Most people hate being sold to, but we all love to buy, writes Geoff Pritchard. So how do we turn a selling opportunity into a buying experience for clients?
Cast your mind back to your last major purchasing experience. What was it that made that experience a success or a failure for you?
Very often we consider the greatest trait of a sales person as being someone who is able to “talk”, but in reality the evidence is that the most successful salespeople are those that can listen and respond. So are we confusing outstanding “speaking” ability with outstanding “communication” ability?
Most people hate being sold to, but we all love to buy – so how do we turn a selling opportunity into a buying experience?
Let’s go back to our question and thinking about our last major purchase experience. If the transaction was successful for both you and for them, the chances are that the following three things occurred:
- The salesperson clearly established your ‘buying criteria’, let’s call that ‘B’;
- The salesperson was able to clearly enunciate their ‘value proposition’, let’s call that ‘V’;
- The salesperson was able to provide evidence or substantiation from others about their experience with the seller, let’s call that ‘S’.
So there we have it, the ‘BVS’ approach to selling and guess what, we’re no longer talking about selling, we’re talking now about buying! If we look a little deeper into ‘BVS’, we can see how this actually works and how a selling opportunity becomes a very natural opportunity to meet the buying needs of the person that is sitting in front of you.
Let’s break these down a little further.
1. The sales person clearly established your ‘Buying Criteria’, let’s call that ‘B’. Buying criteria is the information that establishes the need for the delivery of value:
- What is the pain you want your client to feel?
- What emotional connection do you want to make?
- What information can you provide that establishes the need for the delivery of your value?
Asking the right questions initially positions you as a leader and an educator, not a product flogger. This builds credibility and a position of authority which is the ultimate position to commence the presentation of your offer.
2. The sales person was able to clearly enunciate their ‘Value Proposition’, let’s call that ‘V’. Customers don’t want you to sell them things:
- Don’t sell me clothes, sell me neat appearance, style and attractiveness;
- Don’t sell me furniture, sell me a home that has comfort, style and contentment;
- Don’t sell me candy, sell me happiness and pleasure of taste;
- Don’t sell me books, sell me pleasant hours and the promise and prospect of knowledge;
- Don’t sell me toys, sell me play things to make my children happy.
Don’t sell me things, sell me ideas, time, feelings, safety, confidence, security, home life, satisfaction, happiness, savings. The markets may have moved, but people’s long-term objectives have not … minimise taxes, raise kids, enjoy holidays, fund a happy retirement, feel secure.
3. The salesperson was able to provide evidence or substantiation from others about their experience with the seller, let’s call that ‘S’.
Substantiation is the evidence that your proposition has value. Talking about yourself is boasting, getting someone else to talk about you is endorsement – that is why client testimonies and referral business are so powerful, particularly if that testimony or endorsement is by someone of high profile and/or known to your prospective client.
So next time you have the opportunity to add value to a prospective client, think ‘BVS’!
Check out www.gitomer.com for more tips.
