Talking 'Bout My Generation
Technology moves about a mile a minute these days. You've finally mastered Facebook only to discover the next big thing has already happened. Now apply these technology shifts to sales. Some salespeople prefer sticking with traditional methods that have stood the test of time; others choose to ride the technology wave. When it comes to building business relationships, knowing which technique your client is comfortable with and planning accordingly can make the difference between success and failure.
Bruce Felber, MAS, director of marketing and sales support at The Image Group, Holland, Ohio, favors a more personal approach involving face-to-face meetings.
"Me personally, because I'm old, [I] like face-to-face meetings when building new relationships," he said. "It's essential to make one-on-one contact when building trust that you can't do over the phone."
Felber attributes this to his generation. Veteran salespeople cut their teeth in the industry during a time when technology was less advanced. Meeting in person was simply the way they did business.
"For my generation, we grew up on face-to-face meetings for building relationships and customer loyalty," Felber recalled. "The younger generation uses technology, and I certainly do too, but I don't like to use it to build relationships. You can use it for standard communications when you have a relationship, but when you're going for something high-powered beyond commodity sales, I always go face-to-face."
For many Millenials, and even Generation Xers, however, technology plays a bigger role. Mark Graham, co-founder and chief platform officer of Toronto-based commonsku, feels that technology can do things for his business that traditional methods simply cannot.
"You can interact with your customers on social media in a way that you couldn't 10 years ago," he explained.
According to Graham, the development of social media platforms has had a large effect on his business. He attributes this to the reason in-person communication has dropped.
"We used to be more face-to-face, but things have sped up so much in the last few years," he said. "Web and social media were really a core part of our DNA, and we use them as a complement to how we were selling anyhow right from the beginning of the distributorship."
Finding a Balance
While their preferred methods of conducting business may differ, Graham and Felber agree on one thing—balance is crucial. After all, there's something to be said for the speed and instant gratification that come with technology. Because clients want quick access to information, it is important for salespeople to brush up on the basics.
"The technology-driven person likes to see quotes quickly," Felber said. "They like to see photographs. So I like to try to do that with a level of formality. But you do deal with people who work with technology all the time, and you do have to adapt to it. That's just evolution."
There is no one-size-fits-all approach in sales. Despite his personal strategy, Felber still acknowledges the benefits of technology. Some may view the Internet as impersonal or ineffective, but Felber believes it can be used to improve communication skills.
"Some people in my generation might think it's a problem, but I think it helps you search for better use of language," he said. "To be understood when you don't have body language, it can actually make you more precise in the long run. I don't think it's a problem, I think it's a problem if you don't adapt. That's where our world is."
Graham shared a similar opinion on adaptation and balance. He said he values equally the importance of face-to-face meetings, good content and social media.
"I think it's important to take a varied approach, and having all your eggs in one basket is not the hallmark of a great relationship," Graham said. "You need some face-to-face regardless of how young or old they are. They're human beings, and human beings like to be social, so it's important to have a face-to-face relationship with that customer, because as social beings we like to know the people we do business with."
Communication Breakthrough
Regardless of how information is communicated, solid business relationships stem from paying attention to clients' needs, and being aware of how they may or may not want to conduct their business.
"I think if you adapt your communication techniques, you don't have that gap of either misunderstanding or misrepresentation that you may have," Felber said.
Graham believes that in order to cater to your clients' needs, regardless of their age, it could be as simple as asking what they prefer. "Any effective salesperson will ask those questions," Graham commented. "Some people like to have quarterly lunches and others don't because they don't have time. Dealing with a certain demographic you can guess how they would want to be dealt with."
Felber likened it to mirroring his clients. "If your client leans forward, you lean forward, it's the same as communication," Felber said. "If they want to do it a certain way then you should be prepared to do it the same way. You can follow any generation."
- People:
- Bruce Felber
- Mark Graham
- Places:
- Holland, Ohio
- Toronto
Brendan Menapace is the content director for Promo+Promo Marketing.