In most business models, the sales department is fixated on selling. The problem with this approach is that people no longer want to be sold. They want to be educated on how a product or service will benefit them. It’s not that there isn’t a place for sales anymore, it’s just that consumer needs have shifted. Purchasers today value education on the products and services they’re looking at over a traditional sales pitch.
Keep these strategies in mind:
- People want to buy, so remove the sales wall, especially any forms or language soliciting the consumer to “contact me to request quote.” This is especially important for smaller businesses making smaller sales deals. When it comes to your offering, work with the customer to make sure they understand the value your product or service provides. You don’t want people to buy your product who don’t really need it and won’t benefit from it.
- Today’s buyers know a lot more about the market than they did 10 years ago. They come in with their own well-defined perceptions and knowledge about what they need. As a result, the chances of “selling” them on something are virtually non-existent. Be frank with your customers and acknowledge that they are coming in with their own pre-determined ideas of your products and services. Work with them to enhance their understanding of the value of your offering, rather than attempting to influence them to make a purchase.
- Mind the increasing overlap between customer support and sales.There used to be a more defined hand-off between the two but now both customer support and sales need to be aligned on where the consumer is at in the sales cycle at all times in order to provide the best possible service. Focus on educating and providing support all the way through the selling process until the very end when they are ready to buy. That is when the salesperson should enter. Even then, their role isn’t to make the sale but rather to guide the buyer through the purchasing process.
