Now to the B2B Sales Superstars this is a know advantage for their sales process. So then the question comes back to you…
Are You Building a Solid Business Case for Your Potential Customer to Buy?
That is the key for your consistent and on-going b2b sales success. Unfortunately, I keep running into b2b sales people who do not use this critical foundation step with the key decision makers.
No, the poorly informed average b2b sales people rush into the presence of a key decision maker and begin doing a power point PRESENTATION. They do this before engaging the decision maker, asking business oriented questions, building interest with success stories with similar business issues and even scratching the surface of the business case.
These sales people start delivering a presentation about their company and then the balance of the presentation is about their products and services. But, they do it with enthusiasm! Really, they believe this old myth in using enthusiasm to entice interest in buying your product. Please, this is the twenty-first century – let’s get on the right program.
Your goal is to build a business case for change. Yes, change is the key ingredient for you to be able to build your business. You need the key decision maker to see the purpose for change and how well it matches the decision makers vision of the future.
For this process to work you will need to improve your b2b sales skills. No more “you” based presentations unless you want to fail. Learn to use the questioning model of selling as this will open a whole new world for you. Customers and decision makers will actually share critical information with you and sometimes actually call you for advice.
Building a business case is what will give you the credibility to advance the sales – without talking about your products or services. I realize this does not sound like selling based upon all your past sales training that focuses upon presenting and closing all the time.
Yet, this is what the research and the experience of the b2b sales superstars have shared with the world. Do everything you can to unlearn the automatic knee jerk traditional or old school push selling of products and services. It is time for the non-selling sale.
Today, you want to be a peer to the decision maker. This means discussing the critical issues facing the decision maker’s business. Sharing important information and business trends you have discovered from your research.
I have been told by many b2b sales people they don’t know how to find this type of information. If you can use a computer, then you are half way there.
Next step, go to Google.com and type into this search engine system “industry trends for whatever industry” you are selling today and watch the results. Then, take the issues you find and type the issues into the search engine. More information for your research and discussion points.
This afternoon I found a number of “pdf” reports and articles which I read and downloaded for one of my key potential customers. Using this type of information will increase your knowledge and understanding of how their business really works or the source of the issues the decision makers are talking about the most.
Have fun with the research, expand your knowledge and understanding and have a discussion with your key decision maker to show your breathe of knowledge. However, this is a time for asking questioning rather than presenting.
Notice a theme here? Do it and watch your sales success grow.
Voss Graham
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