While it is true that in the world of sales there is a gap between the customer and the seller due to a reduction in the dependence of consumers on sellers during the early stages of the buying process, it means that sales representatives must take a different approach to build stronger relationships and close more deals.
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Today, by putting the customer at the center, understanding that more than a customer is a person implies developing a more personalized commercial process where people's needs are put before, what they seek to achieve or have, instead of the company's needs to sell without worrying about the human part.
Carrying out a transactional sale, which is the opposite of a consultative sale, is trying to sell you a product by appealing to your purchase decisions through a product or service that you probably do not need or fully meet your expectations.
On the other hand, when we refer to consultative selling, the objective is not simply the transaction of a product for the money, but rather the fact of putting oneself in the customers' shoes and understanding their needs as if they were a doctor. So, using this metaphor, doctors ask their patients what hurts them, what symptoms they have, to detect the origin of those symptoms that have triggered a possible disease.
As consultative salespeople, we ask our potential customers what needs they have, what goals they want to achieve, what challenges they faced during their search for possible solutions, and understanding that they have a gap that must be solved.
Based on the scope of this type of selling considered customer-focused, in this article, we identify the benefits of consultative selling, which could help you, especially if you have a service company.
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Consultative selling allows the person who initiates a commercial relationship with a representative to feel contained because the representatives do not only seek to sell but to help them in their purchase decisions so that when they decide on their choice, it is the most appropriate and manages to satisfy your needs.
As the sales process progresses in a consultative sale, potential customers will feel that they are gaining security and peace of mind concerning what the representative is offering them, since the value proposition will be built based on the data that is collected from consumers and from their constant interaction in the commercial process, where they probably discovered new concerns and motivations to strengthen this bond.
When people feel part of the process and see that the company wants to help them, they tend to trust sales representatives more. This trust will encourage the purchase, and if that purchase returns a positive experience for the customer, they will possibly buy again, generating brand loyalty.
Therefore, consultative selling enhances the closing of sales by focusing on the needs of customers. Representatives identify a problem and are predisposed to listen to them, hence a bond is established that anticipates the final purchase. Active listening is an attribute traditional salespeople often don't have, which is why many potential customers don't buy.
The characteristics of consultative selling increase customer confidence in the brand because knowing their representatives and checking the way they have to provide a more personalized service will make loyalty easier. In some way, representatives should be like a kind of guide or mentor for their customers, helping them to achieve certain goals.
Solution selling has evolved into a consultative selling approach that gives buyers the value of perspective. This means sales reps provide buyers with new insights that help them see their problems in a different light to achieve their business goals.
Offering perspective increases sales reps' credibility by differentiating themselves from solutions. The perspective transforms a supplier vendor into a solution-based strategic partner. Customers want experiences where they feel confident that reps understand their needs and can deliver value.
A consultative sales approach also opens the door for additional conversations early in the sales cycle. Most buyers find value in discussing their needs with reps, and the vast majority are willing to talk to them earlier in the buying cycle.
Taking control of a relationship does not endear customers to reps. When you're working with strong-willed buyers who rely less than ever on sellers for information, they won't build any momentum if you try to tell them what to do or how they should make decisions.
A large number of buyers say that the salesperson's ability to educate them during the sales process influenced their last major purchase decision. A consultative sales approach gives sellers the right to interact with buyers earlier and more frequently during the sales cycle.
Sales reps need to prove themselves trustworthy before buyers want to take the next step in a deal. In turn, the prospect exchange process builds credibility and trust, two essential pillars for a long-term sales relationship.
Consultative selling allows companies to prioritize the alignment between sales and customer satisfaction. In this way, service professionals communicate more with customers and not just representatives. As a result, organizations must emphasize true collaboration between service and sales with a customer perspective using a consultative sales approach.
When service and sales put the customer at the center of their work, customer satisfaction levels increase. In turn, this leads to deeper levels of brand loyalty and also increases the likelihood of repeat business and growth in business closings.
Another benefit of consultative selling is that it avoids the stereotypes that sales reps often have about buyers, as buyers must research and communicate with potential customers to discover the best way to match their sales proposal to their personality type to make a positive response from them more fluid.
For this reason, reps using consultative selling won't assume that consumers value the same sales approach as a design template that you can use multiple times as needed.
Likewise, not all salespeople will be for customers those people who sell in the same way and only care about getting the most profit from them, therefore, stereotypes of representatives focused on sales and not the customer are also reduced.
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In short, the advantages of consultative selling are several for both sales representatives and consumers. Companies benefit from implementing a sales system focused on the customer, on their needs, while consumers benefit from being heard and treated like people instead of as simple profit-generating customers.