Put that jacket back on!! It’s not what it sounds like!
What is Selling Naked?
The “naked” in the name of the technique doesn’t refer to your attire, at least most of the time. It means you are going in without any sales materials. That’s all. Maybe you have a business card, but you don’t have a folder, you don’t have a pamphlet, and you’re probably not opening up your computer.
You’re going into the meeting, presenting value, and teaching right off the bat.
How Selling Naked Works
Rather than going and talking about the project, start off by talking about the business, not the project!
Ask questions such as:
- What are you trying to do?
- Tell me about your business.
- What are your goals?
- Why did you get into this kind of business?
Asking open-ended questions enables the person that brought you into the project to explain the business goals, their feelings about it, where they are going in the business, and much more.
Once you get an idea of:
- How the business got started.
- Why people are doing what they’re doing.
- The vision and direction of the business.
- What the business does.
THEN you can start delving into deeper questions and try to learn about the problems the business is having that led them to this meeting with you. From here, start asking questions about companies goals and the specifics of the project.
- Are you going to make your quarterly or yearly goals?
- How close or far off are you?
- What are your methods for meeting these goals?
- What problems are you experiencing?
- What other hurdles are in your way?
The more you know, but better you can help.
As you delve in deeper and deeper into that business, you can develop a solid understanding of the business. When you finally get to talk about the project, you will already understand:
- Why they’re doing the project
- What that project is accomplishing
- How it’s helping them
- How it affects the greater picture of the business
Now let’s talk about the project
When we finally get into talking about the project, you can use all of this information to ask really smart questions about that project and make suggestions that are relevant.
When you’re selling naked, you’re bringing my mind, not some pamphlet; you are solving a problem, not just presenting some pre-built solution. You are showing them why you and your team is the better solution: YOU CAN SOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS.
In my company, once we understand the environment, delve down to the issues, identify why people want and need to do things, then we often redefine the project for the client because now we understand the ecosystem and goals.
Selling Naked Works
Selling naked revolves purely around this personal, symbiotic approach. You’re trying to get a sale, but when you’re selling time, knowledge, ideas, and help for another company, you don’t need any glossy, pre-approved marketing images or phrases. A genuine smile and clear interest in your client’s issues will get you so much farther.
So when you leave the next sales meeting, leave behind a business card and educated answers to client’s problems and your next conversation with them is going to be about how they want to get started working with you on implementing the solution.
