All too often we forget what is actually our role when it comes to selling.
This is especially true when we’re in the business of selling services, because in essence we’re selling our expertise, which by design is hard to communicate to a non-expert.
Regardless of what we’re selling however, it is not about our expertise.
In fact, our expertise is what gets us a seat at the table.
Once we’ve been let through the door, our role as advisors is very straightforward.
Our role is to help people solve problems.
Plain and simple.
What most people tend to forget is that there is a person on the other side of the interaction.
More often than not, the sales process becomes all about peddling the product (or service), closing the deal and getting the signature on the dotted line, so we can move on the next lead and get the commission, the status and the praise.
What we forget is that unless we connect with the human being across from us, it doesn’t matter how amazing our product is.
In order to even get to the point where the customer will consider what we have to offer, we need to establish a human connection.
The quickest way to establish that connection, is to care about what the other person cares about.
What do most people care most about in a professional setting?
Their own success – they care about looking good to other people – their co-workers, their clients, their bosses and their boss’ boss.
We care about putting food on our table for our family and looking good in the eyes of our loved ones.
What this means then, is that the better we can make our clients look to the people they care about, the more they’ll appreciate us and what we do for them.
The problem however, is that we lose sight of this because we’re too busy explaining how wonderful our solution is and what it does, instead of explaining the problem it can solve for the client.
Thankfully there is a way out of this conundrum, and it involves asking the right questions, such as:
- Who am I selling to?
- What do they care about?
- What are they trying to achieve?
- How can I help make that a reality?
- What stands in the way of what they’re trying to achieve?
- Which barriers can I help to remove?
When you answer these questions, you’ll have a directionally accurate idea of how you can best help your customer.
And the more you help your customers, the better you’ll position yourself to create value.
And the more value you create the more, the more business you’ll win.
Simple as that.
So the question remains:
Have you made your client look good today?