Member Article

Sales Nugget – What are you selling?

I asked this question last week to a relatively new business, and have asked it many times before to lots of business owners and sales people.

The woman answered the question much the same way as many people before her did with a response such as: “I sell…

• accountancy services
• clothes
• photography
• gifts
• recruitment services
• IT hardware and software

In answering the question she listed her products and services. In fact we are all selling products and services - that much we all understand.

After she listed her products and services we spent a little bit of time exploring not what she was selling but what her customers were getting out of the service. After a little while she suddenly got the idea and said: “I had never thought of that it that way before.”

She discovered she was selling a solution. A solution to her customers’ problems. She also discovered that not all her customers had the same problem. She was perplexed and asked how she could find out all of their problems and issues.

It’s an obvious answer, in that we ask them with good structured questions. However, I gave her one little tip to find out the sort of problems her customers will have. The solution is to ask her existing customers one simple question.

“What benefits do you get from our service?“

If she asks this question she will get several different answers. It’s true that we all have different needs, issues and problems we want solved. Howeve,r the more people you ask the more you will see that a certain group of issues keep cropping up that you have solved.

You will get different answers but most importantly you will find out the benefits customers are getting from your products or services.

At the end of the session the woman walked out with this idea of asking her customers the simple question. When we meet again for the next sales session, she will have the answers, and funny enough I already have an idea of what they might be.

The answers will all start something like this:

• Improved …
• Saved …
• Reduced …
• Increased …

These answers will help her the next time she is asked: “What are you selling?” Her answer will be different and it will be focussed on the benefits her customers are getting not a list of services she offers.

So your task for this week is to find out what benefits your customers are getting from you by asking the question “What benefits do you get from our service?” Then go out and solve some customer’s problems and at the same time you will get orders for your products and services

On Thursday April 10 the North Tyneside Business Centre will host a ‘Celebration of Innovation’. The day time event has some fantastic speakers who will show you how to successfully get through the minefield of new product development. Places are limited so booking is essential. To book a place please contact 0191 605 3110 or email: info@businessfactorynt.co.uk or for further information visit

http://www.businessfactorynt.co.uk/biz/seminars-and-events/?ee=216

Can you help me please? If you think the ‘Sales Nugget’ column is of some value to you can please click here and say simply yes.

Use your phone, iPad, or computer sitting at your desk with our sales training video offering visit http://www.learnsellingskills.com/

If you want help to increase your sales please contact us on 0191-2267366, email us at sales@arrowsales.co.uk or visit us at http://www.arrowsales.co.uk/

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Michael McMeekin .