Remember the Customer is Always the Pilot, and the Salesperson is the Navigator
By Michael J Griffin
3 minute read
The sales meeting is similar to that of flying an airplane. Your customer is the pilot, responsible for making sound decisions on the sales journey, and you are the navigator, entrusted with guiding the pilot, giving advice on arriving at a destination of mutual success.
What makes a salesperson a good navigator?
The sales navigator serves the pilot. Your role as a navigator is to help and guide the pilot to make decisions that led to success for the customer, you and your organisation. No crash landings!
The sales navigator is well prepared. In his book “High Trust Selling,” Todd Duncan relates that no one wants to board an airplane if the pilot and navigator are seen rushing to the plane 5 minutes before take-off. The sales navigator must do his/her “pre-flight research” on the customer, his/her “airplane” (the company) and be fluent in the product or solution knowledge the navigator may present during the “sales flight.”
Sales navigators don’t “wing it.” Sales navigators may attempt to “wing it” and be overconfident and skip preparation. Let’s face it, we have experienced many times our customers are much better prepared: they have internet searches, competitive analysis, product reviews, and other experts to help them pilot effectively to ensure they choose the right vendor and solution.
Sales navigators have a flight plan. The smart sales navigator employs his selling skills call planner to create a sales “flight plan.” This consists of writing at least three probing or questioning strategies that guide the pilot to agree to your exclusive features and benefits of your solution. Our research shows that if a customer accepts three benefits of your solution, you can prepare the pilot for “landing” – and move to the close.
Sales navigators check the weather forecast. A sales flight plan may not be able to avoid bumpy weather caused by your competition, customer concerns or resistance, and unforeseen circumstances. Be prepared to navigate your pilot through stormy weather of skepticism, misinformation, objections, or budget concerns by using your selling skills to turn resistance into collaboration.
Sales navigators are always checking the “trust altimeter.” Higher the altitude, the less drag on the airplane and the faster the flight. Skillful sales navigators are always communicating with the pilot to develop open trusting relationships of collaboration. The higher the trust altimeter, the smoother and faster the sales flight. High trust allows sharing of information so the pilot can make informed decisions to purchase or move the sale forward. Low trust during the sales journey may result in the pilot firing you and finding another navigator!
Sales navigators follow up after the landing. Once back on the ground and the pilot and you have reached a beneficial destination, make sure you follow up with a flight summary of what you and your customer will do to move the sale forward. This ensures both of you are ready to take off on your next sales journey to move the sales and buying process forward to a final sales destination.
What other analogies can you think of when comparing selling and buying to that of an airplane journey? Email me at michael.griffin@elavateglobal.com if you have ideas!
Have a great week navigating your sales discussions to a mutually beneficial destination for you and your customer!
Michael J Griffin
Founder of ELAvate
Sales Navigator
Sales Flight School Instructor!