Three Sides of the Bread
Early into my sales career, I was told that there were 3 levels of relationships between salesperson and client/prospect:
- Salesperson - You don’t have a name. You are just the guy that leaves voice mails asking for an appointment.
- Vendor - You got the business, but you are just the guy that takes the order.
- Trusted Advisor - This was the highest level - where your client viewed you as part of his inner circle.
Over the past few years, I have discovered another level above Trusted Advisor. In our consulting and workshops, we call this “Relationship Broker”. This is essentially where you begin to create relationships amongst your various contacts through introductions - especially between your customers. This gives you tremendous influence; well beyond just being an advisor.
Recently, I have realized that there is a Level 5. Like “Relationship Broker” this level has been there the entire team - I just didn’t see it. This level is called “Deal Maker”. It is one thing to introduce two people and see a relationship form (and possible business come from it). It is entirely another to use your Level 4 skills and contacts to bring deals to your relationships. For lack of a better term, this is “Big Boy” sales - high-level deal making that, as a good friend puts it, “butters three sides of the bread”.
Level 5 has a delicate balance between integrity and negotiation. Integrity is required in maintaining good relationships (Level 4), while negotiation skills are required to bring the deal together. I am priviledged to know several Level 5 people and am eager to learn more from them.