This guest contribution comes from Philip the publisher of American Swagger blog.  Philip has the unique talent of being able to transform data into information and presentations that all of us would actually be excited to hear!  In this article, he talks about asking a magical question and the opportunities that it uncovers.

Most sales aren’t lost because the product/ service offering was not good enough, or because it was too expensive, or because the pitch wasn’t polished enough, but because the sales person did not know what the prospective customer really wanted. Asking the Harry Potter question can help you win that business.

Here is the typical sales process: Sally Sales introduces her company, her previous clients, and demonstrates a product or service to Billy Buyer. Based on what he remembers from the 2 hour sales pitch Billy makes up his mind whether or not the product or service can help him be more profitable, and if he can’t get a cheaper from a competitor, he buys.

Unfortunately this is exactly how deals are lost, because Billy is trying to fit a product his very custom need and the fit is rarely idea, therefore he will evaluate competitors, get a cheaper price, outsource or take it in house, buying from Sally is the last resort by default. This is bad, because in this scenario you are Sally.

Luckily Sally can change the odds to her advantage by asking the following question:

“Imagine you are Harry Potter and you could just cast a magic spell, and everything would be exactly how you want it. If you cast that patronus solution idealus, how would that solution look like? “

This will clear Billy Buyer’s mind of all believed limitations and self-imposed constraints and help him to truly define his need. Billy will not try to keep his need within the alleged limitations of your product or service and he will not dumb down his need so that it fits within the easily available budget. The real true need can be discovered. From here Sally can assess how her products and services can be used, maybe even in conjunction with a competitive product and service to build the ideal solution for Billy.

Here is Sally’s checklist for the Harry Potter Solution Sale:

You have secured a meeting with a prospective client, stay away from your usual product overview and company history presentations.

To give an example everybody can follow, we have Billy asking florist Sally for flowers (but same applies when Apple need microprocessors and talks to Intel):

[ ] Step 1 Stay Away from Usual
Do NOT start by talking about your company’s history, do NOT show a list of your current or past client’s, do NOT launch into a product or service presentation. That you are an old company with tons of clients and polished sales material doesn’t mean that you have a solution anybody should buy. People get fooled into buying stuff they don’t need day-in and day-out. Instead prove to the client that you can help by following the next steps.

Sally: Sally’s Flower Parlor has been in business since 1973, we sold flowers to thousands of customers including, John Wayne, Winnie the Pooh, and Lance Armstrong. Here, take this flyer about dandelions they are awesome and don’t attract bees.

Billy: Hm, thanks for your time. I am not really looking for dandelions. Bye!

[ ] Step 2 Identify Client Believe

Ask questions around what the client’s hopes to achieve by using your product or services. This is only to warm the client up. Don’t make the mistake to skip to your sales presentation because the client seems to know your products. Even if the client has used your product or service for years, he or she will only have used certain aspects of it, and will be unaware of the full capabilities, the ‘needs’ the client communicates to you will already be limited to what he or she believes your capabilities are.

Sally: How can I help you today?

Billy: I am looking for a bouquet of roses for my girlfriend.

[ ] Step 3 Identify Client Motivation

No matter what you sell, nobody will buy it unless there is a personal or monetary benefit that comes with it. You have to follow the money and trace the benefit that motivates the client to consider your product or services.

Sally: Roses are nice! A lot of people ask for them! Why do you think roses would be good?

Billy: Well, it is my girlfriend’s birthday, I think red roses will make her happy and show her how much I love her, right?

[ ] Step 4 Ask the Harry Potter Question

You know what the customer thinks he or she can get from us now, and we also know why he wants it. Now that we got the client this far it is easy to have him fully open up by asking the Harry Potter question: “Imagine you are Harry Potter and you could just cast a magic spell, and everything would be exactly how you want it. If you cast that patronus solution idealus, how would that solution look like? “

Sally: Wow, that is so cute. Roses will work well. Let me ask you this, if you could just cast a magic spell, like Harry Potter, and everything would be just like you want it, how would that look like?

Billy: Hm, I also have that necklace I want to give her. Despite it being her birthday I would like the whole thing to be a surprise that has her giggling and her girlfriends impressed.

[ ] Step 5 Design the Solution

Now that you have indentified the customer’s real need, you can go ahead and design the perfect solution consisting of your products and services and even tying in new, custom, and competitive services.

Sally: Here is an idea, how about you act like you forgot her birthday and we deliver a luscious bouquet of roses, together with the necklace to her workplace! We also could pick up a big box of See’s Candies chocolate that she can share with her impressed co-workers!

Billy: That sounds great! Let’s do it!

In summary, asking the Harry Potter question, will you to gain more insight into your customers needs, better serve these needs and build a long lasting profitable customer relationship that is impenetrable to the next lowest bidder.

Now go, cast a spell.

About the Author: Brought to you by Philip Grote, publisher of www.americanswagger.us, a communication consultancy determined to create pitches and presentations that woo your audience, and close your deals. For more sales advice follow americanswagger.us on twitter or like it on facebook. Thanks!

The old adage “Birds of a feather flock together” or “You are who you are with” are there for a reason — because that’s exactly what happens.  It’s human nature to surround ourselves with people who are like us and whom we like.  The question is — are you using this tendency to your advantage or not.

In a recent article in the Gallup Management Journal, Jennifer Robison points out that social networks do, indeed impact what we think is important and how we behave.

Who You Network With Affects Your Results

It’s no secret that CEOs don’t think much of social networking.  Just read this article by the executives at Deming Hill who provide unfiltered commentary and reflection on social media from the perspective of an executive.

The question isn’t about how you feel about social networking.  The question for small business owners is how to leverage technology to generate leads, customers and ultimately profits.   There is a reason why we don’t use stone tablets, or hand write books — because newer technologies proved to be more profitable for those who used them.

Companies that Learn to Leverage Social Media ARE More Successful

Take the time to watch this video – it will blow your mind.

The question to ask yourself isn’t whether or not these tools are any good or whether they work.  They are here to stay, and CEOs who leverage them and the companies who use them will out perform those who don’t.

Take your skill in business basics and apply them to the tools and see what you get.

LEARN TO MAKE LINKEDIN WORK FOR YOU

If you’re ready to learn more – why not spend an hour with Rick Itzkowich on November 5 from 1:00pm – 2:00pm ET and let’s start leveraging LinkedIn.

This is a teleseminar that you can participate in while you’re traveling.  Registered participants will also have access to a transcript and a downloadable podcast.

Don’t be “behind the curve” another day — REGISTER NOW

We want to know how you do “that marketing thing” in your business.  We want to know specifically what you do every day, how you manage it and how you get, keep and grow the customers you have.

Here is my example:

What do you do?: I spend the bulk of my time either consulting or writing.  I make my clients the obvious choice for their customers.

What sets you apart?: I make my clients the only game in town.  We build inside-out marketing systems that make money and don’t require lots of people or money.

Who do you help?: We help small business owners who want loyal, happy customers, but don’t know what to do to get them.  Our ideal client is a business with less than $150 million in sales that needs a formal marketng process – but not a formal marketing person.

What do you do every day/week/month/year to get and keep customers?

99% of all my marketing is basically a word-of-mouth referral system.  Here’s how that works:

Daily: Every day, I try and communcate my mission and purpose at least 10 times to 10 different people using a variety of methods.  I have a digital and a physical set of goals. Digitally, I write a blog post.  As of this writing I now have 4, actually 5 blog spaces of my own, plus my articles appear in smallbustrends, as well as a few other places that may pick them up.  I also make time fo twitter and facebook as well as LinkedIn.  I use these tools to supplement my physical strategy which includes meeting, chatting or interacting with the people I’ve connected with online – and vice versa; keeping up connections with people I’ve met physically.  I ask for new clients and opportunities every day.

Weekly: I have a referral meeting at least twice a week.  I work toward connecting with business owners who want to have fun making money and building their very own marketing machine.

Monthly: I book a speaking engagement once per month – and that feeds the daily and weekly activities.

Annually: I make big plans.  I use the Marketing Plan Pro product by Palo Alto Software and Duct Tape Marketing.

Now it’s YOUR turn.  Tell us Your Story!