Is the day of closing sales with features and benefits over?
With terms like consultative selling, insight selling and value selling… what’s a mother to do???
There has been real value in all of the various sales models over the years. But when you add it all up, there are some simple things that must be in place for any sales professional to make a living. And regardless of the model, that never changes.
Be Likeable: Without great people skills, you are eventually dead in the water. People will do business with and refer business to people they know, like and trust. Exceptions to this rule are generally only temporary due to circumstances. And if you are the exception – you would be well advised to become more of a people person before your circumstances change.
Work Harder Than Others: Working a little bit harder than those in your peer group will make an outstanding difference in the eyes of your potential customers.
Have A Great Attitude: Stop whining and fussing about anything. Notice, I did not say about everything – although that applies as well. My point is that you should absolutely be set apart by the simple fact that you do not join in the crowd that feels the need to share your observation about what is wrong with the industry, your company or the world. Don’t be a critic. Be a solution.
Develop Your Business Acumen: You must be a resource for your clients about your industry, their industry and running a business. Read great resources so you may become a great resource.
Stack The Value For Your Client: Stop the transactional sales process in your company. With the availability of information about your product or service that is so widespread today – your client already knows the good and bad of your company and your product. So find ways to add value to your client above and beyond the transaction. Then become excellent in communicating that value.
Ask Great Questions: Know, to the best of your ability, the challenges that your potential client faces and how your product or service may be able to help. Then develop great questions that get your prospect to share that information – as well as additional concerns that you may know. Then have a game plan on how to help them find solutions to their issues.
When you are a nice, hard working person with a great attitude – who has developed strong business acumen that is helpful to your potential customer – who has asked great questions that allowed that potential customer to lay out what is important to them, and you have stacked the value equation heavily in their favor…
then… you may sell features and benefits.
QUESTION: Which of these areas give you the most challenge?
Recent Comments