Stop Selling & start Qualifying
from Blog Constant Contact.com 11 Sept 13 enhanced by Peter/CXO Wiz4biz
Are you trying to “aggressively” sell your product or services and finding that few prospective clients–even those who are clearly in your target market–are not buying? Or, maybe you’re struggling to find new Clients because you’re afraid that if you reach out to people you’ll appear to be “Selling” and it’s something you just can’t bring yourself to do? Then STOP IT!
“What is Selling?” This question elicits a variety of answers that provide a window into the thinking of the professionals & entrepreneurs:
“Trying to convince someone to buy what you offer,”
“Saying things that persuade someone to agree to buy your services,”
“Manipulating someone into feeling he or she has to have what you offer.”
If your view of ‘selling’ your services is something along these lines, it’s no wonder that you can’t find enough Clients for your businesses. Then – “Stop trying to SELL !!!”
What do most people think of ‘Selling’? It’s a brazen, pushy, brash, aggressive ‘hawking’ of your services”. You’ve already either sensed or discovered, that ‘selling’ – as we’ve defined it – doesn’t work.”
But what if you had a different view of selling?”
“What if Selling was “Asking Appropriate Questions”? so that your prospective clients understand that they really “need” what you offer?” Then “Stop selling” to them and start asking these types of Questions. How do you do that? Consider the following points:
a) How to develop an “Attraction” mindset. What you offer is something valuable–something that people want or need. If you have any clients at all, you’ve already proven that. More people ought to know about your practice or business. And they want to know, particularly, if it can benefit them. You should be proud to tell them about it. But you don’t have to “push” it on them – as in the normal Selling.
b) How to resist the urge to “Sell” and ask “great” Questions instead. The “selling” that doesn’t work usually involves identifying a potential client and then trying to “close” him or her on a meeting with you or on the purchase of your product or services.
– Before you start talking to Prospects, make up a List of Questions – to determine if they have a “need” – where they can use your product or services. This will help you to “qualify” them to find out if they really need you. If they “qualify”, then . .
Tell the prospective client what you can do for them and ask permission to “verify” the situation, to “validate” that you can really help them. The conversation might end right there, but since people do not like to be forced to buy–and you’re not selling – you have a better opportunity of getting a “yes”. He’s likely to agree to let you come in a find out more about his company because he’s “proud” of his company and believes you might be able to help him too.
c) How to address the “specific” need . Once you get on-site and investigating his situation – instead of talking about the generic features & advantages of your services – you can dig deeper into their need and clarify it. Then you can discuss how – what you do – meets the” specific” need uncovered by your observations & questions. If he wont buy right away, consider offing a “free trial” so he can use the product or services and see how they can benefit his organization.
You’re making a “Connection” instead of Selling – to possible prospects – who may need your services. In effect, you are “qualifying” them to determine if they can benefit from your product or services and leave the decision up to them. Don’t try to “persuade” them, by “influence” them – by showing how you meet their needs. If you can’t meet their needs, tell them so and – if you know who can – recommend them. You may have won a friend that is impressed by your “fairness” and they may recommend someone else to you.
Comments: Any other ideas of how to “qualify” a prospect with questions? What are some of the Questions that should be asked?