Here’s something to think about: Would your prospects pay you for your sales calls?

So often, salespeople focus on making as many calls as possible without adding any real value to those conversations. Sales is the closest function to the customer, yet many customers aren’t getting much out of the business relationship. Only 13% of prospects believe a salesperson can understand their needs.

If prospects don’t see the value in the sales experience, they’re not going to engage. Instead, they’ll either avoid interacting with you or get their promo from someone else.

Consultant and advisor Scott K. Edinger says that to create truly valuable sales calls, sales reps need to move away from transactional interactions and toward consultative relationships. We explain his thoughts on how to do this in this issue of PromoPro Daily.

  1. Shed light on the issues your prospects may not see. According to Edinger, some of the best sales organizations excel at finding the problems customers didn’t know they had and then helping the customer solve them. Salespeople guide the conversation, focusing on the prospect’s business and looking for any problems in need of solutions they can provide.
  2. Help prospects find new solutions. You’re the promo expert. Show your prospects some solutions they may never have considered before. Rather than listing off a series of features and benefits, present solutions that address your prospect’s specific needs. Finding a way to uniquely address their needs is both possible and powerful, Edinger says.
  3. Connect prospects with the right resources. Your sales team can’t solve every problem, Edinger says, and not every prospect is a good fit for your business. You can still help them, though. When you refer them to someone else, you’re not adding value but also building loyalty. You never know who the prospect might point in your direction because of your willingness to help. It’s all about improving your prospects’ situation.

Your sales team knows the importance of adding value, but they may just need some direction on how to make it happen. When you focus on surfacing unknown problems, uncovering new solutions and connecting people with the resources they need, you can add real value to the sales process.

Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Scott K. Edinger is a consultant, author, advisor and speaker who works with CEOs and senior leaders to achieve measurable business results.