What’s the Top Selling Skill in This Covid World?

By Michael J. Griffin, Founder ELAvate

4 minute read

For many of us our 2020 sales targets and goals are in tatters. New environments to master, new technologies to employ for our sales meetings. Possible family and work from home issues. Relationships including those with your customers can be frayed and distant. All this means stress through this change of Covid.

Covid Causes Customer Stress
Did you ever think that your customers may be more stressed than you are? Their problems can be worse than yours. Do they like being stuck at home? Fearful of being laid off? Financial issues? Dealing virtually with salespeople?

We, as B2B salespeople, are more conditioned to handle stress. Our job always has challenging tough targets, meetings with more customer rejection than affirmation, demanding sales managers, navigating difficult customer relationships, and constant self-leadership. We know how to lead under pressure and stress.

“In this virtual world, your customers are likely more stressed than you are. They need your empathy and demonstrate your leadership. Give them hope and comfort.”

The Top Selling Skill is Demonstrating Empathy
The number one selling skill all B2B salespeople need to develop is their skill of empathy. Back off the sales push and show your customers empathy…for them personally. Empathy shows respect and care. Empathy gives comfort. Empathy build trust. Research shows that if we empathize with our hearts, your chances of meeting your sales call objective double.

Customer Decision Ladder
When I worked at Xerox Learning Systems, I learned about the “Customer Decision Ladder.” This visual helps the salesperson determine the customer’s attitude and behavior in relation to their commitment to collaborate with you on a win- win solution. Find the Decision Ladder below:

The Customer Decision Ladder

The customer attitudes of “Apathy, Resist, Anxious and Doubt” cause negative collaboration behaviors. In most selling situations during Covid, we find many customers with these attitudes. Think about your customers? Most of them here?

A customer “Neutral” attitude at least allows you to continue a business discussion.

Practicing empathy to show you carecan move a negative customer to a more comfortable, positive attitude that opens the door for collaboration, problem solving and a decision to move forward. The positive customer attitudes on the ladder are “Reflect, Interested, Enthused, and Trusting.”

Fake or plastic empathy is smelled as manipulative by the customer. It stinks. Let me ask you. How many times in a sales or service situation after you state your concern has a service/sales provider said “I understand” then blow you off with a “but”……??? Manipulative with the meaning “I don’t really care about your problem.”

Show empathy by practicing Dr. John Maxwell’s Leadership Law of Connection adapted for sales. “Sales Leaders touch a customer’s heart before they ask for a decision.”

The 5A’s of Demonstrating Empathy
You know all sales decisions are combination of logic and heart. Logic is demonstrated by your solution and sales process. Let’s now discover the 5A’s of Empathy and how they move a customer up the Customer Decision Ladder to a neutral or positive frame of mind. Here are the 5A’s:

• Agree
• Affirm
• Acknowledge
• Appreciate
• Assure

The first way to show empathy is to Agree with customer statements about his/her situation, perception, or positive ideas. They are simple statements that support “ Birds of a feather agree with each other.”

• Exactly, that is a problem.           
• You’re right.           
• Yes, that is true.

The second way to show empathy is to Affirm positive customer statements that inspire problem solving and collaboration.

• That’s a good idea, John. It might work.
• Your thoughts on improving the process help us move forward.
• Your insight into the technical details makes me think.

Acknowledging is the third way to show empathy about customer feelings. Here are some examples:

• That’s terrible. I am sorry that this _______ happened you.           
• I would feel the same way too if I received such bad news.           
• Many of my customers are experiencing similar problems.           
• That must be frustrating for you not to get good service.

Showing we value the customer is the fourth way, called Appreciate.Let’s see ways to show appreciation:

• Susan, I want to say thank you for being a valued customer through Covid. Your monthly order helps a lot.
• Chin, I appreciate your proactive problem solving to come to a workable solution.
• Rachmat, thank you for being my customer all these years. I enjoy working with you.
• Ryan, thank you for your time today. I know how busy you have been with the restructuring. Thanks.

Many customers cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel. Assure help them to trust your leadership to navigate to a helpful solution.

• We can solve this together. Not to worry, I have a solution. Can I explain?
• I can see you are frustrated with lack of progress. I can assure you we can get this restarted.
• I can see you are upset. If we work together, I believe the issue will be solved today.

Practice the 5A’s daily with customers, family, and colleagues. You will find that demonstrating empathy will be your top skill in Covid to move customers up the “Decision Ladder” to healthier and more loyal B2B relationships.

Yes, selling in Covid can be challenging. I can “assure” you that the 5A’s will support your success the second half of 2020!

Be Safe. Keep Healthy. Be Courageous. Lead Others. Give Hope.

Michael J Griffin
Founder ELAvate
B2B Sales Productivity Consultant