Leadership - Influence - selling
Influence - selling
Selling the vision
A leader influences people by selling a vision for people to buy into.
If people like the vision they will follow.
If someone is trying to get you to buy something you want to know ‘what is in it for you?’.
What are the benefits? If a vision comes to fruition how will it change your life for the better?
When you think about buying an item you look at it from the perspective of ‘features’ and benefits’.
Features
Features never change. If you buy a car with a CD player, integrated Global Positioning System (GPS) and leather upholstery this will always be the same.
These aspects are what you may use to describe your dream car. The benefits will be what these features can bring to change your life style.
Technology is a classic area full of features whether this be a computer or a stereo system. In fact many people buy technology having little or no idea what the features actually do. They look good and may be useful in the future. Many people will not want to appear ignorant of particular features.
Benefits
In the case of the car the CD player may give you the ease of playing your favourite tracks with great clarity of sound. The GPS system provides security in navigation and a knowledge that you will always get to your destination on time (possibly). The leather seating will provide that feeling of opulence and luxury. The acquisition of these features may give you a feeling of increased status within your group of friends.
Make sure that you emphasise the benefits to whoever you wish to influence and not so much the features.
Dreams
People will have personal goals and interests. If you can identify and direct your approach to include these dreams your success rate for influencing will increase. If a person lacks confidence and is reluctant to go on a leadership training course you might wish to pander to the dreams of the individual. If that person has designs to own a boat with their own crew then leadership would be a natural benefit.
If a person is involved with local community projects and attends a lot of meetings then leadership will have benefits here.
As far as the individual is concerned if they can see a benefit they are more likely to follow. That benefit does not have to related to the job.
Typical selling process
Any approach to selling usually benefits from a structured approach.
You may want to consider a simple model.
- Define and agree the issue / opportunity from the other person’s perspective not your own.
- List the benefits.
- Suggest a solution to the issue or how you might achieve the opportunity.
- Describe the plan to achieve the solution and realise the opportunity.
- Consider the hurdles, obstacles and risks.
- Re-iterate the benefits.
- Close.
This can be simplified to 3 key points.
- Define and agree step.
- Suggest how you might achieve it.
- Close. That is agree to implement the plan to achieve vision, solve the problem or take up the opportunity.
One of the key problems in an organisation is the ‘vision’ crosses boundaries. A ‘vision’ may have different connotations for different departments. Marketing, Finance, IT, production may all have there own individual take on the vision and may want to modify it in their own image.
Objections
Part of the problem will be the obstacles put forward to achieving your goal.
Although you may put forward a variety of solutions to objections you may be left with suggesting a feasibility study in order to alleviate risk.
This could take many forms, for example, a pilot study or a model to show the vision etc.
Feasibility and other project management techniques and risk are discussed in much more detail in ‘The Complete Project management package’ and ‘The Complete Risk management package’.
If resource is a problem you may be able to provide it.
If skills are a problem can these be acquired?
Basically, you will need to either refute any objections by supplying evidence, provide the requirements to get the project going or forget the vision as it stands.
Closure
You need to clarify understanding and gain agreement on the vision put forward and agreement on the next action steps.
Assumed close
In effect you assertively put forward the next steps and assume agreement by exception. This will only work effectively if you involve people in coming to the next action steps. Otherwise, there will be a general apathy as people believe you have forced your will on them and they will not carry out the action steps.
Action close
Similar to the above but you seek agreement and understanding of the action steps.
Option close
Provide two options on the way forward and ask which one the person or group agrees with. This will then assume a tacit agreement of the whole vision.
Direct close
Ask the group or person directly if they agree the way forward. This can lead to direct reply of ‘no’ so only ask in this fashion if you are sure of the reply.
If someone does show disagreement find out why. Delve more deeply to find out the exact details of the objection. You may find the objection is loosely based upon an irrational fear.