Information Technology Consultants and Professionals: How to
Avoid Being Seen as Just Another Salesp
Here are tips for information technology professionals to meet
with prospects without being seen as an annoying salesperson:
1. Don't make cold calls. An unsolicited phone call is the
easiest tip-off to a prospect that you are a salesperson. How do
you react when strangers call you by phone? Instead, develop an
information- and trust-based marketing plan that influences
prospects to CALL YOU. You do this by offering educational,
valuable information that helps your target market address key
problems and opportunities related to your area of expertise.
You offer this information in any number of ways: seminars, your
web site, newsletters, audio programs, videos, articles, and
publications.
2. Only give your business card to a prospect if asked.
Otherwise, you will be perceived as somebody with something to
sell.
3. For business prospects, do research prior to any meeting.
Learn everything you can about the prospect's organization and
situation.
4. Consider getting videotaped to see how you really come across
in meetings. I have videotaped a number of IT professionals in
mock prospect meetings, and the experience is almost always
illuminating!
5. Make sure that during meetings with prospects, 75% of your
sentences are questions. Ask questions to understand the
prospect's situation, what it is costing him or her, how long
they have had the problem, what else they have tried, what will
happen if they don't do anything, and numerous other questions
to help you thoroughly understand the issues.
6. Listen closely, with your undivided attention. Turn off your
cell phone and pager, and eliminate any interruptions.
Otherwise, you give your prospect the impression that they are
not important now, and will not be important if they hire you.
7. Try to adapt your style to the prospect's style in order to
build rapport and make them feel comfortable. Sense their mood,
how fast or slow they talk, whether they focus on business or
technical issues, and their body language.
8. Make eye contact. Don't look down, or at other things in the
room.
9. Empathize by stepping into the prospect's shoes. Nothing is
more powerful than to be able to reflect back the prospect's
frustration with his or her problem. Similarly, instead of
saying, "Here is what you should do