Anyone who knows me knows I am a major fan of Jill Konrath. I was incredibly flattered when she sent me an preview (full disclosure: and free) copy of her most recent book SNAP Selling. I was even more flattered when she used a testimonial I had sent her. Here it is:
Jill addressed the realities of selling today and the sea change that has taken place. Not only does SNAP Selling clearly articulate what buyers expect from sellers, it also lays out a step-by-step plan on how to be relevant, add value, and move the sales process forward. Other sales books you read and put on the shelf, but this one you’ll keep on your desk as a touchstone for effective selling.
Jill’s book Selling to Big Companies was amazing. When I read it, I asked myself “How does she turn such complex ideas into such well articulated action plans?”
With SNAP… she does it again. If I had to sum up her strength it is that she doesn’t write about sales theory, she writes about sales implementation. I guess that resonates for me because as a business we are most proud of the fact that we don’t just tell our clients what to do – we get it done for them – and I appreciate others with the same philosophy.
Here is an excerpt on something called the “Frazzled Customer Syndrome” that should give you a sense for the book.
Many of the people you’re calling on today suffer from a severe case of Frazzled Customer Syndrome.
This debilitating condition is brought on by excessive workloads, 24/7 availability, information overload, lack of sleep, and job-related stress. You likely encounter these individuals on a daily basis. They’re good people who are doing their best to survive in a crazy-busy workplace. Their calendars are overflowing and they’re constantly falling behind, but they feel powerless to stop the unrelenting, escalating demands on their time.
The result? More work, unmet obligations, unfinished projects, and chronic feelings of underachievement.
Recognizing the Symptoms
How do you know when you’re dealing with customers who suffer from Frazzled Customer Syndrome?
Typically they:
- Have a “net it out” mentality. These impatient, time-starved people want you to get to the bottom line right away. If you don’t, they’re immediately dismissive.
- Get easily distracted. Even when they’re interested in what you have to say, their attention spans are short. They feel compelled to multitask whenever humanly possible.
- Forget quickly. Because of their excessive flitting from task to task, much of what they commit to never makes it into their long-term memory.
- Demand a lot. They expect you to jump through hoops to fulfill their requests, yet when it’s time for them to take action, they move like molasses.
- Suffer from “analysis paralysis.” Faced with lots of change, multiple acceptable options, and the lack of time for thorough research, they appear overwhelmed, and nothing makes sense to them.
- Withdraw from contact. When they’re buried under other priorities, they don’t have any news to report or they have bad news—or go silent altogether.
Frazzled Customer Syndrome makes your job so much harder. Dealing with overwhelmed people is completely different from working with calm, rational people who have time to analyze their situation and study multiple options before moving ahead. But those people are no longer the norm.
In most cases, your attempts to get them back on track are futile. They tell you to call back next month, but before long that becomes “next quarter,” and then, “next year.” They just want to get rid of you. It’s not personal. They just can’t handle even one more item on their to-do list.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. By mastering the SNAP Rules, you can change how your prospects react to you.
Remember to: (1) Keep it Simple; (2) Be iNvaluable; (3) Always Align and (4) Raise Priorities. When you do that, frazzled prospects will want to work with you. And, they’ll rely on your guidance and advice when they make decisions.
Does Jill’s message resonate with you? I know it does with me!
To learn more about SNAP Selling & to download two chapters, visit: SNAP Selling.
So, thanks so much for listening. If you've read the book, I would love you to post your comments. If you go buy the book, don’t forget to come back and tell us what you think.
Happy Selling!