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I ‘touched’ on this issue in an article not long ago, and since then I have developed the line of thought far more, because the topic is critical to sales success. Let us imagine that every sales presentation made, small and large, including conference speeches…always ‘lands’ in one of four columns as perceived by customers and audiences. The four columns are intrusive, insipid, incisive…and invaluable. Here is a run down on each form of ‘approach’:

The 1st column is the area where a presentation is seen as being a waste of time, possibly aggressive, certainly intrusive and occasionally offensive (‘You’d be mad not to go for this’). This kind of ‘sales approach’ often involves a tone of voice and language that is patronising or arrogant, and yet the proposition being offered is usually just a duplication of sorts…and therefore more of an ‘imposition’ than a proposition. Very few good questions are asked by 1^st column presenters, if indeed they bother to ask any questions other than the rhetorical kind, and most emphasis relates to the presenter’s company, products, success story, etc. Most tele-marketers are armed with ‘scripts’ that compel them to blindly aim at the 1^st column, and ultimately there are two penalties for all sales people that take this course: poor sales and seriously impaired images for their companies! The market reports that up to 40% of sales approaches are in this area, with most being cut off at the first point of contact…via the phone.

The 2^nd column is the area where sales calls are seen as being plain boring, insipid and almost pointless, with the feeling on the part of the customer that the sales person is simply ‘going through the motions’. 2^nd column sales people are tentative and often apologetic in their approach, having been ‘rejected’ in a sense on numerous occasions. Customers and prospects say that 2^nd column calls also happen in 4 out of 10 meetings.

The 3^rd column is the area where customers feel that what is being presented is interesting and potentially valuable. This form of incisive selling involves better quality sales people who behave in a business like manner, and who talk about business, rather than products. One of the main reasons that this breed wins new business is that customers are sick and tired of dealing with 1^st and 2^nd column attackers, and so they willingly transfer business to the 3^rd column people…so as to place their business in safer hands. This sales approach takes place 10% of the time.

The 4^th column is the area where customers see presentations as being very interesting and invaluable. Operators that make it to the 4^th column earn business because they create sales by selling opportunities, from which they are duly entitled to win an order. Selling at this level is ‘give and take’, meaning that you give a proposition that represents a ‘net gain’, which compels the customer to allow you to take business as your reward. Anything less than this form of contribution involves the act of trying to just sell ‘change’. 4^th column sales people also sell ideas for the future, starting tomorrow, which do nothing to challenge or discredit what the customer has in place today…and so they aim to improve results, rather than to interfere with current buying circumstances. This group have their ‘presentation’ worked out from start to end, in absolute detail, including questions and the provision of vital information…yet what they have to say is brief, unceremonious and occasionally humorous. 4^th column sales people are fully supported by management too, using excellent consulting devices that are simple but seductive…and they are subjected to serious training to prepare them in a professional manner. The 4^th sales approach happens 10% of the time.

In the case of 1^st and 2^nd column sales people, the ‘selling materials’ they use are most often provided by ‘the agency’, and as such they are usually focused on product, not business. The principle of the four ‘columns applies equally to managers who speak at conferences too, many of whom specialise in the 2^nd column!

The 4^th column achievers are not necessarily better people than their counterparts in the other areas, but they are better armed, better trained and better organised. So, it shouldn’t be a surprise that they make better presentations and ‘make’ better sales results, and therefore…are better off!