28 May 127 – Building a Sincere Interest in Understanding | Jessica McQueen
“Believing in what you’re doing and who you are is more than half the battle.” [Mic drop].
Jessica McQueen is an Account Executive at Springbuk, a health intelligence platform based in Indianapolis. A born and raised Hoosier and self-proclaimed crime junkie, Jessica has a passion for problem-solving.
One problem she was facing in her industry was trying to better understand her prospects. She wanted to walk in their shoes. So, Jessica suggested to her company it would be in her best interest to become a licensed health benefits consultant to improve her credibility.
In this episode, you’ll hear why Jessica says the best initial calls are when you don’t even talk about the product. Seem counter-intuitive? Not so much. She asks questions to show her sincere interest in solving her buyer’s problems.
Hear how you can use curiosity to build relationships in this week’s episode.
Takeaways
- Become a Subject Matter Expert: There have been many conversations on this show that have talked about the need to truly understand who your buyer is. Jess took that even a step farther by suggesting that she actually become a licensed health benefits consultant. Think about that. Are there certifications in your industry that could help you better relate to the knowledge your prospects have? Yes, you can learn these things at a high level likely through your companies sales enablement, but what would it take to be able to truly walk in your customers’ shoes?
- Your Questions Prove Your Credibility: Deals are won or lost in discovery. If the questions you are asking can easily be answered, you’re not asking the right questions. You want your prospect to actually think about what is being asked and that means showing you know their world. Use the words their peers use. Explain what you’ve seen other people like them go through. Then ask a question that makes them shift a bit in their seat. When they start showing emotion, you know you’re actually on to something.
- Listen: Simply stated, but not easy to execute. Think about your last discovery call. Were you listening to understand what your prospect was trying to tell you or were you really just waiting for them to stop talking so you could advance the conversation. What does it mean to actively listen? It’s the idea of reading between the lines. You hear the words that are coming out of their mouth but know there is a deeper meaning. When that’s the case, repeat some of what you just heard, and ask them to elaborate. Remember, people love to talk about themselves. Let them.
Book Recommendation
- Daring Greatly by Brené Brown
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