Sales Consultative; Build Relationship Through Taking Action Together

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Sales Consultative; Build Relationship Through Taking Action Together

September 2nd, 2009 | Author: Judy Lockett

Working Together Toward A Solution

Does your sales process always include a next action step thus strengthening the relationship and building a process that is sales consultative?

In working with my Small Business Clients over the last year I noticed how often they have a first meeting with a client to understand their needs, they put together a proposal and email it to them and then wonder why nothing happens.

I tell them that they are expecting a lot from the prospect. They are expecting them to take the time to read the proposal with the same intensity and mind set my client had in putting it together and not only that, but then also to figure out what the next action step is in the process.

For the sake of clarity it might help if I used some fictitious names and described a situation. Let’s say Connie has a meeting with her client, Jim and identified a number of ways she thinks she can help. She then emailed a beautiful proposal to Jim describing in detail all of the work she can accomplish for Jim and what the costs are.

Not Very Compelling, Is It?

Connie is confident that she included everything Jim needs to make a decision and that the next step is for Jim to email her back and say let’s get started. Jim had time to glance at the proposal and thought it looked pretty good, but was unsure. He didn’t know exactly what was missing or even what his questions were and he didn’t have time to think about it right then, so he set it aside and figured he’d get to it when he had time.

This is what often happens when you are not helping the prospect move through the process with you. They get distracted and don’t know what questions to ask. You are the expert in how your service will benefit your client and you are letting your prospect down by not working closely with them through the process.

Let’s contrast this with another approach.

Connie has a meeting with Jim and uncovers a number of ways she can help. At the end of the meeting she tells Jim that she has a lot of ideas and that she’d like to put together a rough draft of a proposal and get together in a week to review the proposal and see if anything needs to be changed. Jim agrees and they set up a time that works for both of them. He knows that if he sits down with Connie he’ll get a better understanding of the proposal, while getting all of his questions immediately answered.

To be continued next week. In the meantime; can you think of times you’ve sent off an email proposal rather than set up a time to review and revise together with the client? Do you think it would have been helpful to get the clients agreement to sit down together?

I look forward to speaking to you soon.

Judy Lockett

P.S. For another take on consultative selling take a look at Greg Bennet’s book “Consultative Closing”.

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