Definitely one of the best sales books I've read in a while. Very refreshing, but it was at a different level of selling. It is written as more of a consultative & advanced methodology of selling that is incredibly difficult to execute - something I'll be working on the rest of my sales career.
The naked part refers to being vulnerable; simply a metaphor for this sales & consulting style that leads to ultimate client loyalty & trust.
This book tells a story about a big time consulting firm that acquires that little, mysterious, & annoying consulting firm. They are mysterious & annoying because the consistently beat the big firm in almost every deal they are in together. How is that possible?
There is a hatred that has grown for the little firms salespeople (I think we can all name an arch-nemesis sales person we compete against). Conspiracies that they are doing crazy things to win the business. Then finally, they acquire them & get to learn what is going on.
Turns out, as the big firms lead integrator dives into the little firms operations, the little firm has higher prices (say what?), better margins, gives away free advice & ideas, turns down clients that they can't give their full attention to, have stronger customer relationship, rarely discusses price at all, and is gaining new business consistently via customer references at the CEO to CEO level.
Definitely recommend you read it (a very quick read). I attempted to sum up the key principles below.
Summary:
There are three fears that prevent us from building trust & loyalty with our customers (and earning their business). They then give bullets on how to counteract them. I might add that there is not a simple blueprint to follow to eliminate these fears (i.e. this isn't a training course you do once), they provide a mindset & tactics to get over these. I attempted to simplify it below...
#1 - Fear of Losing the Business
How to counteract:
- Always consult instead of sell - don't speak in terms of "this is how we'll treat you if you're a client", just start treating them as if they're already one
- Give away the business - lead with generosity & value; be more interested in helping them than charging them. The rest will fall into place. If there's a discrepancy, take the clients side. You need to be more concerned with a long-term client than a short-term gain.
- Tell the kind truth - confront your client with kindness, empathy, & respect (yes, call them out when necessary)
- Enter the danger - have the courage to deal with an issue that no one wants to confront
#2 - Fear of Being Embarrassed
How to counteract:
- Ask dumb questions - ask questions the others in the room are afraid to ask. People will thank you later.
- Make dumb suggestions - make suggestions others in the room are afraid to say.
- Celebrate your mistakes - don't hide or downplay your mistakes with clients; call yourself out & take responsibility. This earns trust.
#3 - Fear of Feeling Inferior
How to counteract:
- Take a bullet for the client - this has to be done ethically. Just know you might need to step into an awkward, confrontational, or receiving end of something that might not be your fault.
- Make everything about the client - leave your ego at the door (past accomplishments, roles, successes, etc.), make it all about them. Every client is different.
- Honor the clients work - take a sincere interest in the client & their clients. This can't be faked.
- Do the dirty work - be humble and ready to roll up your sleeves and do work that may seem "below your pay grade". You'll earn loyalty & gratitude.
And finally, admit your weaknesses & limitations. Be honest about mistakes (even simple ones) and admit your weaknesses (don't cover them up as most do).
Pretty in-depth. Let me know your thoughts.
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