by Brian Sullivan

A key fundamental in PRECISE Selling is saying only words that will advance the sale and no more. It means knowing not to use a bunker buster bomb when all it will take is a sling shot. The reason we use only enough is because our ability to say less will help us say more. Think about it. When somebody is selling to you and pounds you with too much information, do you have a tendency to shut down? And when this happens, isn’t it difficult to remember what the salesperson even said? But when they give you just enough to educate and excite you (and no more), aren’t you more satisfied? It’s like eating a bag of candy. Butterfingers Christmas in Connecticut was delightful at age 8, as an extended family consisting of over 35 cousins would gather to celebrate. The year was 1976 and the Christmas day party was hopping. As a large Irish Catholic family, the parents had no problem throwing back a little booze to celebrate the festive occasion. Well, at age 8, I was a little too young to dabble in the Guinness, but I knew my time would come. Meanwhile, Butterfingers were my vice. I could not get enough of them … so I thought. At 2 p.m. on Christmas day in 1976, my cousin Matt and I made our trek through six backyards, over two fences, through three alleys and wound up at Cavanaugh’s Convenience Store. Man, did Mr. Cav. have a candy selection! Instead of wasting my time browsing over the Almond Joys, $100,000 Bars, and Tootsie Rolls, I made my way straight to the Butterfingers. At first I just grabbed one, then realizing it was Christmas, I changed my mind. “What the heck Mr. Cav, give me a whole bag of bite size Butterfingers,” I said. Well, he did. After that first bite, I was in pure ecstasy, and the smell of Christmas in the air made my Butterfinger that much better. As I took my second bite, I looked at my full bag of candy with conviction, fully aware of the daunting task ahead of me. As I wrapped my chocolate stained chapped lips around the second Butterfinger, time stood still. Could number two actually be
better than number one? Yes. And never mind number three. Maybe my taste buds were sleeping during the first two, because this “Finger” was awe-inspiring. I could hardly wait for numbers four, five, six and seven. 

However, two bites into number seven, something strange
began to happen. My stomach began to reject the seventh Butterfinger like a human body rejects a donor organ. Fight through it, Sullivan! You can do it! 

Now Butterfingers are some tasty candy bars. They’re all crunchity,
peanut buttery, and chocolaty and go great on ice cream. But
scientific research shows there is a law of diminishing returns as it relates to the Butterfinger. After seven, my teeth had turned completely black, and I looked like I had camouflaged my face with milk chocolate. As I took my second bite, my stomach locked up and it felt as if somebody had put a car jack underneath the back of my tongue. What was happening? Well, it seemed the family of seven Butterfingers would have rather spent Christmas day on the concrete surface of Fern Street than in the warm cozy confines of my stomach (in short, I threw up). Since that day, these chapped lips have never touched another Butterfinger. I learned my lesson that too much of a good thing can be really bad. Had I only stopped after number three, I would still be eating Butterfingers today. And think of all the enjoyment I have missed without the extra 25 pounds. What a shame! PRECISE sales reps don’t
let their prospects get sick When presenting your solution, look at your features and benefits as Butterfingers. Give your prospect only what they need, and no more. Instead, leave them in pure ecstasy and longing for more. Make them so excited about those three Butterfingers that they can’t wait to sink their teeth into them. Don’t make the mistake of the average sales rep that keeps feeding the prospect with Butterfingers until they get to number seven and make them sick. If it takes seven to make them satisfied, great! But keep asking after each Butterfinger how your prospect is feeling. And when they get that big smile on their face, stop feeding them and move toward the final agreement. Don’t be surprised if they enjoy your sales candy so much, they keep coming back to the store for more!