A few weeks ago, a client asked if I could write a blog about Women in Sales. She said she still runs into people that don’t want to talk to her. She is convinced that they don’t give her the time of day because she is a woman. This may be hard for some of you to believe in 2025 (with all the progress we have made) but, clearly there is still more progress to shoot for.
This will not be a Man-Bashing blog. After all, some of the people that don’t want to talk to my client may be women.
This will not be a Be an Extra Strong Woman and Go Out of Your Way to Prove to People that You are Worthy blog, either.
When I shared what my client (we’ll call her Jackie) told me with another client (we’ll call her Kate), a light bulb went off – I had an idea. Kate was insightful enough to suggest that the people that don’t want to talk to Jackie have always been that way and will likely continue to be that way. We can call it short-sighted, narrow-minded & out-of-touch (but that would border on bashing, and we agreed not to do that). Either way it is safe to say that there is NO CHANGING these people – so why bother trying? They are who they are.
Jackie was not looking for sympathy by sharing her experiences. She was stating a fact.
So, here is another fact: People buy from people they are comfortable with.
And another fact: People are comfortable with people who are credible.
And the GOAT of all facts: They way to build credibility with people is through the questions you ask (not by educating them with all of your knowledge).
Most salespeople that try to win the “I know more than you battle” end up losing that battle. Remember, people do not enjoy being wrong. So don’t even go there.
Instead, hone-in on a questioning strategy that without question proves you know your stuff.
Example: You may not know this, but this author is not the most technical person to roam this earth. Every three or four years my laptop starts to let me down and it is time for a new one. What do most people do? If your company does not supply you with a laptop, you order one online. Or you go to Best Buy and buy it. You likely know exactly what you want. Piece of cake.
Remember the non-technical guy (we’ll call him no-tech)? He doesn’t know exactly what he needs. He has no clue how to buy a laptop – just knows that he needs one. Here’s what no-tech does: He walks into Best Buy. Heads right over to the Computers/Tablets/Laptops Department. Waits for someone with that Best Buy Blue shirt on and asks, “Who is the laptop expert in this store?”
Inevitably the person says a name (we’ll call him Brandon) & points to someone a few aisles over. No-tech moseys on over to Brandon (who is always waiting on someone else – he’s the laptop expert, remember?). As soon as Brandon becomes available, he asks, “How can I help you?” As soon as I say, my laptop is dying I watch Brandon go into action.
Brandon spends the next ten minutes asking me questions: Business or personal (or both)? What do you do for a living? Do you have software? Will you use a docking station? Two monitors or one? Do you stream a lot? Will you print? How often? Operating system? What’s your budget? Screen size? And those are just the first eleven questions . . .
Note: Brandon did not walk me over to the big shiny one. He did not push me into buying what HE wanted to sell me. He did not even think about blowing me away with features and benefits. He refused to show me the one with the biggest screen. What did he do? He asked questions. Good questions. Qualifying questions.
In very short order I knew he was a laptop expert. I was convinced he was credible. Yet, he never said one thing about brand, size, color, features, etc. Only questions. Good questions. Brandon’s credible. Brandon’s got it going on.
