What’s your sales strategy? Do you bombard prospects with a plethora of information about your product or service?
If yes, your sales approach might be at risk of falling into the crocodile sales trap.
Think of a crocodile (Or look at the picture below), I am sure you can see it’s big mouth but can you see it’s ears? Barely visible, right? Big mouth implies too much talking and small ears implies too less listening. But, Who is a Crocodile Salesman after all?
Source: Medium
The same applies to sales, where speaking too much without understanding customer needs leads to lost deals, a common mistake in sales outreach strategies.
Who Is a Crocodile Salesman?
Crocodile Salesmen are people who are always talking. They’re pitching to you. They don’t take the time to realize what your true motivations are because they’re too busy telling you what they THINK you want to hear. Trust me – your chances of selling are much lower if you’re talking rather than actively listening.—Mark Suster, The Danger of Crocodile Sales
This is why understanding the buyer’s journey is critical in making real connections with prospects, as explored in How to Align Sales Process with the Buyer’s Journey.
What Should a Salesperson Actually Do?
- Be all ears to the customers’ pain-points.
- Be empathetic in his approach while engaging with the client.
- Tell how your product/service is going to resolve customer pain-points.
Sales isn’t about delivering the perfect pitch, it’s about asking the right questions. High-performing sales teams leverage account-based strategies to engage prospects more effectively, ensuring that their conversations are relevant and personalized. This is a key tactic in account-based marketing for SaaS businesses.
Crocodile Sales vs. Active Listening in Action
Imagine a salesperson promoting a detergent at a supermarket.
Crocodile Mode:
“Hello Ma’am! This is our premium-quality detergent. It’s great at removing stains and leaves a fresh fragrance. It even uses nano-technology to pull out dirt and bacteria. And the best part? It costs less than most competitors. Shall I add it to your cart?”
Too much talking. No understanding of the customer’s needs.
Non-Crocodile Mode:
A good salesperson asks questions first, tailoring the approach to different customers:
To a mother with a baby:
“Hello Ma’am! Does your baby’s dress still show banana stains even after washing?”
To a fitness enthusiast:
“Hello Sir! Have you ever noticed that your workout clothes don’t feel fresh even after washing?”
To a mom with kids (holding paints in her cart):
“Hello Ma’am! Have you struggled to remove paint stains from your kids’ clothes?”
Once the customer shares their experience, the salesperson proposes the detergent, highlighting the feature that matters most to them.
If the conversation is convincing, the customer will ask for the product themselves.
Are you a crocodile salesperson, or do you take the time to truly understand your customers?
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