Читать книгу Elite Sales Strategies - Anthony Iannarino - Страница 23

There are a few common mistakes when flexing your One-Upness, and we might as well get the biggest one out of the way before we move forward. The worst possible thing you can do when using the One-Up strategy is to come off as arrogant. You want to avoid being a know-it-all and instead be seen as someone who knows a lot in this specific area. You don't want your client to think that you believe you are somehow superior to them as a human being. The human beings you call on don't ever need to feel as if they are One-Down outside of the decision you are helping them make. If you are an Alpha, any hint of arrogance is going to be treated as a challenge by another Alpha. It is also going to be recognized by non-Alphas as desperation to be important. The best way to execute this strategy is to recognize that you are One-Up in the areas where you have more knowledge and experience than your client, while they are One-Up in a dozen or more areas where you are One-Down. It's humbling, I know.

Treat everyone as if they are smart but lacking some information that you can offer them to improve their decision-making and better future outcomes. One of the ways to soften your approach is to ask for permission to share ideas with your clients, ensuring that you don't poke the ego of someone who is used to being in a dominant position. You might also ask your contact to share their perspective with you, something that acknowledges their authority. Remember, you are equals.

The greatest risk to your success with this approach is to believe that you can learn nothing from your client to understand how best to serve them—and your future clients. A large factor that makes you One-Up is how much you have learned from your clients. Those who wish to teach should start by committing to learn. You must recognize when you need to be One-Up, as well as when you are—and need to be—One-Down. You better occupy the space of One-Up by descending to the One-Down position when someone else is One-Up and can help you see something that was unavailable to you. You are going to need to become an expert to maintain the One-Up position where you know more than your clients. Your client is in the One-Up position when they are sharing with you how things work in their company. In this case, your One-Down position allows you to take in new information that will be critically important to you later, when you find yourself One-Up again.