Water Well Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/592194
T here are about as many variations in how to approach and structure a sales call or presentation as singer Beyoncé has wardrobe changes—but there is only one central question you must be certain to address for your prospect. Knowing this question is key to an effective sales conversation. Fortunately, that question will typically be one of the following three choices: • "Why should I buy this product or service?" • "Why should I buy it from you?" • "Why should I buy it now?" Knowing which question you need to address is critical for understanding how to successfully position and deliver your message. Here's an example: Imagine you're trying to decide whether to rent an apartment or buy a house. You call a realtor to get some guidance and she spends 15 minutes telling you about how successful her company is and why you should use her services rather than her competitors. While she may have impressed upon you she is a good realtor, she hasn't helped you get any closer to making the rent vs. buy decision. In other words, she has answered the "Why should I buy from you?" question when the real question she should have addressed is "Why should I buy this product or service?" How do you know which question you're addressing? Take the time to thoroughly understand your prospect's needs early in the conversation. This will save you from launching into a misdirected sales pitch. Do some on-the-spot discovery and ask clear questions. This will help you identify which central question you need to answer for your prospect. Questions like: Why are they in the market for this product or service? Who or what else are they considering? What is their time frame? Resist jumping into a standard sales pitch or presentation until you have clarified which of the three central questions you are focusing on. Three central questions Let's explore what each question really means and how and where to best address it with your customer. 1. "Why should I buy this product or service?" In this instance your prospect may not yet be convinced your product or service is the answer to his problem. For example, he may have older equipment and while replac- ing that equipment may be one option, so is repairing it. On the other hand, the challenge may be your customer has not identified a compelling need for your product or service or may not feel like the problem warrants solving. In other words, the status quo is quite acceptable. By way of an example, your prospect has a new well and the water tastes fine. Why does he need water treat- ment equipment? This "why buy?" scenario requires your prospect to first admit he has a problem before you begin selling your solu- tion. Parading out all your features and benefits won't mat- ter unless you have that base-level buy-in. How do you gain buy-in? Paint a vivid picture of the contrast between the customer's status quo and a new and improved outcome with your solution. Use an analogy or a customer success story early in your conversation or pres- entation. It's an effective way to shift a buyer's perspective and create demand. 2. "Why should I buy it from you?" In this situation your prospect agrees the type of service or product you provide could solve his problem or address his needs, but he is not convinced your particular product or service is the best choice. In this "why buy from you?" scenario you are at risk of falling into a feature vs. feature smackdown if you are not deliberate about establishing value early on. Know your competition well and position a competitive advantage early in your conversation. If you have the op- portunity to get in front of your prospect before your com- petition can, you can make a preemptive strike against any potential land mines your competition might be planning to set by addressing them upfront. 3. "Why should I buy it now?" Like "why buy from you?"—this prospect has identified JULIE HANSEN ACT LIKE A SALES PRO 56 November 2015 WWJ waterwelljournal.com WHAT CENTRAL QUESTION DOES YOUR SALES CALL ANSWER? This is critical for understanding how to successfully position and deliver your message. How do you gain buy-in? Paint a vivid picture of the contrast between the customer's status quo and a new and improved outcome .