Salespeople have always been taught how to sell:
- Methodologies, Techniques
- “Closes”, Selling Systems
- Cold Calling Scripts, Open Questioning
- Presentations Skills, White boarding
But all of this is useless if someone doesn’t want to buy or is afraid to buy, can’t make a decision to buy or doesn’t like or trust the person he or she is buying from.
Rather than selling, take a look at buying. Would you rather know how to sell, or would you rather know why people buy? I agree that relationship building, questioning skills, networking and presentation skills are all part of the “selling process,” but understanding buying motives are much more powerful than selling skills.
Typical buying motives may be driven by:
- How much money do I have?
- How much of a risk will I have to take to make the purchase?
- Will it work when I get it home?
- Will this suit my office environment?
- Will this improve my life?
- Will this make my processes more streamlined?
- Will this increase productivity in my business?
- Will this make me more competitive?
Think about when and how you buy. When you decide that you need something, you go out and search for it. If your motive is strong enough, no-one can change your mind about the purchase. Your emotions are driving your motives and your logic will justify the reasons. Your head may be looking at the price, but your emotions are saying – I’ll pay anything to get what I want. Whether your emotions win, or your logic wins can often be controlled by your underlying personality type – some people see logic, some people look at the possibilities.
So, how do you know if your customer is emotional or logical in their buying motives? Very simply – you ask them!
Many popular selling methodologies have made the selling process so complex, that salespeople have lost the fundamental art of communication and often forget to simple ask questions. All salespeople want a ‘crystal ball’ to help them understand their customer – but all you need to do is to ask, ask, ask! Ask: why, what, who, how…just try it and experience the difference in your sales success.
If you don’t ask those questions and uncover the customers’ real needs and their motive to buy – someone else will !
As a Business Sales Coach I will help overcome your fears and gain the courage to succeed!