Generational selling tactics that work : quick and dirty secrets for selling to any age group PDF
Preview Generational selling tactics that work : quick and dirty secrets for selling to any age group
FFIRS 03/17/2011 11:56:12 Page1 GENERATIONAL SELLING TACTICS THAT WORK FFIRS 03/17/2011 11:56:12 Page3 GENERATIONAL SELLING TACTICS THAT WORK Quick and Dirty Secrets for Selling to Any Age Group C A M M A R S T O N John Wiley & Sons, Inc. FFIRS 03/17/2011 11:56:12 Page4 Copyright#2011CamMarston.Allrightsreserved. PublishedbyJohnWiley&Sons,Inc.,Hoboken,NewJersey. PublishedsimultaneouslyinCanada. Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproduced,storedinaretrievalsystem,ortransmitted inanyformorbyanymeans,electronic,mechanical,photocopying,recording,scanning, orotherwise,exceptaspermittedunderSection107or108ofthe1976UnitedStates CopyrightAct,withouteitherthepriorwrittenpermissionofthePublisher,or authorizationthroughpaymentoftheappropriateper-copyfeetotheCopyright ClearanceCenter,Inc.,222RosewoodDrive,Danvers,MA01923,(978)750-8400, fax (978) 646-8600, or on the web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the Publisher for permissionshouldbeaddressedtothePermissionsDepartment,JohnWiley&Sons,Inc., 111RiverStreet,Hoboken,NJ07030,(201)748-6011,fax(201)748-6008,oronline at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions. LimitofLiability/DisclaimerofWarranty:Whilethepublisherandauthorhaveusedtheir besteffortsinpreparingthisbook,theymakenorepresentationsorwarrantieswithrespect totheaccuracyorcompletenessofthecontentsofthisbookandspecificallydisclaimany impliedwarrantiesofmerchantabilityorfitnessforaparticularpurpose.Nowarrantymay becreatedorextendedbysalesrepresentativesorwrittensalesmaterials.Theadviceand strategiescontainedhereinmaynotbesuitableforyoursituation.Youshouldconsultwith aprofessionalwhereappropriate.Neitherthepublishernorauthorshallbeliableforany lossofprofitoranyothercommercialdamages,includingbutnotlimitedtospecial, incidental,consequential,orotherdamages. Forgeneralinformationonourotherproductsandservicesorfortechnicalsupport,please contactourCustomerCareDepartmentwithintheUnitedStatesat(800)762-2974, outsidetheUnitedStatesat(317)572-3993orfax(317)572-4002. Wileyalsopublishesitsbooksinavarietyofelectronicformats.Somecontentthatappears inprintmaynotbeavailableinelectronicbooks.FormoreinformationaboutWiley products, visit our web site at www.wiley.com. LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData: ISBN978-1-118-01838-5(cloth) ISBN978-1-118-07808-2(ebk) ISBN978-1-118-07809-9(ebk) ISBN978-1-118-07810-5(ebk) PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 FFIRS 03/17/2011 11:56:12 Page5 Thisbookisdedicatedtothosewhoareinthe‘‘peoplebusiness’’ andarelookingfornewwaystoconnectwiththosewho couldbeorshouldbetheircustomers. AlsotothecorporatebehemoththatisGE,withoutwhomIwould haveneverbegundownthispathoflearningthesellingpreferences ofthedifferentgenerations.GEtrainstheirpeoplewelltobe toughnegotiatorsanddemandingclients,but,intheend, theirdemandingprocessestendtomaketheirvendorsbetter atwhattheydo.Thathascertainlybeenmycase. AndtotheMellowMushroomatthecornerofOldShell andUniversityandSatoriCoffeeHouseonOldShellRoad, whereIdiligentlyeditedandreeditedthemanuscript. Finally,I’dbefoolishtoneglectmywifeandmyfamily. Theytoleratedramaticmoodswingsbasedonmymostrecent clientcalls,longperiodsofmybeingawaywithclients,and mycallsfromtheroadfromexoticlocationswhilethey’re sloggingawayathomeincarpoollinesandendlessswimmeets undertheblazingsouthAlabamasun.Lisa,Reiney,Spencer, Mackey,andIvey–thanksforlettingmedowhatIdo. I’moneluckyhusbandandfather. FTOC 03/17/2011 17:2:30 Page7 CONTENTS PREFACE ix ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xiii CHAPTER1 SellingandtheGenerations: MakingaConnection 1 CHAPTER2 SnapshotofBabyBoomers 27 CHAPTER3 SellingtoBabyBoomers: TheSearchforControl 53 CHAPTER4 SnapshotofMillennials 83 CHAPTER5 SellingtoMillennials: TheSearchforConnection 109 CHAPTER6 SnapshotofGenerationX 137 CHAPTER7 SellingtoGenerationX: TheSearchforTruth 161 CHAPTER8 SnapshotofMatures 189 vii FTOC 03/17/2011 17:2:30 Page8 viii Contents CHAPTER9 SellingtoMatures: TheSearchforQuality 213 CHAPTER10 ClosingtheDeal:Connectingand SellingacrossGenerationalLines 231 ABOUT THEAUTHOR 241 FPREF 03/10/2011 9:39:30 Page9 PREFACE E ight years ago an audience member asked me if my informationonthegenerationscouldbeadjustedto apply to sales. ‘‘It makes sense,’’ she said, ‘‘that if these generations have such strong biases about their work- places that they may also have some biases about the sales process.’’Atthetimemyfocuswasthegenerationalchanges impacting the workplace. ‘‘Probably,’’ I said, ‘‘But I’ve not done any research into that.’’ A few months later she called me and said, ‘‘Do the research. I want you to come speak to my sales force.’’ Thus began my odyssey into generational biases around salesand discovering specific sales tactics that each generation prefers. Intheaudienceofthisfirstpresentationongenerational selling was a gentleman with General Electric (GE), whose responsibility was to educate the entire U.S.-based GE sales forceonsellingtactics.Helikedmypresentationandsaidhe found some truth in my content, and not long after that I began touring the country speaking to the GE sales forces across the nation. Those speeches and seminars continue to this day, but now it’s not just with GE; it’s to a broad spectrum of companies across North America. ix FPREF 03/10/2011 9:39:30 Page10 x Preface Most normal people tend to think of sales and service from a few standard frames of mind: (cid:1) If I like my product or service for a certain reason, you willlikeitfor that reason,too. Therefore, Iwillsell itto you featuring the reasons I like it. (cid:1) If I want to learn about a product or service, you will likelywanttolearnaboutitthesameway.Therefore,I’ll assume you’ll want to learn about it like I do. (cid:1) And if I like a salesperson for one reason or another, you’ll probably like the salesperson for those same rea- sons.Therefore,I’lltrytobehavelikethesalespersonI’d like to do business with. What this creates is salespeople, marketers, and service providers who essentially replicate their own preferences on their customers. And, frankly, sometimes this works, but many times it doesn’t. I’ve written this book to get you ‘‘out of you and into them’’—into your customer’s frame of mind. I want you to becomeawareofyourgenerationalbiasesandnottoletyour biases dominate your sales, marketing, or service processes. It’s nottoo hard, actually, and intheprocess you’llprobably learn something about yourself. Always remember: (cid:1) People do business with people that they like. (cid:1) People do business with people they think are like themselves. This bookis writtento helpyoubecome likableto your different generations of customers and to give you tools FPREF 03/10/2011 9:39:30 Page11 xi Preface andideasforhowtobecomelikeyourdifferentgenerations ofcustomers.AretheywaysforaMillennialtobecomelike a Boomer? Absolutely; if they know what a Boomer prefers when they’re making buying decisions, then that Millen- nial can adjust to become more like the Boomer. The same with a Mature to a Millennial or a Boomer to an Xer. It works from all generations to the others. The key is being able to get out of your habits and routines and into the preferences of your prospect. Knowing what those prefer- ences are is step one. Good selling.
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