Dragnet Investigation Before the Pitch

“Once God and the world are discussed, the non-binding pre-sales conversation aims at private information. When is the customer's birthday, when is his wedding anniversary, and - almost even more important - when is his wife's birthday? What you shouldn't ask him, however, is whether he has beautiful daughters. And the salesman should also not talk more than the customer. Not even the same amount. The more he lets the customer talk, the more he learns about him. Keyword: dragnet investigation. If the salesman knows how the customer ticks, he can offer him what the customer wants to hear. If he is a frugal type, he saves time and energy with a screw supplier like Würth; if he responds to prestige, you sell him quality.”

“Good salespeople are entertaining chatterboxes. Very good salespeople are engaging conversationalists. And genius salespeople talk like a friend. Nobody barges in with the screw and the door in hand. The non-committal communication about everything possible, except the actual occasion of the visit, is a) a commandment of politeness, b) a loosening exercise, and c) a sleuthing for the subsequent sales conversation.”