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 6/25/2007 |
Gibson's Golden Rule
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We’re all familiar with the famous “Golden Rule” – loosely defined as “Do unto others the way you’d like them to do to you.”
Well, here’s a variant of that – “Gibson’s Golden Rule.”
Gibson’s Golden Rule: “If you want to influence someone, concentrate on their needs, not just on your own.”
It doesn’t matter if you’re selling them something, teaching them, leading them or parenting them. It’s the same thing. People are going to be influenced most when you are understanding and fulfilling their needs.
If you are a salesperson, you’re more likely to make a sale when you understand your customer’s needs, and show how your product will fulfill those needs. If your product doesn’t adequately fulfill a customer’s needs, then fix the product or find another customer.
Too many times, people who try to influence someone else concentrate on their own needs – quotas, bonuses, love, acceptance, or our old favorite, fear.
But if you’re trying to sell a television to a consumer, you’re going to have a lot more success when you find a consumer who actually wants a television. But let’s not stop there -- you’re going to have more success selling that television when you find out exactly what television that customer is looking for, and find a way to fulfill it.
Sometimes, customers don’t really know what they want – but after talking with the customer, you’ll see you’ve got a solution that will fulfill their needs, and make their lives better. But even then, you need to know what the customer needs, and understand it, before you can reasonably influence their views.
It all boils down to this: you’ve got to put yourself in the customer’s position, not in yours.
The best “influencers” do so by finding a way to relate to their listeners.
Here’s an easy-to-remember seven-item list to start putting “Gibson’s Golden Rule” into your practices:
1. Ask questions – and listen to the answers.
2. Look from the customer’s point of view.
3. Suggest alternatives – and listen to the feedback from the customer.
4. Refine your suggestions, based on what you learn.
5. Help the customer to understand how your solutions fill their needs.
6. If it’s true, don’t be afraid to tell the customer that you don’t have a solution that will address their needs.
7. Always treat the customer with respect
People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.
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