As drivers, we understand the “blind spot” to be that precarious position of a vehicle in the adjoining lane that makes it difficult for us to see it. The blind spot is dangerous and one of the leading causes of driving accidents.

In the world of professional sales, the blind spot represents information known to the customer but not to the sales professional; it’s the area in which there is still a lot the sales professional doesn’t know about the customer’s needs, wants, attitudes and motivations. This is also dangerous, to the health of our customer relationships and sales effectiveness. Anytime we receive customer feedback that surprises us, unexpectedly lose a customer or find ourselves facing a competitor we didn’t see coming, we are feeling the effects of mental blind spots surrounding our customer.

Do you suffer from customer blind spots?

When two people meet and share knowledge and information, they create common ground, which is the basis for any relationship. In sales, this requires a sustained balance between sharing information about us and our products and services and exploring for insight from the customer. Persistent blind spots in your customer relationships may indicate that you are functioning too heavily from your own perspective or “odds are,” talking too much and not listening or observing enough to understand your customers and uncover their needs and motivations.

There is a cure…

Fortunately, customer blind spots needn’t be a chronic problem. Engaging effective exploratory practices with customers will minimize your blind spots and uncover the insights that keep you in preferred position and fully aware of your customers’ needs, concerns, objections, goals and motivations.

For more information on the Exploratory Process and other proven sales processes and skill development, visit Carew’s Dimensions of Professional Selling (DPS) sales training program page.