34 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
34 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

"Benefit Asking" or... ?

by misterme
24 replies
Just pursuing a thought I had while reading another thread.

I read this:

Originally Posted by Aaron Doud View Post

"This floor plan would really work well for your family of 6, wouldn't it?"

"Benefit Asking" as I call it. Where every question I ask is to uncover or reenforce a benefit
They say that people are more motivated to avoid pain than they are to seek pleasure, right? So I'm wondering, "if pain avoidance is a bigger motivator and gets more of a response than pleasure seeking, why do sales people focus on stating positive benefits instead of giving more pain avoidance statements?"

For example, say the sales person knew that this family needs a floor plan so each member has their own space to work and play without annoying each other. The benefit statement above as a pain avoidance statement might be something like, "This floor plan for your family of 6 doesn't have you getting in each others way, does it?"

So in your opinion, what works best?
#benefit asking
  • Profile picture of the author Aaron Doud
    Pain Avoidance and Pleasure are both Benefits. Depending on what you are selling and to whom you may find that you focus more on Pain Avoidance Benefits.

    And I have used the negative version of it many times. Allows you to mix it up. You want to get multiple yes answers when selling and negative questions like the example you used are great.

    Personally I consider that a form of Benefit Asking just the negative side of it. You are still reenforcing the Benefit, aka the pain avoidance. Just focusing more on Pain vs. Pleasure.

    For each person they will be more influenced by negative thoughts (pain, fear, envy, etc) or more influenced by the positive (pleasure, hope, pride, etc). The key IMO to use Benefit Asking correctly is you use the negative or positive form based on which you think the person will most relate to. On some benefits it may be negative and on others positive.

    Thanks for making this thread. It will help me refine this idea more to turn it into Training,
    Signature
    Aaron Doud - Sales & Success
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8587919].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
    Originally Posted by misterme View Post

    The benefit statement above as a pain avoidance statement might be something like, "This floor plan for your family of 6 doesn't have you getting in each others way, does it?"

    So in your opinion, what works best?
    I think that question may be wrong for me, but the appeal is right.

    I may ask "With your current floor plan, have you ever just been in each other's way?"

    "Yeah!"

    "Do you think this new floor plan would make it easier for everyone to move around?"

    A "problem-pain" question is OK, an I've used them. But I always want to immediately turn it into an advantage, with my product as the savior.

    I may ask one "pain" question and then 3 or 4 benefit questions.

    Now the question is..Is that habit, or really a better way?

    I don't know.
    Signature
    One Call Closing book https://www.amazon.com/One-Call-Clos...=1527788418&sr

    What if they're not stars? What if they are holes poked in the top of a container so we can breath?
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8588022].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author hayfj2
    Putting pain to one side....

    ....I think it's important to distinguish the difference between...

    ... "pleasure" & "happiness"

    and how you appeal to the real difference between your reader's feelings & emotions as they are not the same either.



    Fraser
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8588084].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author misterme
    The question becomes "exactly where do customers decide to buy?" In other words is the buying decision induced because benefits have been mentioned? Or do they buy because there's a problem they have that bothers them, that needs solving, which is the pain point they want to stop?

    Dissecting this thought about the customer's buying process a bit further, does a customer need to know the product/service benefits before deciding that something needs to change in their life that alleviates the problem, or does the customer decide they have a problem they should get rid of only after they've heard of the product or service's benefits?

    Do they even have to know there exists a product/service that would benefit them, to decide they need to get rid of a problem? Or can they fathom they have a problem even in the absence of any solution whatsoever? If so, and they seek out a solution, is it in what the benefits are from vendor to vendor which prompts their choice, or is it how well their pain points are eliminated by a vendor's offer on which their choice is based on?

    Is it the vision of the future happy place which motivates the customer to part with their money? Or is the real incentive the customer's actual current unhappy state of affairs?

    So is it in telling the positive benefits which sells the customer on the solution? Or is it in going into the negatives of their pain?
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8594411].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author kenmichaels
      Originally Posted by misterme View Post

      The question becomes "exactly where do customers decide to buy?" In other words is the buying decision induced because benefits have been mentioned? Or do they buy because there's a problem they have that bothers them, that needs solving, which is the pain point they want to stop?

      Dissecting this thought about the customer's buying process a bit further, does a customer need to know the product/service benefits before deciding that something needs to change in their life that alleviates the problem, or does the customer decide they have a problem they should get rid of only after they've heard of the product or service's benefits?

      Do they even have to know there exists a product/service that would benefit them, to decide they need to get rid of a problem? Or can they fathom they have a problem even in the absence of any solution whatsoever? If so, and they seek out a solution, is it in what the benefits are from vendor to vendor which prompts their choice, or is it how well their pain points are eliminated by a vendor's offer on which their choice is based on?

      Is it the vision of the future happy place which motivates the customer to part with their money? Or is the real incentive the customer's actual current unhappy state of affairs?

      So is it in telling the positive benefits which sells the customer on the solution? Or is it in going into the negatives of their pain?

      Personally, I believe they are going to buy whatever it is your selling.
      The question is, will they buy it from you or someone else.

      Because i believe that, I don't think people are really buying your product
      They are buying you.

      and just like how a woman knows inside of 30 seconds whether she
      is going to sleep with you or not, a prospect knows as well.

      If you make that connection, the rest of the pitch is making sure you
      don't screw up the sale.

      I know I over simplified things, but that's how i like things ... simple.

      I believe what I posted holds true at the core of sales
      Signature

      Selling Ain't for Sissies!
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8594645].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author Aaron Doud
        Originally Posted by kenmichaels View Post

        Personally, I believe they are going to buy whatever it is your selling.
        The question is, will they buy it from you or someone else.

        Because i believe that, I don't think people are really buying your product
        They are buying you.
        A point that a lot of sales people miss. And I agree sales is simple. It's learning to master the simple that makes one great.
        Signature
        Aaron Doud - Sales & Success
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8594813].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
      Originally Posted by misterme View Post

      "exactly where do customers decide to buy?" In other words is the buying decision induced because benefits have been mentioned? Or do they buy because there's a problem they have that bothers them, that needs solving, which is the pain point they want to stop?
      First, brilliantly insightful questions.
      "exactly where do customers decide to buy?"
      There isn't a single point. At least not that I know of. Think of the buying process as a bowling ball, and the sale as a point 100 feet away in one direction.
      At first, it isn't moving at all. The prospect has a problem, and that gets the ball rolling. You aggravate the problem and that add momentum. You show solutions, and that adds more momentum. You find out what specific benefits will apply to them..and more momentum. They think of other benefits..more momentum. You tell a lame joke...a little less momentum....

      And you are constantly directing the bowling ball in the direction of the sale.
      There is no "one point" where the bowling ball has enough momentum to roll 100 feet and hit the point of sale. (badly mixing metaphors here) Sometimes the problem creates enough momentum, that the sale is already made. Sometimes it's the solution, mixed with rapport. All these things either speed up the bowling ball, or slow it down. There isn't one step in the process, where they flip from prospect to client. Usually, it's a jumbled process....with no "Aha" moment.

      Originally Posted by misterme View Post

      Dissecting this thought about the customer's buying process a bit further, does a customer need to know the product/service benefits before deciding that something needs to change in their life that alleviates the problem, or does the customer decide they have a problem they should get rid of only after they've heard of the product or service's benefits?
      I've had it happen both ways. Sometimes the prospect already perceives a problem before I show solutions, sometimes I don't even bring up a problem until they like what I'm showing them. And then the problems appear, and they fit the solution (That means the problems are rationalized to fit what they now want)

      Originally Posted by misterme View Post

      Do they even have to know there exists a product/service that would benefit them, to decide they need to get rid of a problem? Or can they fathom they have a problem even in the absence of any solution whatsoever?
      You can know you have a problem without knowing there is a solution. The examples are endless.

      Originally Posted by misterme View Post

      If so, and they seek out a solution, is it in what the benefits are from vendor to vendor which prompts their choice, or is it how well their pain points are eliminated by a vendor's offer on which their choice is based on?
      Both. And, if they are seeing more than one vendor, chemistry has a lot to do with it too. I make sure I eliminate the pain points, but I also pile on benefits that I know competitors (stupidly) won't offer. I then sell the idea that these "exclusive" benefits are desirable..

      I think there may be more to the question, that I just didn't pick up.


      Originally Posted by misterme View Post

      Is it the vision of the future happy place which motivates the customer to part with their money? Or is the real incentive the customer's actual current unhappy state of affairs?

      So is it in telling the positive benefits which sells the customer on the solution? Or is it in going into the negatives of their pain?
      I always go for the immediate pain. A splinter in the finger is far more important to someone than getting cancer years from now. That's why it's easy to sell "splinter removers" to people with splinters, and hard to sell people on changes in their diet to help prevent cancer later.

      The vision of the happy place? In photography, I see it clearly. But in most sales, selling immediate happiness and relief from pain is stronger.

      Of course, every time you ask a question in a different way, you'll get a different answer.

      Again, insightful questions I had never heard before. I hope I understood them.
      Signature
      One Call Closing book https://www.amazon.com/One-Call-Clos...=1527788418&sr

      What if they're not stars? What if they are holes poked in the top of a container so we can breath?
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8598334].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author misterme
        Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

        First, brilliantly insightful questions.

        There is no "one point" where the bowling ball has enough momentum to roll 100 feet and hit the point of sale.
        The point where the sale is made is where the ball hits the pins.

        Sometimes the prospect already perceives a problem before I show solutions, sometimes I don't even bring up a problem until they like what I'm showing them. And then the problems appear, and they fit the solution (That means the problems are rationalized to fit what they now want)
        is it that - or is it that when they see a solution, they're reminded of a problem that obviously already exists, to which, if they're not actively seeking a solution, suggest they've either learned to live with it and tolerate it, and maybe even got used to it, and have forgotten about it.

        Until they saw the solution and were reminded of it.

        A splinter in the finger is far more important to someone than getting cancer years from now.
        Reminds me of a joke by the great Bobby Slayton.

        He goes to the doctor for his annual checkup and the doctor says since Slayton was turning 40, he should get a digital prostate examination. So Bobby asks why that's important. The doctor says, "It's screening for cancer. by the age of 75, one in three men will develop prostate cancer."

        So Bobby says,"let me see if I got this right, doc. You're saying there's a one in three chance that in the next 35 years I may develop prostate cancer, compared to the 100% chance that in the next 30 seconds you're going to ram a finger up my ass? No thanks doc, I'll stick with the odds!"

        Hey, that's pain avoidance based humor, isn't it?
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8598595].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
          Originally Posted by misterme View Post

          The point where the sale is made is where the ball hits the pins.
          Clever

          But there are no pins. There is a sludgy muddy mess. And there isn't an exact point where they didn't want to buy...and now they do. It happens in degrees. And I can only tell when it already happened. Even with couples, they just start showing signs that they are accepting ownership.

          Remember when you fell in love? You weren't just friends, and then at 5:09PM, you suddenly fell in love...it happens by degrees. And you don't realize it until it's already happened. I usually can tell a sale is made several minutes after they already decided to buy. That's a guess. A few times, I had no idea until they just said "Yes". And I never saw the change.

          Originally Posted by misterme View Post

          is it that - or is it that when they see a solution, they're reminded of a problem that obviously already exists, to which, if they're not actively seeking a solution, suggest they've either learned to live with it and tolerate it, and maybe even got used to it, and have forgotten about it.

          Until they saw the solution and were reminded of it.
          In my selling, I know that, after they started to like my shiny object, they are far more likely to agree that they have a problem. When selling vacuum cleaners in people's homes...almost never did someone think they had a problem. And if I tried to find a problem, at the beginning, they would fight me. So I waited until they already liked what I showed then...and then I did some probing for reasons to buy. By then, they were more than happy to just magnify the littlest annoyance into a problem that had to be solved.

          I don't so that with marketing. They have to believe they have a problem before I present solutions.

          But with vacuums? I would be a third of the way through my pitch, before I started asking about their current vacuum....and why they needed a new one.

          Weird, eh.

          Bobby Slayton is brilliant.
          Signature
          One Call Closing book https://www.amazon.com/One-Call-Clos...=1527788418&sr

          What if they're not stars? What if they are holes poked in the top of a container so we can breath?
          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8598671].message }}
          • Profile picture of the author ewenmack
            Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

            Clever:

            I don't so that with marketing. They have to believe they have a problem before I present solutions.
            Are you talking about introducing a problem they most probably have not thought of here?

            Best,
            Ewen
            {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8598901].message }}
            • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
              Originally Posted by ewenmack View Post

              Are you talking about introducing a problem they most probably have not thought of here?

              Best,
              Ewen
              Ewen; When selling my online marketing service, they have to believe they have a problem, before I see them. It's because they are contacting me, or saw me speak. Something has to trigger interest before I see them one on one....and that comes from them. So they have to believe they have a problem that I can solve.

              But...many times, that isn't a problem I'll solve, so I switch them to a different problem that I can solve. And I ask questions to uncover different problems that they weren't aware of. So they may buy for completely different reasons that they originally thought.

              But generally, they know a lot about my offer before I ever see them one on one. So much of this only applies occasionally.

              But selling in consumer's homes? I would let them manufacture problems that they were having, to justify buying. And the reasons to buy popped up as the presentation went along. Completely different type of selling.

              Selling vacuum cleaners in people homes, is the "Professional Wrestling" of sales.


              Originally Posted by kenmichaels View Post

              Right ... before you ever even meet the prospect(s) ---
              most sales people do not even realize it.

              I know your thinking I twisted your quote, read below to understand what i mean

              If you think I am wrong, feel free to school me.
              Sent you a PM in case you missed it.
              What I really meant was during the presentation, the decision to buy isn't a fixed point. It evolves during the presentation.
              Although, when I'm selling business owners my online marketing service....they are usually almost ready to buy before I see them, because there is so much prep work done ahead of time.
              Signature
              One Call Closing book https://www.amazon.com/One-Call-Clos...=1527788418&sr

              What if they're not stars? What if they are holes poked in the top of a container so we can breath?
              {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8600298].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author kenmichaels
          Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

          Clever

          But there are no pins. There is a sludgy muddy mess. And there isn't an exact point where they didn't want to buy...and now they do.
          Right ... before you ever even meet the prospect(s) ---
          most sales people do not even realize it.

          I know your thinking I twisted your quote, read below to understand what i mean

          If you think I am wrong, feel free to school me.
          Sent you a PM in case you missed it.

          Originally Posted by misterme View Post

          The point where the sale is made is where the ball hits the pins.
          I don't agree with that.

          I think the sale is made before you even start the game.

          When I say I don't agree, I mean in most cases.

          Originally Posted by misterme View Post

          is it that - or is it that when they see a solution, they're reminded of a problem that obviously already exists, to which, if they're not actively seeking a solution, suggest they've either learned to live with it and tolerate it, and maybe even got used to it, and have forgotten about it.
          and that is part of what i mean by "most cases"

          It is very few people who actually have/sell anything new.
          When it is new, it is almost always NOT new, it is something
          that's been around but has a newISH twist...

          Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

          It happens in degrees.
          exactly, I am posturing they ... already know / they want to know IF YOU
          are "da man"

          Originally Posted by misterme View Post

          Until they saw the solution and were reminded of it.
          You walk in and say "widget"

          They say .. damn widget ... I have been wanting to

          investigate ...
          learn about ...
          think about ...

          ect ect ect ...

          damn ... I really want that widget.

          ( I have been Pavlov-ed into wanting it by watching commercials,
          reading ads in newspapers/magazines /radio /internet.

          Hell ... aunt sallies boy toy bought it last year.

          BUT I HAVE HELD BACK!


          Held back is ( your/my ) key.

          The last ( 10 for lack of better number ) lied, sucked, smelled bad
          looked wrong, talked wrong, dressed wrong ...

          or whatever ...

          but they still knew they wanted it.

          Now you come along.

          Its your turn. They want it. You know they need it.

          In the first minute or less they know if they like/want you to provide.

          they are just making sure you are not the same as the last 10 or so chuckleheads. You play the sales game.

          They are already sold on the product/service/issue
          They are simply checking you out, looking for chinks in the amour
          lies ... anything to tell them NO.

          ( that does not mean skip any of the proven sales steps )

          I have had people say i want to buy now .. gimme, gimme. gimme and when i went
          for the money lost the sale .... So i have learned .. no matter how much they want it
          walk them through ALL the steps.

          ( there is a small percentage that will get turned off, but it is negligible. )

          now with that said.

          In 1996 I did come up with something NEW.
          But because of the patent laws back then I could not patent it.

          But I did sell it, and my floor sold it.

          It was a HBO type of thing. It worked. It turns out everything I said above
          still applies, except ... we had to push on the greed button a little bit.

          I am sure I will need to clarify a few points, let me know where.

          Its nice to finally disagree with some one of your caliber.
          Usually i just nod, smile and agree
          Signature

          Selling Ain't for Sissies!
          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8599666].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author mjbmedia
    There's some good stuff re ZMOT, UMOT etc zero moment of truth, ultimate moment of truth, first moment of truth, re the points where clients 'decide' to buy, Google done a good ebook on it worth looking at and then some

    Zero Moment of Truth (ZMOT) ? Think Insights ? Google
    Signature

    Mike

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8594476].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author mjbmedia
    Are you a trouble/problem solver or a beautiful future generator?

    I find when I talk with them about what will happen after the sale , looking forwards to their business X months/years down the line having utilised some of our services , talk to them as if they've already signed up and this is where I am going to place them in 6 months time , paint the pictures , enjoy the experiences, it works better.

    Of course it depends on their immediate issues, if they're nearly bankrupt and in desperate need of an immediate upside fix then they wont look 6 months down the line but then its unlikely I'll be with them if they're in that fix.

    If they have a water leak and face the offices getting flooded and ruined, they want a plumber who can fix the leak NOW, not one who can install a whole new system that saves water and heating bills and increases water pressure when required etc , but if they don't have a leak, they might be more open to the latter approach.

    How bad is the problem that needs fixing V how bright do they want their future to be
    Signature

    Mike

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8596600].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author misterme
      Originally Posted by kenmichaels View Post

      I don't think people are really buying your product
      They are buying you.

      and just like how a woman knows inside of 30 seconds whether she
      is going to sleep with you or not, a prospect knows as well.
      That mating attraction is something biologically wired to keep the species propagating. Our female ancestors back in the Serengeti had to make quick choices as to who made the best mate for survival purposes and to generate the healthiest, strongest offspring.

      It's how we're also biologically wired to automatically not find appealing people who look diseased or why we instinctively avert blue colored foods and why when we're thrown into traumatic situations our bodies respond with adrenaline pumping to open our pupils to see clearer, make us more sensitive to sounds around us, putting us into the survival 'fight or flight' mode. And all this I've described done on an unconscious level.

      But sales? Nothing like that happens. It's more of a cultural thing. No one instinctively without any conscious thought chooses to buy an expensive product within 30 seconds of meeting the sales person just because of the sales person. They may find the sales person attractive... but they make a conscious decision that they're there to look into making a purchase, not looking to mate. If anything, they may begin to feel comfortable in that person's presence and then the possibility of buying can exist, but again that's a conscious choice they're determining. To which, of course, they need to know more.

      Originally Posted by mjbmedia View Post

      If they have a water leak and face the offices getting flooded and ruined, they want a plumber who can fix the leak NOW, not one who can install a whole new system that saves water and heating bills and increases water pressure when required etc , but if they don't have a leak, they might be more open to the latter approach.

      How bad is the problem that needs fixing V how bright do they want their future to be
      So... say there's no emergency, pipes are fine. But the homeowner would like more hot water to be available because between the homeowner, six kids and the spouse taking showers, there isn't enough hot water to go around.

      So is this person more likely to be motivated by the sales person who focuses on how pleasurable having a hot shower would be, with that sales person painting mental pictures of scrubbing up in a nice hot steamy shower, invigorated, while whistling a happy tune - or by the sales person who delves more into how annoying having your shower turn tepid on you, even cold, can be, shivering and very displeased with this constant miserable situation as you try to rinse off the soap which is turning thick and hard as you now sponge bath it off with freezing cold water?
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8597740].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author mjbmedia
        Originally Posted by misterme View Post

        So... say there's no emergency, pipes are fine. But the homeowner would like more hot water to be available because between the homeowner, six kids and the spouse taking showers, there isn't enough hot water to go around.

        So is this person more likely to be motivated by the sales person who focuses on how pleasurable having a hot shower would be, with that sales person painting mental pictures of scrubbing up in a nice hot steamy shower, invigorated, while whistling a happy tune - or by the sales person who delves more into how annoying having your shower turn tepid on you, even cold, can be, shivering and very displeased with this constant miserable situation as you try to rinse off the soap which is turning thick and hard as you now sponge bath it off with freezing cold water?
        that would depend on the customer(s), that's why pitching to couples is sooo 'interesting' (not) as wife wants it one way and the hubby is motivated by other things.
        As you know, get them talking and they'll lead you to how to approach it by what they say, I cant read their minds .
        Signature

        Mike

        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8597906].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author desley
    Wow, interesting question and very interesting responses.

    For me, it's individual. If one overstates the pain, one potentially can put people off. If one overstates the benefits, one potentially can create immediate disbelief.

    The thing is talking to me as a customer goes a lot further than simply trying to sell me the benefits or the pain - because as a customer I already know the pain; and I've in the main already thought of the benefits.

    What I want to know is the person I'm dealing with 'know their stuff'- are they honest; and are they prepared to negotiate with me if required.

    Painting a picture figuratively certainly doesn't hurt. What I want as a customer is knowing I can trust the person to (a) do the job (whether product or service); (b) I have some recourse if something goes wrong; and finally (c) will the seller/vendor/company go the extra mile if required and potentially develop a positive and mutually beneficial relationship.

    (For example: a few years ago I bought my first home and the sales person who sold me my home - was fabulous, quiet and understated yet knew his stuff; as it was my first home (and he knew this) - a couple of times I rang him and asked him a question on a task I needed undertaking - and he would say "I don't normally as a sales person do this, explained why, then said - don't worry I'll fix it for you". He certainly went the extra mile even though it basically wasn't in his sales description. We still keep in contact and I know who I'll be ringing when the time comes in the future to sell my home!.

    So I guess it really is up to you - what makes you feel comfortable when you're giving your pitch; what type of relationship do you want with your customers (short or long term); what are you prepared to do to go the extra mile if necessary (or whether you prefer not to do this)..
    Signature

    Desley
    Connecting People Together.

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8596679].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author NewParadigm
    Overall I've found avoiding pain is more motivating for people to take action but it doesn't mean your pitch should be that only.

    Having said that, it's up to the seller to probe the prospect and determine how they are motivated and adapt the sales interaction in that direction.

    A big part of pain is the prospects impression of the pain/risk/cost of implementing your solution by buying your product/service. Identify and remove these barriers to remove risk for the prospect to say yes.

    Your marketing/prospecting/funneling/qualifying should be targeting the most motivated of people or you'll be wasting valuable sales time in fooling around with tire kickers who aren't ready to buy.

    Here's a great sales article addressing this topic:

    The Pain Continuum
    Signature

    In a moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing. ~ Theodore Roosevelt

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8598013].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author misterme
      Originally Posted by NewParadigm View Post

      Here's a great sales article addressing this topic:

      The Pain Continuum
      Cool article, thank you.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8598222].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author midasman09
        Banned
        Some years ago I started a Water-Softener biz and I had to make appts with homeowners to "show them WHAT'S IN THEIR WATER"...with a "FREE Water Test".

        So....I made phone calls and got appts. Upon arriving I immediately went to their kitchen sink....laid out my chemical bottles and proceeded to test their water.

        When my prospects could SEE....FIRST-HAND....WHAT their water looked like I then used a part of the Dale Carnegie Sales Method (I took Sales Course twice)....which was, "Paint a Word Picture of your prospect enjoying the benefits of using your product!?

        Once my prospects could see what their water looked like and how much "debris" was in it....and, when I finished telling them the benefits to their SKIN and Clothes and....the money saved and how much Better their lives would be with MY Solution....it was a "No-Brainer"....they bought!

        In fact....waay baack in the summer of 1980 I....ME....Don Alm....was the TOP Kinetico sales guy in ALL of Colorado...yet, I was in Sparsely populated mountain towns...Glenwood Springs, Rifle, Silt, Basalt, and even Aspen (Holy Camoly...did I hit a bonanza when I worked Aspen. Sold MANY Celebrties,.... Goldie Hawn, Don Johnson (Miami Vice), Buddy Hackett, Jack Nicholson, Jill St. John, Robert Wagner, George Hamilton and more I can't remember.

        Anyway....my point is, Yes, in EVERY sales situation there MUST BE "PAIN" brought to the attention of your prospect and....YOU have the Solution, the Answer, to "Relieving Their Pain"!

        Thanks much for allowing me to remember a "Pleasant"..."Rewarding" period of my life.

        Don Alm....looong-time sales guy
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8598326].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author mjbmedia
    A number of times business owners have been speaking to me with them wanting say SEO.

    Now do they really want SEO, or more visitors/clients?

    Of course.

    So when I start talking to/with them about all the other potential marketing we can integrate to make the SEO element 20 times more profitable, they're like WTF , I know they don't want SEO, they want leads, conversions, clients, better monetised client base etc , so I show them how we can give them that, it's possible, it enhances the SEO you want .

    They thought SEO was the solution they wanted to buy, they discovered it was just the opening question, they learnt that I am the solution , sign here please.

    Most would sell them the SEO and be happy, but why, when you know you can deliver so much more and their business has so much more potential being left on the table, show them , tell them, educate them ,else surely you're just short changing them and yourselves.

    If they ask for something obscure, I always say 'yes we can do that for you' even if I don't know how there and then, there's always a way to deliver, get them on board then figure it out.

    Where that answers Misterme's OP question ,well it doesn't does it, sorry . But where is their point of deciding 'YES', normally when I show them the true potential of their business, they manage to stretch that previously tight budget , often by 300% + , they see me as their friend /associate, not a sales person, why am I opening up to them like this when all they wanted was simple SEO, now they can see a far bigger picture, nobody had ever done that for them before
    Signature

    Mike

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8600530].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author ewenmack
      Here's my thinking about when a decision is made to buy and to
      steer the decision to buy from you, rather than someone else.

      When a person is going to Craigslist, Yellow Pages and Amazon,
      he has made a decision to buy.

      Our job is to get him to buy from us.

      Then there is a person who hasn't thought at all about buying
      a product or service.

      That's the case in my paper receipt roll business.

      They are already using the product.

      We just gotta show we can get them a better deal
      than their existing supplier.

      Then there is the other group who are not currently using a product
      and service at all, have no awareness of it at all.

      Each of those groups need different strategies to move
      the the person closer to buying.

      Best,
      Ewen
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8600994].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author hometutor
        Yep, basic sales technique right?

        Last one who asks the question is in charge. Get the prospect used to saying yes.

        Rick
        Signature
        Video - How Local Businesses Benefit from Monetized On-Topic Breaking News Releases Linking Back to Their Websites
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8601012].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author mjbmedia
          Attachment 18799


          As per Ewens post , different approaches depending on where they stand in the product awareness cycle, although you can do one approach for all if the approach is solely to move them forwards , and how that is to be done is discussed after the agreement has been reached , sure you'd put some ideas and base strategies forward , propose things that help them realise that you totally understand where their business is now, where they want it to go and how they want it to get there , doesn't mean it WILL be done that way , just set the agreement for now, get your feet under their desk then when they learn more about your approach and believe in you more and more you will bring your own approach in and supercede their initial requirements, but you have to win them over first else you're just arguing with them.
          Signature

          Mike

          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8602513].message }}

Trending Topics