Consultant or Old School?

You may be smiling because you may know salespeople today who do the same thing. Quite possibly I have described your way of selling your products or services. The one item that was not included in the salesperson’s bag of tricks was a consultative questionnaire, or at least a framework for finding out the client’s unique needs.

Are you old school or have you become a consultant to your clients? There are those who say it may depend on the product you are selling as to how a salesperson approaches the market. I beg to differ with that thought. People are people-each one of the prospects you approach wants to feel special and different from the last person with whom you met. Old school relationships were short lived. Repeat business was a second thought, not planned out before your first call with a client. Of course it is always easier to re-sell a person who has bought before, than it is to start a new relationship. So it makes sense to spend extra time doing homework in advance of the call and really taking your time to learn about the uniqueness of each and every business you plan to sell.

In addition to building deeper relationships which lead to easier renewals, you also build a list of clients who would gladly refer you to their friends who need your products or services.

So the next time your prospect gives you answers to the questions you ask, which may lead to a close, try biting your tongue until you absolutely make sure you know what their business is really all about. Then back that up with a proposal that meets their needs, and then, after all that, go for the close.

What are your challenges when it comes to consultative selling? I look forward to hearing your comments. Until next time…