I’ve been fortunate to work with a number of new business owners recently. Although their businesses are very different, they all have something in common: Each of these business owners has expertise in their chosen field. But few of them have any real experience marketing or selling their products and services. And they’ve all come to the realization that they need to do both in order to grow their businesses. 

I’ve also worked with a number of people in established businesses who wear many hats. They perform duties that encompass their main areas of expertise; the overall operation of the business; and they sell their products and services. 

Many of the people in each of these groups have actually grown to dislike the idea of selling. Their experience with the sales process has most often been as customers at the hands of sales “sharks.” They think of selling as distasteful, even sleazy. They like to think of themselves as being above the stereotypically pushy and unscrupulous hawker that, unfortunately, preys on an unsuspecting or gullible public. 

What most of these business-folk probably haven’t yet realized is that there are many “good” salespeople who help their customers achieve their goals and solve their problems. 

Yet another group of people, traditional or professional salespeople, often struggle with the sales process. The reason is, at least partially, because they make selling a kind of competition between their prospects and themselves. Selling, for them, is a matter of "outsmarting" their prospects and customers. These are the salespeople who fall into the "sharks" category. 

Be a student of your prospects and customers  

But I'm here to tell you there is a better way. The best, most successful salespeople sell this "better" way and all of you who are non-traditional salespeople, as defined in the first two paragraphs of this article, can and should learn this process if you want to maximize your sales efforts. 

You may be surprised to learn that this sales process uses no tricks or slick techniques designed to "rope in" your customers. It doesn't promote "hard closes" or high-pressure tactics. And it doesn't involve dazzling your customer with "fancy foot work." 

Instead, salespeople who employ this "method" simply engage in a conversation with their customers. They ask lots of questions in order to learn as much as possible about their customers, their industries, their businesses, their strategic level problems, their wants and their needs. 

This discovery begins even before they meet their customers for the first time because the salespeople who employ this method do their homework. They research and prepare so that when they do meet they have established the foundation for a productive conversation – they're not just on a "fishing trip." Customers appreciate salespeople who respect their time, take them seriously and who understand their businesses. If you enter the conversation credibly, you'll earn the trust and respect of your customers. You'll earn the right to continue the conversation. You'll earn the opportunity to help them solve their problems. 

Establishing a trusting relationship 

A few sentences ago I talked about preparation as a critical factor in creating trust. But don't limit your preparation to research. It's at least as important to prepare your questions ahead of time. Your questions should not just be limited to those that will help you figure out what you can sell to your prospect. They should be strategic, thought provoking questions that give you a view into the issues, problems and challenges your customers face. Of course, you will ask those questions in the context of what you offer. 

Your questions should help your prospects to identify and prioritize their problems and to place value on solving them; or conversely, to illustrate the consequences of maintaining the status quo relative to their capacity to meet their expansive objectives. 

As you ask these questions you'll also be challenging your prospects to make a change in what they're doing and how they're doing it now. Help your prospects clearly define the criteria they will apply to making a decision to change their current way of doing things. 

Ask questions that will help your prospects envision their businesses using your products or services to reach the next logical step(s) in their business growth. 

Building Trust 

People buy from people they know, like and trust. It's an old cliché, I know, but true nonetheless. Engaging in a productive conversation with your prospects, rather than bombarding them with a "sales pitch", will allow them to get to know and like you. In doing your homework and asking thoughtful, compelling questions, you'll position yourself as a knowledgeable and trusted advisor.  

Adopt this consultative method of selling to increase your sales, your profits and your customer loyalty. 

Ó 2006 Patrick A. Hassett. All rights reserved.  

SalesNow! helps businesses increase their sales, their profits and their customer loyalty by teaching them customer focused sales techniques, high-level customer service and customer relationship management. 

Pat Hassett, President and Founder of SalesNow!, draws on more than 30 years experience in sales, sales management and sales support in a number of industries. He specializes in helping non-traditional salespeople become competent and confident in their sales efforts. 

Additional Resources: 

• Visit the SalesNow! article archive for more articles on a variety of topics related to sales, customer service and customer relationship management. 

• Visit http://blog.PatHassett.com for more tips and advice to help you increase your sales, your profits and your customer loyalty. 

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