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Trusted Advisor Or Suspect Seller? Which Would You Rather Be?
David Hurley
Grasp-The-Nettle
Some of the best marketers on the Internet today seem more like success mentoring experts, or trusted advisors than hard-nosed sales people.
They believe in their company, they believe in their products and services, they believe in themselves, and, above all, they believe in giving their clients honest, high quality service.
One way of thinking about the art of selling is to see it as a process in which belief in a product or service is transferred from the seller to the buyer.
If you believe in and are enthusiastic about the products or services you are selling, then the AIDA model becomes much easier to apply. The acronym describes the sales process in four stages:
Attention, Interest, Desire, Action.
If you have problems selling, it is likely that you have failed to hit the mark in one of these areas. Prospects buy because they are persuaded that some feature of your product or service will be of benefit to them in a way that is significant enough for them to feel good about the purchase and justify it to themselves.
So what are the benefits that are most likely to stimulate desire and enable the client to justify the purchase?
It will save money or make money for the client. It will save time or speed things up and be more convenient or productive than current solutions. It will improve or restore health or fitness. It will offer security or protection. It will boost the customer's popularity, respect, personal magnetism, or make the customer feel fashionable.
When a prospect or client consults you, it is your job to find out what the client needs and which of these benefits you can assist with. If you can link the benefits your product or service offers to the needs of the customer, then it won't be difficult to make an honest pitch for businesss.
Equally, if you do not have a suitable product or service that will meet the client's need, then it is actually better for you as well as for your client if you do NOT try to close a deal.
The reason is that your role as a trusted advisor is something that takes time to build and no time to destroy. Trust is your most precious asset, and if it is in your client's best interests NOT to buy, then you will build trust by explaining that clearly.
If your clients trust you, you need never "sell" your product or service.
What's more, you'll be on such good terms with your client that it will be easy for you to ask for referrals, or people who might be interested in your particular offer.
So, from now on, instead of seeking to sell, simply engage your prospects in a client-focused conversation and offer advice as to the best way for your clients to get the benefits they seek.
Once you grasp this powerful "sales secret" and begin to focus your enthusiasm on helping your client rather than on achieving the sale, you will have the potential to become a super salesperson - without even trying!
If you are not convinced by this suggested sales strategy, I suggest that you read The Trusted Advisor by David H. Maister, Charles H. Green and Robert M. Galford to find out what benefits you would obtain if your clients trusted you more.
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David Hurley is an Internet marketer who focuses on success mentoring for Internet marketing start-ups. You can also get a free subscription to David's popular Internet marketing newsletter and download SIX bonus eBooks FREE!!
Article submitted Friday, July 11, 2008
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