“Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.” Theodore Roosevelt
“Nobody Cares That You Care” Barry O’Connell
Teddy Roosevelt was my cousin on my paternal grandmother’s side and a great thinker and a great president. However this quote which is so often bandied about bothers me. I would argue with Cousin Theodore that No one cares how much you care if the truth be told. Maybe in your personal life but I take a colder harsher view of the business world.
So if “Caring” is not the key what do people really care about?
They care about themselves and their needs.
When a customer calls you or stops in they are there for a reason. The reason is that they have a problem. If they believe that you can solve their problem they will give you MONEY and that is a good thing. If they don’t feel you can solve their problem they will make an excuse and get away from you.
Reasons why people do not call a Rug Cleaning Plant:
· They are lonely and are looking for a new “caring” friend.
· Getting a rug professionally cleaned is on their bucket list.
· They discovered that they have too much money and they picked you at random to share the wealth with.
· They are conducting Market Research (unless they are in the RugLovers Marketing Program).
So why do they call?
The #1 biggest reason to call a Rug Cleaning Plant for the first time is:
They have a problem and it involves one or more dirty rugs.
They have a problem and they came to you to solve it. But knowing they have a dirty rug is not enough to guarantee that they give you MONEY. Rug Cleaning is not a hobby for anyone I know. It is a business and the only way to keep the doors open is to provide goods and services in exchange for MONEY.
The way to get their MONEY is to be their Trusted Problem Solver.
The secret to being a Problem Solver is to ask questions. You cannot solve their problem until you know what it is. Whether you use the RugLover’s Marketing “Red Print” or not you job is not to give information, it is to get information. Keep in mind anything you say can cost you the sale so why volunteer information. If you talk more than 30% of the time you are out of control. You gain control by asking questions. Keep them talking until you know their problem. Dusty’s Red Print is a simple to use form that guides you through the questions that need to be asked so if you don’t have it, get it. But even without the Red Print you can gain a lot by asking, “What can you tell me about your rug”. Once they start giving information Shut Up and let them talk. The only thing you should be saying is just enough to keep them talking.
Even when you learn their problem do not give them information. Giving information is dangerous, what you need to give them is a SOLUTION.
The prospect generally becomes emotionally engaged in the conversation and with that the objections drop away. Given a choice between a Caring person and a Caring Person with a Solution to their problem prospects want a Problem Solver
BTW my cousin Theodore also said:
“I think there is only one quality worse than hardness of heart and that is softness of head.”Theodore Roosevelt
