DeJuan has been in sales for roughly 14 years with a company selling paper products and is now in the research business with Bloomberg BNA. He considers himself as the “minutia exterminator” where he eliminates minutia in the lives of business people specifically around research solutions.
Here are the highlights of my conversation with DeJuan:
DeJuan’s major challenge when he first started selling: Being a human.
DeJuan was trying to figure out what he can fix with something he sells so that people can buy it. But oops! He realized it wasn’t really the key to success in this industry.
Prospects have told him that his approach was inhuman. Admittedly, he was one of those run-of-the-mill, digging, probing stereotype salespeople. His guards were up and prospects called him out telling him to slow down and find out more about the customer and the business before quickly jumping right in.
How can you be more human in dealing with your customers?
- Think of yourself as a buyer.
Take a step back from the sales role for a bit and put yourself in the shoes of those you’re trying to serve. Recognize that customers are people that you desire to serve and the best way to do it is to understand them. How? Ask questions.
- Find out and understand their pain.
You have more than just the product you’re selling but you have things that impact the lives of people you talk to if you spent enough time finding out what they needed and which areas they needed to be impacted. Find out their problems. Find out their pains.
The results DeJuan saw from implementing these:
- Increased loyalty
- A lot of “me” involved in the sales process instead of only the product or solution
Want proof?
Right now, DeJuan ranks #2 in the company and this just goes to show you how a simple little tweak in your behavior or mindset can catapult you into a whole new higher level in your career.
DeJuan’s Major Takeaway:
Find out why it is that you exist in the space that you exist in. Why is it that the company you represent exists? Then articulate those belief statements to those that you’re serving so that it resonates than just okay. Knowing your why is where the passion comes from and it allows you to be able to push and just not take a no because you believe that you offer is a service that they cannot get elsewhere.
Get in touch with DeJuan Brown on LinkedIn and Twitter @stratusnow or send him an email at dbrown1@vna.com.
Episode resources:
Get a free trial on Audible by visiting www.audibletrial.com/tse
Bob Burg’s book, The Go-Giver
Simon Sinek’s book Start with Why
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