Did you know that the expression “he has dollar signs on his eyes” is a common phrase? This means that the buyer believes the salesperson is more concerned about winning or losing commissions than the buyer’s needs. Buyers don’t want us to be selfish. It’s what has made salespeople look “bad.” Our company’s sales goals are about revenue. They want us to be interested in their needs. How can a salesperson and a manager balance their sales approach to meet the needs of both the buyer and the company? While I will share my thoughts, I would love your take. Please use the comments section below.
Get in touch to discuss the purpose of your product or service with your preferred customer.
Balanced sales require that you look beyond what your product or service is selling to be clear about the outcome for your customer. What do your customers get or realize from your product/service? The hole that a drill bit provides is a simple example. Drills and drill bits are not what people want; they want holes. They also wish to spots that are precise and fast. Although everyone wants accurate and tight holes, you might be able to find core deliverables that are different depending on the customer’s needs. Homeowners might feel the joy of completing a task they had never imagined possible or of adding to their trophy (self-esteem or pride). Contractors are looking to improve production and quality (profit).
How do you help your customers to realize the benefits of your product? What makes their business or life better?
Learn what you can offer your customers.
It doesn’t matter what you do, but how you do it. Think about the impact your customer’s buying and servicing experience will have on them. Perhaps you are a great helper in helping people make decisions or by providing regular updates. You might be able to provide the leadership that contacts need to get their ideas heard by decision-makers at the company. This could make you look like a star. Are you great at details? What benefits does this bring to your customers?
You are their representative. How does it make their work, life, and company better?
One of our clients owns a surgery center. They have a team of skilled surgeons, hardworking staff, beautiful facilities, and the latest technology. It’s all great, but how do patients appreciate them allowing them to perform procedures on them? They have a better quality of life. Everyone is committed to improving the quality of each patient’s life, from the surgeon to the receptionist. It’s incredible how much more enjoyable and motivating it is to approach every aspect of your job with this purpose.
Once you have your purpose figured out, you can start to work on the work that you need to “serve more people.” If you have a sense that is meaningful for your customers, sales are only one part of what you offer. Selling doesn’t have to be about convincing someone. It can also be about helping them buy the things they want.
What number of customers do you need to reach the company’s goals?
By breaking down how many customers you need this year, your focus will be on new customers and not $dollars$. If you are merely trying to reach a financial goal, it is easy to get distracted by the money. This can lead to “dollar signs” in your eyes.
How many customers do you sell per year?
How many customers will you need to buy your product this year based on your average sales or revenue per customer?
Choose the activity that you are most committed to and how much.
How many people do you need to meet, talk to, and present your proposals to get new customers to buy from you?
What are you going to do to meet these numbers? What number of calls? What kind of calls? How many people did you refer? How many networking events did you attend? This is the end result. It is possible to draw it.
Get the purpose and the sales commitment together.
Every day, work on your plan and let the purpose and what it means for your customers be your motivator. It is difficult for me to write blogs, especially on a daily basis. It’s part of my plan. The purpose of the blog is to help other people grow their businesses and personal growth. We hope that everyone who works with us or is plugged into our support system will feel more confident in their work and be happier. So I keep writing. I’m working on my plan.
Balance your sales meetings
While you need to monitor the individual plans and keep track of them, it is important to also discuss with clients how they are more likely to buy your products or work with you. You can share the success stories of clients more than how you persuaded them to buy. Keep your head down and be humble.
If you can connect with the purpose of your product and then create a plan to achieve your goals, your sales approach will become more balanced.