Recently on Twitter, I found a link from SellingPower Founder Gerhard Gschwandtner to an extremely inspiring story. It had to do with a sales team that explored a way to find more people to serve where (or, I should say, when!) most would not have looked.

Yes, this took place back in 1949. Yet, today, when so many are complaining about the economy, it brings to mind just how great our economy can be when we are willing to proactively seek ways to create something out of nothing.

So, take a look. Notice how many of those prospects were delighted to be helped. Fortunately, for them, they were approached through this very creative action.

Of course, I’m not suggesting that what worked for Mr. Wedge’s team would or wouldn’t work in your particular business. I guarantee you, however, that there is always something you can do to create more value opportunities for others and give yourself the edge.

Remember, while we cannot control the economy, we can absolutely control our economy.

But it won’t be from standing around complaining.

In Part One, we established that things — ideas, products, concepts, etc. — don’t usually just sell themselves; they need to first be sold. We concluded by looking at Schopenhauer’s famous quote, “All truth passes through three stages: First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as self-evident.”

And, sometimes…it’s simply ignored!

In his excellent book, The Purple Cow, marketing authority Seth Godin shares the story of the person who literally invented sliced bread. We’ve all heard the saying that something is “the best thing to come along since sliced bread.” So, obviously, the man responsible for its creation saw the world rushing to his door, correct?

Umm, not exactly. According to Godin:

“In 1912, Otto Frederick Rohwedder invented this simple machine that could take a loaf of bread and actually slice it. And, the machine was a complete failure. This was the beginning of the advertising age, and that meant a good product with lousy marketing had very little chance of success. It wasn’t until about twenty years later — when a new brand called Wonder started marketing sliced bread that the invention caught on. It was the packaging and the advertising of WonderBread — builds strong bodies twelve ways — that worked, not the sheer convenience and innovation of pre-sliced bread.”

The point is, regardless of whether it’s a huge, multi-national conglomerate paying big bucks to advertise or the salesperson or small business owner hitting the pavement, the Internet, or both, selling on some level must take place.

Sure, the McDonald’s customer doesn’t have to be sold on the burger (though originally they were), or maybe even the fries and soft drink. But the person behind the counter who knows how to gently, effectively and consistently upsell the hot, delicious apple pie brings in a lot more money for the store, and has a happier (if not lighter) customer.

Yep, even great ideas usually need to be sold. And, they are sold by salespeople. That’s why sales is called “sales” and selling is called “selling.” Neither are called order-taking.

Of course, that salesperson need not literally be a sales professional, but may instead take the shape of a parent, a friend, a teacher or a coach. In other words, someone who sells another on doing what will be in the best interest of the buyer.

And that might simply be spreading the peanut butter on one slice of bread and the jelly on the other.

In our book, Go-Givers Sell More, John David Mann and I begin by discussing some of the fallacies and misconceptions associated with selling. The first is that people often think of sales as trying to convince someone to do something they don’t want to do (i.e., buy something they don’t want or need).

Of course, selling is exactly the opposite; it is finding out what someone does want or need…and helping them to get it.

But, this brings up a good question: “If someone wants or needs something, can’t they just tell you? I mean, are people so stupid that they can’t figure these things out for themselves?”

Actually, it has nothing to do with being stupid or smart. It has more to do with simply not necessarily knowing what is available and/or possible. That’s why part of a professional salesperson’s job is to educate, which is one of the six “things” we say salespeople provide within the selling process: time, attention, counsel, education, empathy and value.

Please understand that practically all of the helpful, useful and valuable inventions that today we take for granted first had to be sold to the public.

The brilliant 18th Century German philosopher, Arthur Schopenhauer is quoted as saying that “all truth passes through three stages: First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as self-evident.”

In Part Two, we’ll look at how this plays out.

Over the past three articles regarding Benefit Statements, we’ve also looked at when they are and are not appropriate.

One place they are appropriate, which we haven’t yet discussed, is when you are attending some type of formal event where you are asked — along with everyone else — to stand up and provide your commercial. There are numerous occasions when this could happen and I’m sure you’ve experienced many of them.

I’m not referring here to a weekly meeting with many of the same people in attendance, such as BNI, the world’s largest networking and referral exchange organization. In this situation, people are well-taught to develop relationships with one another and the weekly commercial or Benefit Statement is simply part of it.

I’m speaking more about those events where the host goes around the room and asks everyone to stand up one at a time and tell everyone what they do.

Certainly, having a well-crafted, finely-tuned Benefit Statement is important here…isn’t it?

Please allow me to once again be a bit contrarian.  While I believe you should indeed have an excellent and effective Benefit Statement and be ready to communicate it, I still don’t believe it’s going to make a huge difference.

Why?

First, because, while you are nervous about standing up and giving your Benefit Statement; thus focused on it and not listening to those giving theirs, pretty much everyone else in the room is nervous about standing up and giving their Benefit Statement; thus focused on it and not listening to yours.

Second, even if they are listening, they don’t care any more — and perhaps even less — than they would if you just met them one-on-one.

So, how do you elicit their interest in you and what you do? Well, you don’t. Or, I should say, at least you don’t make that your focus. Instead, you meet them one-on-one sometime during the event or after it, and approach your conversation the same way you would in any situation; by focusing on them and their business. Proceed from there as you would with anyone with whom you choose to cultivate a Networking relationship.

Let’s end with what I believe it the most important point of this entire series.

The key to a successful Benefit Statement:

Understanding that, when it comes right down to it, your Benefit Statement is secondary to building a relationship based on “know, like and trust.” That comes first. And, until that happens, the most cleverly put together Benefit Statement in the world will lead nowhere.

After the relationship begins to develop? Then, the impact of a good Benefit Statement will be accelerated, as will the relationship itself!

Christie Ellis, owner of Sonoran Mountain Realty in Phoenix, Arizona wrote to me after reading about Benefit Statements in my book, Endless Referrals. I saved her email until after I posted the previous two articles because I thought it was such a great question. With permission, I’m summarizing her question. Thanks, Christie!

Hi Bob, I would greatly appreciate your opinion of my Benefit Statement. I liked the one you had in Endless Referrals, but I did not feel right using it. I really feel this statement is just like a first impression and I am striving hard to make it right. Here is what I came up with:

I am your personal guide through the intricate process of buying or selling a home.

Thank you!!!

You’re on the right track. If I may, here are a couple of quick thoughts:

1. This Benefit Statement would be more effective at the bottom of your personalized notecard or other literature than it would be spoken out loud (I’ll explain that next). And, I would suggest, if you use it on any literature, removing the words “I am” because they are unnecessary in this context.
2. To use that Benefit Statement verbally can be a bit counter-productive. The reason is that, when you say, “I am your…” it assumes they are — or are expected to be — your customer/client. So, if they are not currently in the market to buy or sell a home (or, even if they are), this might cause them to feel a bit defensive. That, of course, is the exact opposite of how you want someone to feel when you first meet them (or, ever, but in this case, obviously, we’re talking about when you first meet). Plus, while they might personally not need your services, at least not right now, they could be an excellent source of referrals. So, there’s no reason to pigeon-hole them and have them feel your goal is to “get” them as a customer or client.

Also very important: when you first meet someone, it’s better to not use too strong a Benefit Statement; at least not until the relationship is a bit more established. If used too early, they can make the other person feel as though they are going to have to listen to you talk all about yourself.

So, while a Benefit Statement is great to have, and very effective when used in its proper time and place, it needs to be used judiciously; not automatically.

And, I certainly agree that you should use something that fits your style and personality.

I hope this helped a bit.

Best regards,

Bob

P.S. One in-person Benefit Statement could be: I guide people comfortably through the process of buying or selling a home.

P.P.S. Remember, people don’t buy or refer to you because of a Benefit Statement. Rather, they do so because they know, like and trust you. That’s why — while a good Benefit Statement is important, it needs to not overwhelm anyone.

One final thought to wrap up this series. We’ll look at that next.