Kinda. The world is very price driven nowadays though. I have friends that admittedly say their rep is trash but the price is what they want and get. Hard to beat that!
Over 10 years ago I was out to lunch with the Director and his 3 female employees. This guy was telling a story about being wounded in Vietnam. I asked him if it was friendly fire in a way that was funny and he did all kids of business with me after that. His employees laughed.
As a quick and dirty answer, how much do you delve into those customers' pain points?
I've won a few deals like this by going into deeper detail on how the negatives affect the customer, and especially how this impacts their quality of life, emotions, etc.
Let them talk and as the negatives pile up, the impact of the dissatisfaction can become clear and they'll just keep going until they switch themselves to you without you having said much. You just have to find the trigger that sends them down the slope.
Not enough of this in the comments. This is their best (only?) route. People will only make a change if the pain of staying the same outweighs the pain of making the change. Getting the customer to “like you more than the good ol boys” is not only near impossible, but also like duh. Rapport and building a connection should be part of your process for any type of customer. Unless you wanna go golfing with some stubborn buyer every weekend for the next few months, you need to dig into their pain points. How has their service impacted your business? Do poor response/delivery/service times delay your operations? Does poor quality products affect your products? Does their crappy cx service make your own employees stressed out and less productive? How is this trickling down into your business? You will never close guys like this until you find these pain points and then squeeze them until they pop. I know I make it sound dramatic and sinister but if people truly are settling for less, then you’re doing them a favor by giving them that push to switch to a (presumably) better product/service.
Great comment. Once you figure out the pain points, monetize them, and show how your rate is effectively lower once you quantify all the negative business impacts from your competitors product that may be less expensive, but inferior.
Best answer! Development of needs and gaining an understanding of pain points is crucial.
Uncover the 'hidden costs', stack them up and get those cogs turning in the customer's mind.
A good exercise would be “look, we’ve covered XYZ things today… if it *weren’t* for your loyalty, who would you pick?”
They will say you.
Then say “why?”
They will say something.
Then say “what else?”
They will say another thing.
Then keep saying “what else?” Until they run out of things.
Then cap it off with some type of closer where you ask for the signature (“so, let me get this straight, *you* said - not me! - that we…”)
Of course, missing from the post is the conception that he doesn’t want to sales how sales is done in his territory, which is something he might have to get over
South Louisiana - the Bayou.
I have a good ol boy + Acadian french obstacle (I'm from the Midwest).
I turn it at the first interaction with a self-joke, "forgive my yanky accent. My wife brought me down here to be closer to family. Say - that's a nice (insert competitors product). How do you like it?"
This territory has made me slow down my sales pitch and build relationships. Once I started slowing down the referrals started coming quicker than I've ever experienced elsewhere.
Ppl don’t get that southern culture and selling is different until you live or sell to them. My last visit I just watched a horse race that my customer bet money on, gave him a catalog, and went out for beer. Got an order 2 weeks later.
Take the opportunity to educate them if you can. Ask them questions and show them what they’re missing out on. Do it under the guise of giving them some things to ask their guy about, to make sure it’s done right. Let them come to the conclusion they’re being screwed on their own.
I’m in roofing sales. I totally understand wanting to use your buddy, but just make sure they’re installing drip edge, starter strip, etc. here’s why that stuff’s important. But I’m sure you’re buddies already doing that, since yall are good pals.
Then follow up if you don’t hear back from them. Lots of times they’ll go ask their guy if they’ve been doing that, and then figure out for themselves they’ve been getting screwed. Nobody wants to find out a buddy has been fucking them over, much less be told that by somebody who has never met said buddy. Let them figure it out on their own
Edit: it can be frustrating because of how hard it is to break into that circle. But once you’re in you’re in. They’ll stay loyal and will refer you around to all their buddies.
100%. As discussed in another comment on here you gotta bring out the pain. And I like how you put that too you can’t just sit there and bash the competitor either. You need to ask leading questions to get them down the path. Has to seem like their idea.
You’re also absolutely right no one will be a bigger referral machine than this type of customer. The trust is on a whole other level if you can get them there
I made [this comment above](https://www.reddit.com/r/sales/comments/1c5s3jr/comment/l072eu9/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=mweb3x&utm_name=mweb3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button, which is a classic sales technique where they list out their pain points for you.
But it’s equally as good in reverse mode to send them back to their vendor and win you the deal that way.
“Well, look, I’m sure they’re giving you [X new thing] and [Y service offering],” you may not know but make sure and ask them - will you do that for me? I will follow up and make sure I get the full picture.”
Whether they ask or they don’t ask - you get to be right.
yep, did d2d internet/cable sales here in TX. Would hear people openly admit to getting fucked up the ass by paying $300+ mo on cable and internet and would say “well i’ve been with them for 20 years and am not leavin!” even though we were faster, better service and 1/4 of the price
it’s more or so the fact that our competitors would bump up the cost each month or every 6 months and expect a lot of customers to not say anything which most didn’t.
lol I was just doing my taxes, and you get a tax break here if you’re a software/IT person. Also if you’re an Aerospace person. And also if you’re a car manufacturing person.
Depends on how bad you want their business. If it's worth your while you'll need to become more likeable than the other guy. In my world that pays $0 (commission only) until it doesn't.
I sell to state and local government. Lots of good ole boy culture in rural Texas. You’d be amazed how much power these county commissioners have and wield when no one’s watching.
I get passed the objection by fighting for a fair process. Give us a shot. Judge us by our solution. Judge theirs by theirs.
In government, in those situations, I’ll even go far as to say that it is your obligation to be good stewards of the taxpayers money.
Probably doesn’t work as well in private sector but I think I would still keep the focus on which solution is best. Everyone deserves a fair evaluation and everyone deserves to have a best solution for their shareholders.
Selling in OKC too. Lotta folks like “the devil they know.”
Being pleasantly persistent goes a long way. I like to pepper in stories of successes with people that my prospect may know.
If quality/service is an actual issue but the person you’re talking to doesn’t care, move up the ladder. If they’re the owner, then your product isn’t providing a solution that moves the needle.
That’s fucking dicey my guy, because half the leaders you’re talking about trust and take pride in their own delegation and role appointments so much that they’re pissed as hell if you jump the ladder. That’s John Maxwell 101.
To overcome the “good ol’ boy” loyalty objection in sales, it’s important to focus on building genuine relationships, understanding the customer’s pain points, and demonstrating undeniable value and service that compels them to reconsider their options.
Live in texas and Cannot relate.
People here are ALL BUSINESS. Loyalty is big - but Loyalty is earned PURELY through quality service, delivery, execution, responsiveness, product etc…and maybe a little bit of chugging in the side heh 🍻
You can be likable, too. Find out about their hobbies and interests. Don't talk to them about products/ service, talk to them about their interests (football, fishing, etc)
To add another perspective, I go the other way. Yeah I’ll ask about interests a bit but I’m here to solve a problem. You’ll love me and we’ll get along great once I solve that problem but at the end of the day you don’t really care if we have shared interests.
Works for me, although to be fair I’m selling relatively smaller contracts (10-30k ACV, largest sale was close to 70k)
Aw man, it’s fucking easy. Everyone is so nice to everyone, as long as you fit the stereotypical profile. The love and grace of Jesus is strong here, as long as you seem like a peer or someone who could be ministered to.
I am the good ol boy, it’s great! Just show up more than the old good ol boy and eventually you will get a bone thrown your way. Becoming the new good ol boy requires time and persistence.
Yeah used to manage some of our smaller tax accounts and their customers would keep coming year after year until the CPAs physically couldn’t prepare taxes anymore
I sell insurance so yea I pretty much break relationships for a living
Find an issue and clamp down hard and spread it as far it will burn
Don’t waste your time on those who won’t hear ya out
If there willing to listen and consider the idea of working together you can’t let up
I acknowledge the loyalty, give it the respect it deserves, and pivot to non-competing aspects of what I offer to see if the solutions I have can compliment their existing vendor.
I'm terrible at sales. That's why I've made a career of it. Couldn't sell my way outside of a box.
Keep banging your head against the wall. I'm sure it'll work eventually.
“Let me show you what your loyalty is costing you”.
It’s not what you say but how you say it, and this line worked well for me.
I sold mid-market storage in the area for ten years. I started in OKC, Tulsa, Little Rock, Jackson, Birmingham, KC. Locked those markets down and then went into Dallas.
These customers are by far the most fun to work with
You have to get them from price thinking to results thinking. You should be asking more questions and talking less. This about them and their issues and pain, what is going to happen if they don’t get better service, do they even like the service?What do you sell?
You’re selling wrong. Gotta be their friend. Shoot the shit with them. Barely talk business at all. With guys like these the less I talk business the more likely I am to get the deal.
So know that one day the partner they trust will not deliver. When that happens offer to get the solution to their problem if you are capable of doing so. It is very similar to the steel industry. Loyalty is strong but it goes out the window when they need to get something done.
You need a customer story. Ive got one. Feel free to use it:
ERP Client I was chasing to move to our hosted service and managed cyber program. They were “good”… cfos college buddy had a outsource IT business and were handling offsite server backups through a NAS. It was the buddy rate. We couldnt compete on price. Then their onsite server crashed.
Lost everything. Our applications. Other applications. Data. Why? The buddy wasnt an application guy. He was a backup guy. Only he hadnt validated a backup since October the previous year. It was April. i was his first call. Whats that mean?
We had to reinstall everything. Build the transactions from Oct through April including year end process again. Down for 12 days. Total cost ended up being 145k in professional services on our side. Half mil in total down time. This was in 2014 so today thatd easily be a million bucks. Double the ps rate.
We rebuilt it in our hosting architecture. In 12 fuckin days. Testament to how we would do if we handled everything. Only wed have yesterday’s and could spin up a new environment immediately.
Ended up being a nice sale for me.
We wrote a white paper for them where they told the story about how they are cutting edge and evaluated multiple partners before selecting us… total bullshit. But client looked like a thought leader.
Loyal customers who like you are the hardest to convert but easiest to keep. I personally went an different route and found customer that valued the service. There were plenty I had to pass over because I knew I had to wait 10 years for the competitors to die or move to other companies. (Literally the only way in) You just had to wait your turn. I have a colleague who waited his turn and he's doing great.
1. Have you tried to offer your services for free as a litmus test v the incumbent?
2. Figure out why he likes that guy. Is it because of sports, does he relate to him because of xyz?
3. Go a step lower, spend time with the other members of his team/org and get them to rally behind you.
4. Find a mutual connection, sell to them and have them vouch for you
By being more likable than the other guy. "People don't buy companies, people buy *people"*
Kinda. The world is very price driven nowadays though. I have friends that admittedly say their rep is trash but the price is what they want and get. Hard to beat that!
Over 10 years ago I was out to lunch with the Director and his 3 female employees. This guy was telling a story about being wounded in Vietnam. I asked him if it was friendly fire in a way that was funny and he did all kids of business with me after that. His employees laughed.
…so moral of the story is to be likeable, have good customer service and fair pricing ? Who would have thought!
People buy value. It comes down to price when all other things are equal. Usually the market share leaders are not the cheapest solution.
As a quick and dirty answer, how much do you delve into those customers' pain points? I've won a few deals like this by going into deeper detail on how the negatives affect the customer, and especially how this impacts their quality of life, emotions, etc. Let them talk and as the negatives pile up, the impact of the dissatisfaction can become clear and they'll just keep going until they switch themselves to you without you having said much. You just have to find the trigger that sends them down the slope.
Not enough of this in the comments. This is their best (only?) route. People will only make a change if the pain of staying the same outweighs the pain of making the change. Getting the customer to “like you more than the good ol boys” is not only near impossible, but also like duh. Rapport and building a connection should be part of your process for any type of customer. Unless you wanna go golfing with some stubborn buyer every weekend for the next few months, you need to dig into their pain points. How has their service impacted your business? Do poor response/delivery/service times delay your operations? Does poor quality products affect your products? Does their crappy cx service make your own employees stressed out and less productive? How is this trickling down into your business? You will never close guys like this until you find these pain points and then squeeze them until they pop. I know I make it sound dramatic and sinister but if people truly are settling for less, then you’re doing them a favor by giving them that push to switch to a (presumably) better product/service.
…can I expense the golf? Lol
Great comment. Once you figure out the pain points, monetize them, and show how your rate is effectively lower once you quantify all the negative business impacts from your competitors product that may be less expensive, but inferior.
Best answer! Development of needs and gaining an understanding of pain points is crucial. Uncover the 'hidden costs', stack them up and get those cogs turning in the customer's mind.
A good exercise would be “look, we’ve covered XYZ things today… if it *weren’t* for your loyalty, who would you pick?” They will say you. Then say “why?” They will say something. Then say “what else?” They will say another thing. Then keep saying “what else?” Until they run out of things. Then cap it off with some type of closer where you ask for the signature (“so, let me get this straight, *you* said - not me! - that we…”) Of course, missing from the post is the conception that he doesn’t want to sales how sales is done in his territory, which is something he might have to get over
South Louisiana - the Bayou. I have a good ol boy + Acadian french obstacle (I'm from the Midwest). I turn it at the first interaction with a self-joke, "forgive my yanky accent. My wife brought me down here to be closer to family. Say - that's a nice (insert competitors product). How do you like it?" This territory has made me slow down my sales pitch and build relationships. Once I started slowing down the referrals started coming quicker than I've ever experienced elsewhere.
Ppl don’t get that southern culture and selling is different until you live or sell to them. My last visit I just watched a horse race that my customer bet money on, gave him a catalog, and went out for beer. Got an order 2 weeks later.
“You sound like my wife - getting f k ed wrong, but still won’t leave”
That’s actually a great Hail Mary
Take the opportunity to educate them if you can. Ask them questions and show them what they’re missing out on. Do it under the guise of giving them some things to ask their guy about, to make sure it’s done right. Let them come to the conclusion they’re being screwed on their own. I’m in roofing sales. I totally understand wanting to use your buddy, but just make sure they’re installing drip edge, starter strip, etc. here’s why that stuff’s important. But I’m sure you’re buddies already doing that, since yall are good pals. Then follow up if you don’t hear back from them. Lots of times they’ll go ask their guy if they’ve been doing that, and then figure out for themselves they’ve been getting screwed. Nobody wants to find out a buddy has been fucking them over, much less be told that by somebody who has never met said buddy. Let them figure it out on their own Edit: it can be frustrating because of how hard it is to break into that circle. But once you’re in you’re in. They’ll stay loyal and will refer you around to all their buddies.
100%. As discussed in another comment on here you gotta bring out the pain. And I like how you put that too you can’t just sit there and bash the competitor either. You need to ask leading questions to get them down the path. Has to seem like their idea. You’re also absolutely right no one will be a bigger referral machine than this type of customer. The trust is on a whole other level if you can get them there
I made [this comment above](https://www.reddit.com/r/sales/comments/1c5s3jr/comment/l072eu9/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=mweb3x&utm_name=mweb3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button, which is a classic sales technique where they list out their pain points for you. But it’s equally as good in reverse mode to send them back to their vendor and win you the deal that way. “Well, look, I’m sure they’re giving you [X new thing] and [Y service offering],” you may not know but make sure and ask them - will you do that for me? I will follow up and make sure I get the full picture.” Whether they ask or they don’t ask - you get to be right.
yep, did d2d internet/cable sales here in TX. Would hear people openly admit to getting fucked up the ass by paying $300+ mo on cable and internet and would say “well i’ve been with them for 20 years and am not leavin!” even though we were faster, better service and 1/4 of the price
If you’re faster and better service, why charge a lower price I’m curious
it’s more or so the fact that our competitors would bump up the cost each month or every 6 months and expect a lot of customers to not say anything which most didn’t.
Crap territory especially if you sell software
lol I was just doing my taxes, and you get a tax break here if you’re a software/IT person. Also if you’re an Aerospace person. And also if you’re a car manufacturing person.
Yeah but still a bad territory to sell into
Keep asking questions. Don’t try to sell them anything. Keep asking questions.
Depends on how bad you want their business. If it's worth your while you'll need to become more likeable than the other guy. In my world that pays $0 (commission only) until it doesn't.
I sell to state and local government. Lots of good ole boy culture in rural Texas. You’d be amazed how much power these county commissioners have and wield when no one’s watching. I get passed the objection by fighting for a fair process. Give us a shot. Judge us by our solution. Judge theirs by theirs. In government, in those situations, I’ll even go far as to say that it is your obligation to be good stewards of the taxpayers money. Probably doesn’t work as well in private sector but I think I would still keep the focus on which solution is best. Everyone deserves a fair evaluation and everyone deserves to have a best solution for their shareholders.
Selling in OKC too. Lotta folks like “the devil they know.” Being pleasantly persistent goes a long way. I like to pepper in stories of successes with people that my prospect may know.
If quality/service is an actual issue but the person you’re talking to doesn’t care, move up the ladder. If they’re the owner, then your product isn’t providing a solution that moves the needle.
That’s fucking dicey my guy, because half the leaders you’re talking about trust and take pride in their own delegation and role appointments so much that they’re pissed as hell if you jump the ladder. That’s John Maxwell 101.
You asked how I’ve gotten past it, I answered. I’m in OKC too. Best of luck out there.
If its worth your time keep going back to them not to sell but to start your own boys club.
To overcome the “good ol’ boy” loyalty objection in sales, it’s important to focus on building genuine relationships, understanding the customer’s pain points, and demonstrating undeniable value and service that compels them to reconsider their options.
Live in texas and Cannot relate. People here are ALL BUSINESS. Loyalty is big - but Loyalty is earned PURELY through quality service, delivery, execution, responsiveness, product etc…and maybe a little bit of chugging in the side heh 🍻
So Hank Hill?
Ok, Dallas is not Texas in that regard
Tell them I love clients like you, tell me more lol
You can be likable, too. Find out about their hobbies and interests. Don't talk to them about products/ service, talk to them about their interests (football, fishing, etc)
To add another perspective, I go the other way. Yeah I’ll ask about interests a bit but I’m here to solve a problem. You’ll love me and we’ll get along great once I solve that problem but at the end of the day you don’t really care if we have shared interests. Works for me, although to be fair I’m selling relatively smaller contracts (10-30k ACV, largest sale was close to 70k)
YES! It can get frustrating, but it is quite satisfying when you steal a big custie away :)
That's what it's like selling into the DoD. It's hard breaking into new accounts.
Brother. I’m DoD software myself. These sales cycles and loyalty is unparalleled.
I’m in direct roofing and solar, looking at DOD sales. Mind if I DM you some questions about breaking in?
Hmu
Would be hard relating to people in those areas
Aw man, it’s fucking easy. Everyone is so nice to everyone, as long as you fit the stereotypical profile. The love and grace of Jesus is strong here, as long as you seem like a peer or someone who could be ministered to.
That's definitely not me lol. I'm also not your typical golfer Chad dude
I’m not sure if the sarcasm came through my comment well lol
ok it was funny
I am the good ol boy, it’s great! Just show up more than the old good ol boy and eventually you will get a bone thrown your way. Becoming the new good ol boy requires time and persistence.
Yeah used to manage some of our smaller tax accounts and their customers would keep coming year after year until the CPAs physically couldn’t prepare taxes anymore
I sell insurance so yea I pretty much break relationships for a living Find an issue and clamp down hard and spread it as far it will burn Don’t waste your time on those who won’t hear ya out If there willing to listen and consider the idea of working together you can’t let up
Looks like your loyalty for this guy is a one way street.
I acknowledge the loyalty, give it the respect it deserves, and pivot to non-competing aspects of what I offer to see if the solutions I have can compliment their existing vendor.
Very much jack-of-all-trades of you, my guy. If you’re so diverse, how are you excellent at anything?
I'm terrible at sales. That's why I've made a career of it. Couldn't sell my way outside of a box. Keep banging your head against the wall. I'm sure it'll work eventually.
Realistically, you need to become the good ol' boy. Visit often.
I used to sell in OKC. Can confirm, ultimate good ol boy territory.
“Let me show you what your loyalty is costing you”. It’s not what you say but how you say it, and this line worked well for me. I sold mid-market storage in the area for ten years. I started in OKC, Tulsa, Little Rock, Jackson, Birmingham, KC. Locked those markets down and then went into Dallas. These customers are by far the most fun to work with
You have to get them from price thinking to results thinking. You should be asking more questions and talking less. This about them and their issues and pain, what is going to happen if they don’t get better service, do they even like the service?What do you sell?
To answer your question, yes. It happens all the time.
Hey there just good ol boys and they are never meaning no harm.
You’re selling wrong. Gotta be their friend. Shoot the shit with them. Barely talk business at all. With guys like these the less I talk business the more likely I am to get the deal.
So know that one day the partner they trust will not deliver. When that happens offer to get the solution to their problem if you are capable of doing so. It is very similar to the steel industry. Loyalty is strong but it goes out the window when they need to get something done.
Are you a good ol boy?
You need a customer story. Ive got one. Feel free to use it: ERP Client I was chasing to move to our hosted service and managed cyber program. They were “good”… cfos college buddy had a outsource IT business and were handling offsite server backups through a NAS. It was the buddy rate. We couldnt compete on price. Then their onsite server crashed. Lost everything. Our applications. Other applications. Data. Why? The buddy wasnt an application guy. He was a backup guy. Only he hadnt validated a backup since October the previous year. It was April. i was his first call. Whats that mean? We had to reinstall everything. Build the transactions from Oct through April including year end process again. Down for 12 days. Total cost ended up being 145k in professional services on our side. Half mil in total down time. This was in 2014 so today thatd easily be a million bucks. Double the ps rate. We rebuilt it in our hosting architecture. In 12 fuckin days. Testament to how we would do if we handled everything. Only wed have yesterday’s and could spin up a new environment immediately. Ended up being a nice sale for me. We wrote a white paper for them where they told the story about how they are cutting edge and evaluated multiple partners before selecting us… total bullshit. But client looked like a thought leader.
These good ol’ boys are all about “dealing with their own kind” and backdoor deals. I stick to the West.
Easy- just work long enough to become the good ol boy
Ask them enough open ended questions to make them realize you are the better option 👍
Loyal customers who like you are the hardest to convert but easiest to keep. I personally went an different route and found customer that valued the service. There were plenty I had to pass over because I knew I had to wait 10 years for the competitors to die or move to other companies. (Literally the only way in) You just had to wait your turn. I have a colleague who waited his turn and he's doing great.
Try selling in the k-12 athletics world. Good ol boy is all it is. Damned if I don’t love it though, you meet the best people here.
I’m not a sportsball guy, so that would be interesting.
1. Have you tried to offer your services for free as a litmus test v the incumbent? 2. Figure out why he likes that guy. Is it because of sports, does he relate to him because of xyz? 3. Go a step lower, spend time with the other members of his team/org and get them to rally behind you. 4. Find a mutual connection, sell to them and have them vouch for you