Trash Talk & Delete Buttons: A Candid Letter from Your Prospective Customer

Dear Seller,

I only have a few minutes, but I understand you're interested in what you can do to capture my attention and entice me to want to set up a meeting with you.

Let me say this loud and clear right now - you have no idea what my day is like. You may think you do, but you're missing the boat. Until you understand this, my advice to you makes no sense.

I got into the office early this morning so I could have some uninterrupted time to work on a major project - something I can't seem to squeeze into the normal business day, which is filled with back-to-back meetings.

But, by 9 a.m. all my good intentions were dashed. My boss asked me to drop everything to get her some up-to-date information on a major reorganization initiative. Product development informed me that our new offering won't be available for the upcoming tradeshow. Sales is already in an uproar because they have customers waiting for it. Then HR tells me that one of my key employees has been accused of cyber-stalking.

Starting to get the picture? Welcome to my world of everyday chaos where, hard as I try to make progress, I keep slipping behind. Right now, I have at least 59 hours of work piled on my desk, needing my attention. I have no idea when I'll get it all done.

Did I mention my how many emails I get daily? Over 100. Everyone copies me in on everything. It drives me crazy. Then, add to that at least 30 phone calls - many from vendors who want to set up a meeting with me. And the pile of junk mail I get each day is ridiculous.

In short, I have way too much to do, ever-increasing expectations, impossible deadlines and constant interruptions from people wanting my time or attention.

Time is my most precious commodity and I protect it at all costs. I live with the status quo as long as I can - even if I'm not happy. Why? Because change creates more work and eats up my time.

Which gets us back to you. In your well-intentioned but misguided attempts turn me into a "prospect," you fail woefully to capture my attention. I'm going to be really blunt here: I could care less about your product, service, solution or your company.

I'm not one bit interested in your unique methodologies, extraordinary differentiators or one-stop shopping. Your self-serving pablum, while designed to lure me into your clutches, has the exact opposite impact.

It's trash talk! I quickly scan your emails or letters looking for those offensive words and phrases that glorify your offering or your firm.

The minute they jump out at me, you're gone. Zapped from my inbox or tossed into the trashcan. When you talk like that in your voicemails, I delete you immediately. Delete, delete, delete.

That's the most expeditious way to handle bothersome telemarketers. Use those same words on the phone with me and I'll quickly raise an objection you can't address.

I'm a master at sniffing out trash talk and deleting it. I have work to do and refuse to waste even one iota of my time on something that's irrelevant or self-promotional.

You need to know though that I'm not always like this. Occasionally a savvy marketer or seller captures my attention, gets me to raise my hand asking for more information and even entices me to request a meeting.

What are they doing? They're completely focused on my business and the impact they can have on it. That's what's relevant to me - not their offering.

I'm always interested in ways to shorten time to market, speed up our sales cycles and reduce our supply chain costs. Notice that this is business talk, not marketing speak!

When you get even more specific and tell me how much impact, now you're really talking my language. I guarantee that if you mention you've helped organizations similar to mine increase sales conversion rates by 39% in just 3 months, I'll be on the phone to you in no time flat.

Do you have any good information or fresh insights about the challenges my company is facing? How about how other companies are addressing these issues? If so, I'm interested in that too.

That's the good stuff. It stems from a focus on the difference you can make for my company, instead of how you're different from every one else. When you emphasize that, I'm interested.

But you can't rope me in with the good stuff, then slip back into that trash talk. If so, you're gonzo as fast as I can hit the delete button.

I pay attention in about 5 second increments, too. I don't have time for fluff. If it's relevant info, you've got me; start meandering and I hit delete.

Get the picture? I hope so, because I'm late for a meeting and while I've been writing this, the phone's been ringing off the hook.

Hope this helps!

Your Prospective Customer

****

Jill Konrath, author of Selling to Big Companies and founder of the Sales Shebang, is a frequent speaker at national sales meetings and industry events. For more articles like this, visit http://www.SellingtoBigCompanies.com. Sign up for the newsletter and get a BONUS Sales Call Planning Guide.

Comments

[Mark Hunter]

Jill - A homerun with your comments. You nailed exactly how I felt when I was in my corporate role. It was not unusual to be double-booked or even-triple booked with meetings at any given time. Salespeople would routinely insult me by parading in with great ideas to help the company but they had zero relevance to the key issue I was fighting that day. Unless it was something that was going to deal with the key issues I was dealing on that day or month I wasn't interested. My motto was don't tell me I need to drain the swamp...that's old news, rather, help me keep the alligators off my feet right now. Second rule I had: If I do call a salesperson looking for something I'm more than likely looking for information to reinforce a decision I've made already or to cover myself should I be asked by the C-suite.
Mark Hunter / The Sales Hunter
www.TheSalesHunter.com

[John Windsor]

That was great, Jill. This should be required reading for everyone in Sales -- and Marketing, and Product Marketing, and PR, and anyone with a CXO title.

Meanwhile, this is just as applicable to presentations as it is to cold calls, email solicitations, etc.

Nice job!

[martin]

Hey, based on your article, I had a real success. I called a CEO and instead of telling him, "I know how busy you must be" which I realized from your article is not strictly true!

Instead, I said "you, know, I would tell you how I know you are busy, but I realize that with the issues in front of you, I cannot even begin to Imagine how busy you must be. I think I can help you with one particular challenge"

That really opened him up, and loosened up the atmosphere.

I then went on to detail in 30 seconds, his challenge and my solution, we were on the phone for 15 minutes after that and he wants to set up an appointment with him and his Sr. VP.

I thought you might enjoy this success driven by you! You are great Jill!

[Koka Sexton]

Jill, I love your posts from the other side of the table. Many sales people need to understand what the prospect is thinking and adjust their tactics. I am new to you blog, but will be continuing to check in. Thanks for the great post. I will be adding a link on my site.

[Chris Marlow]

Hi Jill,

I love this letter!

So succinct and "real" :)

As you know, I have all my Full Course coaching students read your Selling to Big Companies book.

Now I'll ask them to come here and read your letter too, as a reminder of what it's really like out there, and what we have to do to get a positive response from our marketing efforts!

[Nigel Edelshain]

Jill,

Great post!

You really capture the real world of business today. I think most of us feel the way you describe here.

I just read your personas post also and this post tied together with that one should be one of the first things sales people think about when they plan a prospecting campaign.

One added element you might add is (like me): I have 3 kids and don't have any time in the evening either, so time during the day is even more critical because many days have a "hard stop" at 6PM!

Great work!

Nigel

[Douglass Davidoff]

First time reader, first time caller. Your letter from the lead was so accurate, and the comments are excellent. Just thought you'd like to know, we recommend your "What Sales Really Needs From Marketing" to our enewsletter readers. Great blog - went straight into my RSS reader!

Douglass Davidoff, APR
Senior Writer
Canright Communications
www.canrightcommunications.com

[Ciara Writer]

Genius post, thanks!
It is really quite true, most marketing attempts are filled with "We can do this better" and "We have done this for x years", blah blah blah.
What people want to know, right NOW, is what can you do for them?

[revive ramesh]

jill - super commentary on how busy coroporate execs are and how precise,pointed and relevant marketers need to be...but here is the sad part -

... well - if people are really like the way you mentioned in your note I wonder how and when anything gets ever done "well" in corporations.

Zoom in Zoom out. Low attention span. Poor time management and wow - what a lifestyle...

Is this true?

Are many people out there leading business life's like that?

Or is it some part of a big dramatization that you made up to make your point about communication...

Jill, you do raise the right issues and give lots of ammunition to marketers and teachers but it seems to me that all the technology, the great business ideas and the "lifestyle" we all lead has led us to believe - that being busy like your protagonist and being savvy to sift out messages is the way to be.

Sounds Strange to me..

Sadly, leading or working in a business like like the way your character does is a sure fire way to die sooner of a heart attack with a mobile phone stuck to ones' year.

In all this drama there is however a solid point: you need to be timely, relevant, simple and attractive in your messaging...

[Jill Konrath]

Remish - I agree with you 100%. It is a sad commentary on life in the corporate world. My heart truly goes out to all the people who are trapped in that environment. It's not humane. Plus, many are really disengaged - just putting in their time, not their "best." Jill

[Troy Bingham]

opens your eyes.

[Kendra Lee / KLA Group]

Jill - as a business executive who receives tons of these calls and has a schedule just like this person, I can relate.

Since my primary role is selling, I try to be kind to these people. But when my plate is overflowing and I'm working nights and weekends to keep up, it's just too hard.

Thanks for this letter. Now, let's help sellers see that business talk is important through our WHOLE relationship! If they do that, I'm sure to buy from them when the time is right!

[Mike]

great... now I have to change all my marketing material and approach towards clients. great article.