Has your sales team ever experienced this situation? A member of your sales team walks into a meeting and asks a few questions. Then, once they believe the prospect is interested, the sales person immediately starts to sell the product or service without ever offering exact solutions to the prospect`s problem.
The prospect is confused as they contemplate a multitude of options, the sales person is frustrated, and the deal ultimately does not close.
By utilizing these 5 Tactics your sales team can understand the true needs of their prospects and avoid becoming the frustrated sales person:
- Find the prospects pain. Avoid becoming the frustrating seller. Every prospect has a specific problem and they are searching for a specific product to solve their ‘pain’ or problem. This pain impacts not only their business, but their personal life. By finding the impacts of the pain, a prospect can be guided toward a specific product, service, or package, as sales can be tailoring to a specific ‘pain’ and chance of a sale is increased.
- Look below the surface. Most prospect only reveal the apparent pains. A sales professional should search for the underlying problems. For example, if a prospect is struggling to increase their profits the effects on their personal life, becomes and inability to take time off to spend with their family or go on vacation. If a sales professional addresses the personal pain and explains how the solution can fix said personal pain, the chance of closing a deal increased.
- Level the playing field. Build a relationship with the prospect, by creating an open relationship based on equality. Never assume anything that the prospect has not said. If the prospect gives a loss or rise in sales and it is unclear if this number is high or low for their business, ask. It`s better to let the prospect know both parties have questions.
- Probe, do not immediately sell. The one of the first steps in the selling process is understanding the prospects pain. Listening to their answers carefully and follow up with related questions about their pains can aid in your understanding of the prospects dilemma, without giving away free consulting. The answers given by the prospect will help your sales team uncover what the prospect needs or wants, rather than making quick assumptions.
- Listen more. Just as much as a sales professional wants to sell, the prospect wants to be sold to. By listening to the pain of the prospect, the presentation can be tailored to the prospects pain, rather than focusing on the product like the frustrating sales person. No matter what your product, if the prospects pain is not addressed, the final sale will be impossible to make.
By understanding these 5 tactics, your sales team can avoid fatal mistakes in selling, leading to higher closing rates, better understanding of prospects and customers, and more open and satisfying customer relationships
