Is it possible to innovate in sales, in how people sell?
Certainly, most research conducted on the commercial areas of top international companies has sought to identify the aspects that define them as sales leaders; more or less in the same order as listed below, these aspects have been: using the CRM Continuously and with commitment, don't sell solely on price, define goals through objective and measurable variables, be proactive in acquiring new clients and new products, sell through current clients...; nothing new, right? However, we must constantly monitor compliance; excuses such as bad salespeople, the crisis, etc., are not valid.
But, for the moment, we continue to view the customer from a certain distance; we believe we have a very approximate idea of their needs and their behavior in the buying process.
The consulting Infoteam They interviewed more than 100 sales directors and almost 200 buyers on three fundamental aspects of sales, and obtained these results:
Why are salespeople hired?
Social, communication and decision-making skills, experience in the solution the client seeks, professionalism, understanding of the client's business, consultative skills,...
Customer expectations
Experience in the solution they seek, understanding of their business, professionalism, consulting skills, decision-making skills, and social skills....
What does the salesperson think the customer needs?
Professionalism, understanding of your business, experience in solutions, social skills, consulting skills, decision-making skills
Conclusions
Immediately, we see the dangerous difference between what the customer wants (experience in the solution they are looking for) and what the salesperson thinks (ability to communicate and convince); in this same study, almost 40% of buyers decided that understanding their business was their second priority, while for salespeople it was the fifth.
Not as important, but very real, is another conclusion from studies of this type; the aspects most valued in a personnel selection are usually friendliness, communication, etc.; however, clients value them as the least important
This is the perfect moment to state the obvious:
Customers buy what they want, not what we sellers want.
Yes, yes… there's no need to overthink it…
And after stating the obvious, let's do things differently; undoubtedly, we will improve our business strategy by paying attention to how we relate to customers depending on what they need.
Let's innovate by focusing more on the customer's buying process than on the usual or traditional sales process.
We must work on to add value at each stage of that buying process (research, selection, testing, choice, purchase and post-purchase, or whatever it may be that we need to find out).
To become one with the client, to feel and experience their needs; isn't this the essence of interim management?