Image courtesy of Pixabay.com
How many times has a sales “professional” overwhelmed you with data about their product or service with sales pitches that include things like:
- “My product has this Feature which embodies this Advantage, which affords you this Benefit”
- “We’ve been in business for 15 years and are in three countries.”
- “We have provided this product for this another company in your line of business.”
And how may times, upon hearing such banter, have you said, “I can’t wait to buy from this person!” Probably never. More than likely you really thought, “I can’t wait for this pitch to end!” I just wish I was asked four times as many questions rather than them barraging me with data.
Let me explain.
These misguided salespeople are missing the basic yet effective sales strategy of Starting with Why. Starting with Why allows the salesperson to learn what the prospect needs, wants and values BEFORE overwhelming them with perhaps a misconceived notion of what that prospects wants to hear.
Some perfect examples of Starting with Why would be:
- “What brings you in today?”
- “Why would you want a widget or how would using something like this widget help you?”
- “I want to understand your needs first, as these widgets might not be a good fit for you.”
- “What are you trying to accomplish?”
How refreshing would that be?
Now it is certainly fine, upon listening to the customer, that a salesperson mentions that his clients have found value in this capability or that function; it is also important that the salesperson gives that prospect the opportunity to voice whether that is applicable to themselves.
It is also imperative that salespeople get a feel for their prospect’s communication style. If I am your prospect and I am visual learner, show me. If I am an auditory learner, tell me. And if I am kinesthetic learner, let me get a feel for it.
The overlying theme here is that successful salespeople are focused on your needs and how those needs impact you and your business, rather than focusing on selling you on their product or service.
If you want to win my business, stop selling and ask me about me and my business!
By Bob Dodge
