I don’t care what you want. What I do care about is why you want it.
In sales today, it is more important than ever to get after the why because it is so dang easy to skip it.
You see, buyers of all types today walk into your business, or ring your phone, or fill out that form online, or open a chat box, or saunter up to your trade show booth or even drive onto your car lot and tell you what they want.
They do that because they’ve done so much advance research online that they know (or think they know) exactly what they want.
Some of us think that is so cool, that this internet thing is doing the selling for us and by the time the buyer comes to us in our office or in our store – it’s a done deal.
But it ain’t. And you know it. Never before have buyers come in droves telling you what widget they want and then walk away, don’t call back, don’t take a sample, don’t take a test drive and just don’t buy – let alone become a long term fruitful customer. And we throw up our hands and say “What the heck, they wanted this thing!” Some of us think it’s because of fierce competition, or that the leads are weak, or that the same internet that drove the prospects to us is making them too choosey.
But I’m here to tell it’s because you’re so enamored that the customer knows what they want that you are likely forgetting to take the time to ask why.
- If I know why you want this widget and what good it will do for you or what problem it solves, then I’m going to be better at articulating why my business will be the best at providing it today and in the future with additional products and services I can provide.
- If I know why you want this widget and why you’ve chosen me to bring this request to and what inspired you to swing by my doors or ring my phone then I’ll have a better sense of what is important you in a partner or provider – not just today but in the future as I look to retain and enhance your business with me.
- If I know why you want this widget and how comfortable you are with this technology or space and perhaps who you admire who uses this widget then I can tailor my language, my sales approach and tell stories a lot better not just today but in the future when we are working together to expand your services with me.
There’s a lot more and different why’s to get after based on what you do – take the time to think them through and apply in your buyer interactions.
The point is this: More than ever, the prospect has something specific in mind when they come to you but that does not lesson the need of figuring out, as all great sales people do, the why behind the request.
Till next time,
Grow The Business.
Mark
Mark McCarthy's Blog 