The Short-Cut Culture and Its Impact on Selling

by Kelly Riggs

Everyone is interested in the latest technology “hack.”

Hack? Yes, what Urban Dictionary defines as “a tool or technique that makes some aspect of one’s life easier or more efficient.” These are often money-saving ventures like how to carry out a phone or game console repair so that you don’t have to replace the whole product. Other times it’s unusual tips, like using a house key to cut open a letter or parcel when you’ve misplaced the scissors. When it comes to apps, hacks come in the form of process automation and time saving ventures. Clearly a good idea, right? Who doesn’t want to make things easier and more efficient?

Trust me, if you can think of it, there is probably an App for it. There is automation for every kind of task (look HERE and HERE), and about a gazillion business, productivity, and other tech apps.

Of course, “hacks” aren’t necessarily limited to technology though. Just check out these valuable 2016 leife hacks. There are even short-cuts for building relationships!! Oh, yes! Why endure the hassle of those awkward initial conversations? Instead, just take a quick look on Tinder and see what you think. Look promising? Swipe right. Not so much? Swipe left. [See Simon Sinek’s recent commentary HERE.]

But this is exactly where the short-cut culture creates a problem. Short-cuts are created to save time; to help people be more efficient.

Except you cannot be EFFICIENT with relationships.

Especially in selling.

SELLING AND RELATIONSHIPS

So, how many times do you hear salespeople say “selling is about relationships?”

It’s absolutely a fact. Unless a sale is strictly transactional and highly commoditized, relationships are essential to success.

But most salespeople don’t actually want to take the time to build relationships; they just want the customer to buy something. Many times, they don’t even know how relationships are developed.

Read “Why Are You Asking Your Prospect
to Get Married on the First Date?“)

Instead, today’s (usually Millennial) salesperson prefers an App for that. And, as it turns out, they’re everywhere. It’s called “social selling” and it’s become THE go-to hack for customer relationships. By that, I mean that many salespeople use social media tools as the ultimate hack – they completely short-cut relationship development and go right to selling. For this, I would have to give you an example of a legal business who is in need of a social media presence. Surely, they would need to learn more about the domain and hire the right kind of professionals to do the job – but not before perfecting their product and building a relationship of trust with their clientele. The power of social media is often overlooked by businesses who would otherwise be enjoying seeing their social influence grow using an instagram engagement calculator and reaching out to a wider base of customers.

Oh, sure, SOME very savvy sellers use social media tools to genuinely create and foster relationships, but most have decided to use it as a short-cut to avoid the hassle of relationship-building. If you are keen on building relationships however, as well as creating a strong customer database, consider using PieSync, a Zapier alternative that’s a great tool when it comes to sales and potential sales.

This is the primary reason that a huge divide has emerged between the alleged “old-school” salespeople and the “new school.” The Old School recognizes that selling is about listening to the needs of clients, delivering consistent value over time, and developing trust – in other words, building a relationship.

The New School’ers thinks there is a better way (of course)! Simply deluge the social media channels with “content,” send email to anyone with a pulse, turn LinkedIn into the “new” cold calling method, and skip all that “old school” nonsense.

After all, who needs to build relationships when you can simply substitute social media?

WHEN REALITY SINKS IN

It might sound appealing, but it just doesn’t pass the reality test.

Anyone who thinks B2B customers in a complex sale (multiple differentiated competitors offering non-commodity products or services) don’t need a sales consultant is simply kidding themselves.

First, it’s not just the solution that is being bought. Customers buy delivery, follow-up, maintenance and repair, reliability, warranty service, installation, training and much more. No amount of content or social media engagement or online information is going to convince someone to make a decision with far-reaching implications based on social engagement alone.

Second, anyone who would make a decision on a complex sale is subject to criticism and second-guessing (especially if the decision has huge consequences on the organization). People rarely, if ever, make those kinds without evaluation and interaction with the potential vendors because of the stakes. The bigger the risk, the more necessary it is to develop trust with the salesperson and the company.

Finally, companies frequently don’t even know what they’re missing out on; what solutions are available that can dramatically change their results. When companies don’t know what’s possible, social engagement might grab their attention (we call that marketing), but it won’t make the sale. Why? Because people have questions, and the vast majority of people do not make decisions based on texts, email, Facebook posts, or any other social tool.

To be crystal clear: SOCIAL MEDIA IS AN EXTREMELY VALUABLE SET OF TOOLS!

However, PEOPLE still buy the vast majority of B2B solutions from real PEOPLE, not Facebook ads. And they still buy from people they like and trust, not from unsolicited LinkedIn requests. And they still buy for emotional reasons. Clearly, sales automation cannot discern personal buying motives, which is still the chief cornerstone of decision-making.

Now there’s a sales hack for you.