Ants on the Picnic Table: What Buyers Know
Because of the internet, our clients are likely to be very well informed about an intended purchase before they ever see or talk to a salesperson. (Just think what you did over the vacation when you bought your holiday presents or your latest tech gadget.) Whether clients are looking for new financial software, marketing services, graphic designers, or tech equipment, you can bet they have been all over the web--like ants on a picnic table covered with spilled honey--comparing services, reading articles, and getting advice from chat groups and social media site friends. They do this to help them get smart about their intended purchase.
Pity the poor salesperson who thinks that he/she can then win business by simply identifying the buyer’s problem and wowing that buyer with a good solution-presentation. That approach is likely to generate tons of informed questions and objections from the buyer. Unanticipated by the salesperson, these questions and objections will cause a lot of embarrassing and counterproductive back-pedaling, ultimately lowering the chance of winning the business.
What to do?
Determine what your buyer knows about solving said problem before you even think of presenting your solution. Good questions to ask include:
What has brought this situation about?
Why are you interested in a change now?
What options have you looked at?
Which ones appeal to you? How do you see them helping address the situation?
What would an ideal solution look like? Why?
The answers to these questions will help you craft a more responsive solution to your client’s needs and increase your chances for winning business.
Happy New Year to all.
Remember, people have limited time: Make What You Say Pay!
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