Expect to ask questions during the sales call to guide your customer to buy. What about the questions your buyer has? Are you ready with answers that lead to sales? Your answers can guide your customer to buy, but only if you know the hidden buyer questions that lead to sales.
Buyer’s Hidden Question #1: Can you help me meet my needs?
Customers don’t buy from you just because you’re a nice guy as much as some salespeople would like to believe. I’ve heard too many salespeople talk about their important sales strategy being, “I get to know them. I learn what their hobbies are. If they like sports I send them sports articles.”
Yes, building rapport is important to your sales. Building rapport is not enough. It’s a flawed strategy if you think you and your buyer’s hobby connection is enough to compel him to buy. Can you imagine your buyer telling his boss, “I bought because he sent me this amazing golf tip?”
Yet, your buyer most likely won’t vocalize the question about your ability to meet his needs. You’ve got to demonstrate during the sales call that you can help him meet his needs.
You learn buyer needs and wants by asking questions about which of his business costs need to be reduced or avoided. You learn how you and your products can add to his business revenue. Then you show how buying your products or services accomplishes the buyer’s needs.
You also learn about the buyer. Is he working on getting a promotion? Does he need some achievements shown to management? Is it more important for your buyer to make it easier for his subordinates to do their work?
Making his subordinates work easier was important to one of my customers, a grizzled, bottom line sort of guy.
I never expected his biggest concern was for his staff, not his bottom line. I showed this customer how my products would make it easier for his subordinates to do their work. He became my customer.
Buyer’s Hidden Question #2: Why should I trust you?
This is another question your buyers won’t ask. Just know that every new buyer is thinking this. There are probably very few buyers who haven’t been misled by scurrilous salespeople who simply wanted to make a sale. Buyers know you want to make the sale. They have every right to be skeptical.
It’s not going to be enough to convince a buyer when you talk about how great your products are and how reliable you are. That’s why testimonial letters are so powerful and important. You get the benefit when someone else, who is credible, says the things about you that you want to say.
Do you sell with testimonial letters? You should. Be sure to include letters from people with the job titles of the buyers you sell to. A range of industries is also helpful if you have sensitive issues with competition.
Your buyers are also wondering about how you will work with them after they buy. Be sure to have testimonials that discuss your reliability and how you delivered after the sale on the commitments you made.
Customers buy when their hidden questions are answered. You can be sure to answer them when you know your buyer’s hidden questions. Then you can make the sale.