.

" Do you want me to tell you why?" Kelly asked. " I know exactly why because multiple people have given me this feedback about you."

I was all ears.

"It's because you are vulnerable and transparent in the meetings. You always tell us what you are not capable of. You always tell us about the things that you can't do for us. So when you make a recommendation, it comes with an extra amount of weight. Three different people have given me this feedback about you. You are just super honest. And so they trust your recommendations more."

"That's why I always trade to get you on my side before we meet with clients."

It was many years ago when I was waiting tables that I first discovered this "trick".

I used to work at unique type restaurants. People would come in unfamiliar with the food. So they would always ask for recommendations. And I would tell them my honest opinion.

Occasionally you would get that one jokester who would ask what not to order. And we would have a good laugh, and when the chuckles stopped, I would tell them that too.

A lot of people were surprised that I had an answer to that one.

Pretty soon, I started incorporating it into my response for what they should order. I would tell them which one is my favorite, I would tell them which one is most popular, I would then recommend the second most expensive thing on the menu and rave about it, and then I would tell them one thing they should avoid.

Because of the way my brain works, I would do this one night and look at my tip percentage. And the next night. I would do it though old way, and compare the tip percentage.

I also would make a note of how many people ordered the second most expensive thing.

Invariably, telling people what not to order, made them want to order the other stuff more. And I would get a bigger tip.

Pretty soon I made it a bigger deal. I would lean into the table and lower my voice, like I was giving them a big secret. And I mean, I kind of was, because the manager and chef didn't like the fact that I said anything bad about any of it.

But they didn't argue with the sales figures.

So it just kind of became a habit in all my sales presentations. When I sold the gym memberships, I set records. But I always told them the things about the other gym across town that was better than the gym I was working at. If you wanted tennis and racquetball, go over there. If you were uncomfortable around young people, and wanted to be surrounded by more older people, you needed to go over there. But over here we have clean smelling locker rooms and the newest equipment. I just want you to make an educated choice.

I think in sales and in business we are always spending time talking about why we are great, why we can help you, why you should buy our product or our service. But that's what everybody is doing. Isn't it? Okay, mostly everybody.

I think you do yourself a solid if you utilize some strategic honesty. You set yourself apart when you tell people what you are not good at or what you can't do.

I can't do email marketing or social media marketing. I really am terrible at it. I've tried. I'm not even average. Which is how why I have these female colleagues I mentioned in the first place.

Kelly told me she was going to start using this tip more, and I hope it helps someone here too.

That's interesting. I tell people I'm crap at anything to do with graphic design and colours, and that's why my website is black and white and a list of links. I tell them I much prefer dealing with words and bulk uploading and that's why I'm good at what I do. I hadn't thought that the first admission probably helps the second statement.

 

[msufan]

You set yourself apart when you tell people what you are not good at or what you can't do.

This is pure gold. 100% agree that this is a great technique, and honestly it's just a great way to live life. Be honest, admit shortcomings, and people will trust you more.