As a salesperson, how do you entice potential buyers to make the purchase? Do you go to great lengths to ensure they know all your product’s unique features?
While this selling technique is informative, here’s the reality: product demonstrations and long lists of features aren’t the key to generating sales.
If highlighting the features of a product was enough to close deals, then the entire sales profession would have been replaced by spec sheets!
Think of the mobile phone or computer you are using while reading this article. Do you remember its battery life, operating system, processor, RAM, or even its screen size? Chances are, you don’t.
When you take a few moments to analyze your path to purchase and see what influenced your decisions, you’ll probably realize that what made you buy it was not the product per se but the value it gives you.
When Apple launched the very first iPhone in 2007, it was called “your life in your pocket.” Steve Jobs understood from the onset that customers were looking for something that could help them in their everyday lives, all in one convenient device. More than the phone’s features, this promise, and its value to people were what made heads turn.
Today, the iPhone has certainly become the modern-age Swiss army knife, especially for tech-savvy millennials. It offers endless value—from being a rich source of entertainment to your ride home, easy access to food delivery services, a heartbeat and health tracker, and even your own intelligent voice assistant.
With hundreds of competing devices on the market, Apple was able to differentiate itself by offering people a unique experience.
The same goes for buying cars. When you decide between a Telsa and Audi, what are your key considerations? The “right car” isn’t just about its brand or its horsepower but what it can do for you, right? In other words, its value to you.
If you have a long commute to work then fuel economy will likely be valuable to you. For those with little ones, safety trumps everything, so you’ll probably be looking for a car that allows you to drive your kids safely to school or soccer practice.
If you’re the type who goes on trips often or transports a lot of things, you’ll enjoy the convenience of having a large trunk space.
Ultimately, what makes a truly excellent salesperson is their ability to identify their target market and understand them well. Before you can even begin to meet your client’s needs, you need to know their pains!
You see, each individual is unique. The same product’s value can differ from person to person.
As a sales professional, it’s up to you to find out what that is and then paint the bigger picture for your potential customer. This is your key to closing deals!
If you’re a business owner, you can also use these insights when you’re pitching ideas to potential investors!
How many times have you found yourself just listing off facts about your company and its achievement? Instead of doing that, emphasize the benefits they can get by doing business with you.
Trust me, that would certainly pique their interest more! Don’t just talk numbers; let them know the value they will get in exchange for agreeing with the proposal.
Conclusion
You don’t need an immense marketing or design budget to improve your messaging. Just focus on the ‘whys’—why are your products or services relevant to your target market? Why is the experience valuable? Why should customers pick you instead of the competition? Remember, it’s not the product but its value that matters most.
