Sales Conversations Suffer from “False Starts”

When you start reading a new book, do you pick it up and flip right to the middle? How about when you watch a movie? Do you skip ahead rather than start from the beginning? My guess is, probably not. You would miss out on the set up of the story, who the main characters are and what makes them tick.

So why is it that most sales conversations start from the middle? What’s the “middle” when it comes to sales conversations, you ask?

Start From the very beginning – A very good place to start

Many salespeople immediately default to the “why us” conversation. This is where you go right to product features and benefits and what differentiates you from the competition. Similarly, most of their sales and marketing tools follow the same approach. (Think competitive matrix with all of your competitor’s names and their features and a bunch of full moons and half moons and quarter moons to show who wins the battle.)

Unfortunately, this method should be declared a “false start” because you have jumped the gun when it comes to how most prospects are looking at their first interactions with you and your company. According to research from Sales Benchmark Index, up to 60 percent of qualified leads end up in “no decision.”  They stick with the status quo. Which means they were not ready to hear about “why you”… they really needed to hear about “why change?” and “why now?”  But, your messaging and conversations started at question number three: “why you?”

More often than not, the companies you are talking to are not even engaged in a buying cycle, yet. They probably don’t even know whether they need your product or service. In fact, they may have the conversation with you simply to see if they even need to make a change at all. This is why you need to back up and start from the beginning.

Establish a buying vision

In order for your prospect to be ready to hear about “why you,” your messaging and conversations need to present a case for why change, why now. We call this – establishing a buying vision. This means challenging their current assumptions, helping them see how their current approach is being threatened, and highlighting the implications of not changing.

Next, you must identify a new set of needs and requirements or considerations. Finally, you must define a solution that aligns to your core strengths. This positions you as the most viable alternative when they move into the buying cycle. A recent Forrester study stated that 65 percent of executive buyers prefer to purchase from companies that first establish the buying vision. By creating the buying vision you can change the trajectory of the sales and buying cycle in your favor. But, you can’t just say that’s what you need to do. It requires a re-work of your messages, selling tools and skills training to ensure you have the ability to deliver a buying vision conversation.

Make the current customer status quo your competitor and “design point” for your messaging. Create executive whiteboard conversation tools that facilitate a consultative dialogue around how the status quo is no longer safe. And, train your salespeople to confidently demonstrate how your approach provides a contrasting new way, or new “safe” that directly addresses the most pressing challenges, threats, obligations and potential opportunities.

Filed under: Business-to-Business, Deliver Conversations that Win, Marketing, Sales Tagged: buying vision