Sell to what people want

Any more, it’s not enough to logically lay out how your product or service will help a buyer overcome his or her organization’s problems. You’ve got to get personal.

Companies have significant turnover at all levels these days. And managers are grappling with shifting priorities and new projects. You’ve got to weave through all of that and make sales. You can’t blame a new decision-maker as the reason why you didn’t sell an account…or the fact that ABC Company is now embracing Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing…or any other initiative.

“Getting personal” means selling to individuals within companies, not the companies themselves. It means finding deficiencies in what I’ve called my list of What People Want by asking direct and indirect questions, then building your presentation around how you can address the deficiencies. It’s a more personal approach to buying motives.

There are eight that I feel are present:

• People want life to be easier and happier.
• They want more free time.
• They want financial comfort.
• They want others to listen to them; to show respect for them.
• They want to feel in control of their lives.
• They want to feel, and people to know, that they’re uniquely good, or an expert, at something.
• They want stronger relationships, and more time, with their family.
• They want to be in-the-loop on matters that affect them.

As you look over this list, think about ways that you can really engage buyers. Think about ways you can ask more insightful, personalized clarifying questions. Think about how you can better position and present your product or service to help with these wants. Re-craft your closing questions to nail down your desire to help your buyers personally, not just in their current organizational role.

Working with your customers and prospects in this way will cause not only more success, but greater satisfaction, as you tap into your own eight wants as well.

[tags]what+people+want, motives[/tags]