Hardwood Floors December 2017/January 2018

What Gets in the Way of Selling Value? (Continued)

Every salesperson has experienced the “No, I’m good” objection. Salespeople will visit a new opportunity (project or o ce) and ask the buyer, “Hey, do you need anything today?” Buyers typically respond by saying “No, I’m good.” In this familiar scenario, the buyer sees no need to change. A be er question will help buyers discover their needs. Questions should focus on key areas of concern for the buyer. ese key areas include the buyer’s long-term goals, key project objectives, and concerns. ese sample questions will keep the focus on the buyer’s needs: • What are your long-term goals for this project? • What is important to you when making this decision? • What concerns do you have about this project? Each question reveals important information about buyers’ needs and wants. ese questions help steer the conversation down a path of value, not price. Deep listening Deep listening is more than hearing words. Deep listening only happens by ignoring previous assumptions and entering a conversation with an open mind. Salespeople o en listen for advantage. Salespeople hear things that t their agenda. Buyers recognize this behavior and shut down. Buyers are less open to salespeople with an agenda. In Peter Senge’s book, Fi h Discipline , he writes about the importance of listening and dialogue. Dialogue is a discussion between people to explore a topic or resolve a problem. It’s a free ow of information. For dialogue to exist, all participants must be open and honest. If we enter a dialogue with an agenda, buyers will be less open. Sell the big three Buyers have needs, wants, and fears – the big three. Needs re ect objective buying criteria. Needs state quality and service requirements; these include product speci cations, logistics concerns, and nancial interests. Wants and fears re ect subjective buying criteria; these are personal. Wants include ease of use, greater support, and safe alternatives. Fears are things to avoid; they include backorders, unsafe products, or nancial risk. Needs are rational. Wants are emotional. Your strategy is to ask questions that help you understand rational and emotional buying criteria and then listen fully. Draw out the big three – needs, wants, and fears. When it is time to present your ideas, sell buyers what they need, give them what they want, and help them avoid their greatest fears. en, you will be selling the right thing to the right person for all of the right reasons. e buyer’s need is the focal point of Value-Added Selling. e focus is on the customer and his or her needs, not on the salesperson and his or her agenda. e buyer’s needs aren’t always obvious. Observing the buyer, asking the right questions, and listening will reveal the buyer’s needs. Never meet with a buyer assuming you know their needs. Talk with the customer and listen to his or her challenges. Deep listening is the key to understanding the buyer’s needs. Epictetus, the Greek philosopher, said it best, “We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.”

Paul Reilly is president of Reilly Sales Training, a St. Louis-based, privately owned company that specializes in training sales professionals, sales managers, and service professionals. Reilly Sales Training offers public seminars, in-house sales training programs, and hiring and training assessments. For additional information on training programs, call or email Paul at 636.778.0175 or paul@reillysalestraining.com. You can also visit reillysalestraining.com and sign up for his free newsletter.

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