WHO ARE YOU (AND WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?)

      When we meet a person for the first time it can be a good experience or not depending on what we take away from it. The take-away may be dependent on where, when and how you meet. For the sake of our analogy let’s assume we meet someone in a business context.

      The first thing that typically occurs in this encounter is both parties introduce themselves. This action allows each person to reach an initial level of comfort or discomfort depending on how the introduction goes. When the answer or value to this encounter is satisfactory, listening and interest capacities increase immediately.

      The Who are you? introduction is the starting point in the buying process. The “who” part of the introduction must be answered in a manner that can be understood by both parties. The human need is not just to know a name, it’s to understand who “you” are as a composite, a question that has many answers. When meeting people for the first time it is normal to ask Who are you? and What do you do? These questions set the playing field for all further communication between the two people. The answer automatically is calculated against the value scale. If there is value, the opportunity to proceed is granted and the act of communication is continued. The inherent meaning of who you are is to establish a common ground and a value positioning for both parties. In dealing with business situations the real questions being asked are “Who are you and “What do you do for whom?” The key areas that need to be satisfied are value based and familiarity generated with an emphasis on the dissemination of information.

      In the Who are you? stage the buyer is addressing:

      •Trust

      •Credibility

      •Relevance

      •Reputation

      •Stability

      •Value

      •Quality

      •Validation

      •Risk

      •Uniqueness

      •Product

      •Industry status

      WHAT DO YOU DO (AND WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?)

      In making buying decisions, it’s a constant move from one area to the next, so that once comfort is attained in one area the next thinking stage is intuitively investigated. The What do you do? stage incorporates another set of concerns focused on different criteria, but is built upon what has already been learned in Who are you?

      As we move to What do you do?, we move to a different set of questions, values and needs. In addressing this question, the buyer is attempting to discover areas that make something special. This sequence of questions is an attempt to validate that the buyer is purchasing something from a company or person who knows what they are doing relative to compliance, process and procedure, or as they suppose it should be done.

      For example you would never look to BIC, the French manufacturer of consumer products, to buy a car, nor would you look to Ford to buy a 39¢ ballpoint pen. The What do you do? questions drive a thought process to validate that the company the buyer is looking to spend money with is in fact viable and reputable. This is true whether the items are purchased for personal use or in the business environment. If we validate that the company has the knowledge and wherewithal to produce a good product, we are comfortable that we have reached a validation of this stage.

      The fact is, when buyers asks the question, What do you do? in the sales process, they are also specifically looking for the answers to What’s in it for me? This is an attempt to validate that the company is knowledgeable in what they profess to do and are reputable. The buyer needs to be assured that the money spent will provide value and performance as they anticipate. If there is a validation, the buyer will move to further investigate this option. If the validation is not met on each of these levels, the buyer is forced to find another option and view the solution with suspicion.

      In the What do you do? stage the buyer is addressing:

      •Products offered

      •Quality

      •Service

      •Market perception

      •Uniqueness of product

      •Experience

      •Specialization or identity in the market

      •Skills

      •Customization or flexibility

      •Cost

      •Perceived value

      HOW DO YOU DO IT? (AND “WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?”)

      The question here is not only how you do it, but why and to what end. If the buyer is confident that the solution offered is designed by a knowledgeable company with a reputation for quality, the initial risk factors are mitigated. If the buyer is continually asking questions in this area, it may be an indication of a real buying interest or a deeper concern with the answers. Just as in the prior questions, the buyer is continually using information for validation to allow movement forward in the buying process. If it seems redundant that the buyer is still validating the key decision buying criteria, realize this is just how decisions are made. The questions provide value-based answers that will generate more information to feed the calculator.

      For example, when you meet someone do you always take what he or she says at face value? The answer may vary depending on the situation but in almost every case, your mind is evaluating the same factors a buyer is evaluating when they hear what someone does and how they do it.

      In the How do you do it? stage the buyer is trying to address the following:

      •Trust

      •Process

      •Quality

      •Dependability

      •Flexibility

      •Stability

      •Relevance