Before you start any sales conversation ask yourself one question:
“What’s my intent?”
If your intent is to discover how you might be able to add value to this person’s situation, then you’re miles ahead of the herd.
Without getting this correct mindset firmly fixed in your thought process you can quickly end up focusing on you, your objectives, your product, or service and losing a ton of sales.
Why is it that so many salespeople are stuck in these old salesy patterns?
Because it takes development to level up your skills and be comfortable having a business focused conversation. Unfortunately, many only want to stay in their comfort zone, choosing to talk only about their products or services.
Recently, speaking with many senior sales leaders this is the one key area they want their people to develop.
The ability to have these higher-level business conversations where they can identify challenges and opportunities and add real value, allowing them to work in partnership with customers.
One way to rapidly improve your conversations is to take an hour as a team and whiteboard all the issues you solve for your clients.
These problems and challenges are the ones faced daily by your ideal buyers.
Do you think including these areas as topics in your discovery meetings would be something that would peak a prospect’s interest?
Sure, it would…from the start you show yourself as a person who is comfortable and experienced dealing with their challenging situation.
Secondly, make a list of your differentiators – then simply look at the list of issues you solve and determine what makes you and your company the best alternative to resolve these problems.
If you start with the right intent and demonstrate your expertise and value early, watch how sales resistance evaporates and you develop deeper meaningful engagement from your customers.
Dedicated to Your Sales Success
Peter
