Getting the customers to talk about their needs

Just wanted to say thanks for getting me started with the Action Selling process. I just booked a job this week that I was higher that the other estimates by $2500.00. Getting the customers to talk about their needs is something the other salesman didn’t do. Although all of my questions weren’t open-ended(as you prob. remember), getting the customer to talk about their own interests is the best foundation for developing a solution that best fits their needs.

Just wanted to say thanks for helping me understand that aspect better.

Barrett Moving
Waukesha, Wi

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Thanks for the testimonial Barrett Moving. We help thousands of sales reps learn how to get the customer to talk about their needs. When they do that, they can present their solution as the best fit for their customers. Most reps learn how to give their “schpeel” or a better way of saying it – “data dump” and walk away feeling like they did an OK job where in fact they were totally out of sink with the buyer’s decision-making process. It’s no wonder they didn’t get the sale.

Learn how and why to follow the customer’s five customer buying decisions and you’ll walk away with more sales and more loyal customers.

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How to Sell to a Lower-Level Decision Maker

Question:

I own a printing company and sell printing. I have a current customer that I’m doing work for. This is a non-profit organization and I do a lot of quotes for them and it seems the bottom line is price.

They have 2 or 3 other companies quoting on the same projects. I seem to be losing more of these jobs than I’m getting. When I ask how I did on the quote she tells me I was too high and the company with the lowest bid gets it. She is not the decision maker. she’s the graphic designer and she’s the one responsible for getting the quotes and then passes them on to her boss, who makes the final decision as to who gets the job.

Is there anything I can do to get out of this routine? She knows our quality is as good or better than the other companies and our service is 2nd to none.

Please help. I’m lost as to what steps to take next.

Answer:

Thank you very much for your question. Your situation is very common. I’ve heard this from sales people time and time again. When it comes to working with this level decision maker, it is critical that the seller has a high degree of understanding of what your customer’s personal needs are. What makes her job easier (or more difficult)? How is she evaluated by the people that she works for? What makes her look good? What can she do to earn a deeper level of respect and appreciation from her employer? What can she do that will allow her to make a huge difference in her company?

When you know what her personal needs are, you are in a far better position to show how you can help her accomplish her objectives with your products and services. In most cases, the sales person who does the best job of understanding the needs at this level, wins the business.

Right now it sounds like she is indifferent about who gets the business. She submits the bids and someone else decides who gets the order. You and your competitors are being treated like commodities. This is a very difficult game to play (selling commodities) unless you have the lowest price.

In addition, you can’t really ask her for the business because she can’t make that decision. However, she can make the decision to recommend you to the decision maker. Or, if she is compelled to do so, she could agree to allow you to gain access to the decision maker. I believe that this is the correct sales process for you. First she needs to be able to see how you can help her accomplish her personal objectives. Then she will be more willing to take you to the decision maker.

Have you read our sales book, Masters of Loyalty? If not, I would recommend this book to you.

http://www.actionselling.com/sales-books.asp#loyalty

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