What do you sell? If I ask 100 professionals this question, I will receive close to 100 different answers. I’ve done this in my seminars, so I know this to be true. The answers come to me as, “financial services,” “health and beauty products,” “business opportunities,” “computers,” “real estate,” “luxury automobiles,” and so on. I prefer to hear answers like these: “peace of mind with regard to financial matters,” “enhanced self-esteem through effective self-care,” “the freedom to make your own choices in a profitable business,” “methods for saving time and money while enhancing your company’s image,” “places where memories are made, ” and “comfort and security on the road.”
Can you see the difference? As a sales professional, you must realize first and foremost that you do not sell products and services. You sell what those products and services will do for the people you serve.
Marketing experts use words, phrases, and images that show their clients how their products do one or more of the following:
Save money
Save time
Improve their status
Improve their looks or health
Are easy to use or comfortable
Allow them to have better sex lives
I bet you don’t know anyone who doesn’t want at least two of these things. Take a moment now and think about the product, service, or idea you represent. How doo you tell people what you do? How can you use these six ideas to make people more interested in what you sell?
Think about it: Janitorial services don’t sell office or home cleaning. They improve the image of businesses. They help families find more time to devote to leisure or other more important activities.
Whatever your product and whatever your level of experience in selling it, you can develop a thorough product knowledge. By seeing things through your customers’ eyes, you can turn your awareness of its many features into real benefits. Forget the “what’s in it for me” attitude, and think abut what’s in it for the other guy. That’s when you both start winning.
Have a good one and let me know if you need anything.