Building Value In Sales – A Step By Step Guide
Building value in sales conversations you have with your potential clients is a must if you want to successfully close more prospects.
But how do you build value and a need for your products or services?
In this article, we’ll look at why you should be building value in sales conversations and dialogue, and how to successfully do it in a way that helps your potential clients sell themselves on your products and services.
Building Value In Sales Conversations – A Step By Step Guide
Why You Should Be Building Value In Sales Conversations
A common issue why so many Sales Professionals stall their efforts building value in sales conversations they have with their prospects, is that they prematurely present their products and services without diving deep enough.
I’ve sat across thousands of Sales Professionals, and I’m always intrigued by how they try to sell their products and services.
Most of the time; it’s the same sort of process.
They start with pitching and presenting.
Secondly, they ask if there are any questions, and then try to handle objections.
Finally – it’s a mixed bag whether they ask for the business or not (attempt closing or asking what the next step is).
This is a common approach, and if you yourself have seen this process used, you’re not alone as I would say this would be the most common approach by Sales Professionals out there.
So what should you do instead?
Start by building value in sales conversations by asking questions.
By asking questions, you help a potential client sell themselves, rather than you alone do the heavy lifting of trying to close them all by yourself.
Asking Questions = Win More Sales
Questions are one of the most important parts of the sales process and key ingredients when building value in sales conversations with potential clients.
There’s an important distinction as to why this is the case.
Sales is the transfer of belief from one person to the idea; and realistically, for a person to buy from you; they need to believe in your product or service as much as you do.
When you present your product or service, you’re explaining to your potential client why they should be buying from you.
This means that it is your belief that they will benefit from it – which means they also have to trust in your belief.
Now there is a chance that they will trust you and the results you say they will achieve by buying; however, because it is your belief (and they have been burnt by Sales professionals in the past), there’s also a 50/50 chance they won’t believe or trust you.
By looking at those numbers; we’re pretty much playing roulette with those odds.
So what can you do instead?
Start by building value in sales conversations with your potential clients by asking two distinct questions types:
- Open-ended questions
- Trial closes (also known as tie down sales techniques)
Building Value In Sales Conversations With Open-Ended Questions
When you present your product or service without knowing about your prospects pain points, desires, their current scenario or where they want to be; you’re taking a stab in the dark whether they’ll want your product or service.
I call this the spray and pray approach.
This means you position yourself as a commodity instead of a specialist; as well as just another salesperson.
Building value in sales conversations start with asking open-ended questions, that help you learn about:
- Who the decision makers are?
- Why they’re meeting with you?
- The outcome they’re trying to achieve?
- What is their current situation?
- A list of current issues do they’re facing?
- What emotional problems do those issues cause?
- Get them to detail what a good result look like?
- What investment have they put aside to reach their desired result?
Each of these answers will elicit an answer that expands on each of these questions, which is important for building value in sales conversations with your potential clients.
Each time they answer and go into depth – they’re building value and a need for a solution, because it is now also their belief – not just yours.
When you pitch or present – it is your belief.
When you ask questions and they reply with a thought-out answer – it is their belief.
This is one of the most important fundamentals of sales you could ever learn, and an important and vital part of the sales process.
Related article: 15 X Powerful Open-Ended Questions To Close More Sales
Secondly – Building Value With Trial Closes
Building value in sales conversations with your prospects by using trial closes, is another excellent tool in your toolkit. Also known as tie down sales techniques, trial closes are questions you can ask that elicit a yes response.
We’ve looked at the importance of transferring belief from you to your potential client; as this is how the sale will take place.
When your potential client expands on an answer when you’ve asked an open-ended question, reiterate back a question that’ll give you a yes answer – or more importantly, agreement.
By getting agreement, it’ll now be their belief too, and not just yours.
By believing in what you’re discussing, you’ll now have been successful building value in sales topics discussed when having your conversation and sales interview.
Examples of trial close questions you can ask are:
- Does that make sense so far?
- How do you feel about what we’ve discussed today so far?
- Can you see how that would help you with your insert problem/ issue?
- What do you think should be the next step?
- What do you think we should do from here?
- Would you like me to help you with this?
- How do you feel about some of the solutions we’ve spoken about today so far?
- What should I ask that I haven’t already asked?
- If we were to start in a month – would that work for you?
- Is there a date you’d like us to get started?
- What do you think we may have missed speaking about in today’s meeting?
- How do you feel about insert benefit/ meaning of owning product?
- Based on what we’ve spoken about today so far – what questions do you have for me?
- If you had your way – what should we change about what we’ve spoken about so far?
Related article: Trial Closes – A Step By Step Guide
Final Thoughts
Building value in sales conversations is fundamental if you want to close more clients consistently.
You can do so by avoid pitching or presenting too early, asking open-ended questions, and using trial closes throughout your sales process.
If you want to learn more about winning more sales on a consistent bases, feel free to register for our 7 day sales challenge here.
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