Consultative selling is a highly regarded sales technique used by sales people that provide the products and services that best meets their customer’s needs as opposed to using traditional pushy selling selling tactics to get the sale by any means necessary. Adopting a consultative sales approach means not selling something to a customer that he does not actually need. It means being honest and upfront about which product or service best meets the requirements of the customer. It means not being manipulative. Consultative selling is doing what’s best for the customer and not what’s best for the salesperson. In other words, if you use a consultative sales approach, you look after your customer’s best interest, regardless of what would be the best for yourself (in terms of commission revenue). You crete win win outcomes that are mutually beneficial to both you, the sales person, and your customer.
But thats not all of it. using the consultative selling method means that you send the time to find out what exactly your customers needs are, sometimes when they are not aware themselves, and build your offering specifically for them.
Consultative selling has become more popular recently due to customers not liking pushy sales people using the hard sell. The general public do not trust pushy sales people and Consultative Selling has grown in reaction to this. A new way to sell came about where the sales person becomes a “consultant” rather than the traditional sales person. A consultant doesn’t sell something, they develop an understanding of their clients needs and deliver a bespoke benefit to the client based on those needs and becomes a trusted business partner. The consultant is there to support the client. That level of trust provides a relationship where the client does what the consultant recommends because the consultant is considered the expert. The customer benefits from the consultant’s expertise. It is about building a trusting relationship showing your customer that you are acutely aware of their needs over and above anything.
Sales people realising this shift in attitudes use a consultative approach to selling and benefit from better relationships, revenue growth and builds a reputation of outstanding service.
A salesperson that uses a consultative selling approach provides the products or services that best meet the customer’s needs. The benefits of their products and service are specific to the needs of the customer and not generic for mass marketing. They don’t push the products or services that give them the most commission at that moment. The trust that develops in this type of relationship provides dividends in the future too. That customer, being pleased with the sales person’s approach and the relationship they have, could be a life-long customer because of it. Furthermore, that customer refers others and the sales person generates even more business in the future.
Consultative selling practices have grown and become popular recently and many sales people swear by it. Developing skills around consultative selling include advanced rapport building skills, questioning and listening skills, knowing the differences around features and benefits, delivering winning presentations, knowing when and how to close deals among many other skills that should be used on a regular basis.
LearningCog and SalesActivator are running Consultative Selling Training Programme’s in London and Brighton and have places available for April and May, book now so not to miss out on the early bird offer. Want to know more about the programme click here or email us for a no obligation call back info@learningcog.com
