How you can close more business in 2 months than in 2 years

I read something by Dale Carnegie that is as true as it is simple:

'You can close more business in 2 months if you are genuinely interested in other people, than in 2 years of trying to get them interested in you.'

We sell by helping people. We have to demonstrate that we are willing and able to help before the customer will buy from us.

Forget everything you learned about closing. This is where it is at.

Parent, Adult... Oh! and Salesperson!

You have probably heard of the Parent – Adult – Child concept. Not it
is being applied to sales and it has really got me thinking.

There are 3 types of roles we play in our relationships and
communication with others - Parent – Adult – Child.

The parent role conveys 'I know best' and 'do what your told', it is a
talking down to somebody who is considered to be younger, less
experienced, or less knowledgable. And hey, that is what many sales
conversations end up being!

Think about it. The customer says 'I are very busy, so if you
wouldn't mind lets skip meeting and just send me in a proposal in
response to the questions we have outlined in our brief'.

Or the sales person who opens a conversation with 'Most companies
(like yours) are struggling to meet their legal requirements in
respect of… we make sure they are fully compliant.'

Sounds like a parent to me, talking down to a child in both instances.
What does that imply about its effectiveness? Well, you guessed it.

It's time for sales people and customers alike to get a dialogue going
that is based on equality of roles and respect.