“Maybe.”
What a terrible response when you are out there selling to your customers.
Maybes arrive in all kinds of forms: “maybe I’m interested” or “call me next month” or “this isn’t a good time” or “can you send me something” or the dreaded “I have to ask my spouse.” Or perhaps maybes that sound like “no” but really mean “no, not now.”
Maybes are irritating for so many reasons, but mostly I take it as a sign that I haven’t done a good job explaining the opportunity and my value. That’s my bad.
And we see this with tons of our customers, too, so I know we’re not alone.
The heart of the problem is actually easy to identify—or it would be easy if only someone shared it with you. So I’m sharing because it appears most other marketers don’t or can’t (because they don’t know?).
We’re busy selling. Our customers are busy buying.
And our sales process rarely matches our customers’ buying process.
We’re busy pushing our agenda seen through our eyes, often rooted in how gosh-darned swell our products/services are.
Our customers are busy buying solutions to their problems, things that take them away from their pain, issues and life’s irksome irritations.
Here’s what it looks like when it plays itself out in real life.
Our selling process:
> Educate about our product or service
> Validate that we are swell and the people to buy from
> Justify our offer—our product/service is the best
> Close the deal
Our customers’ buying process:
> What will solve my problem/take away my pain
> Who has to say yes—me and my spouse; me and my boss (you see, it just moved from me to we)
> Rationalize our preferences (and each decision maker has different motivations to say yes and different rationalizations of their preference)
> Decide who solves our problem best
Big difference, eh?
Now what do you think will happen when you adjust your selling process to match your customers’ buying process?
Sales…and probably much faster without all the “maybes.”
So how do you do this?
First, determine what your customers’ problems, issues, irritations are. Your job is to show them how you solve them—not how your product works.
Pay attention to all the decision makers. Understand they each have different pains to be relieved and therefore, different motivations to buy. You must address both of their issues.
Ask questions first…and second. Don’t make statements. Questions will enable you to learn and understand what motivates their “yes” muscle.
Always, always, always create the value of what you offer from their point of view, not yours. And their point of view is “what will make my life better, take away my pain.” They are rarely looking for another anti-aging cream, life coach, accountant, educational school, financial planner, homeopathic nutritional, real estate agent, business coach, meal supplement, or fill-in-your-blank.
Lastly, it’s your job to remain in control at each step in their decision-making process. Give them assignments. Ask them to do something. Now they are not only participating in finding the solution, they are participating as you have instructed to them.
Now you get to choose. Having a selling process with a USP (Unique Selling Proposition) centered on you and what you do or a buying process and UBP (Unique Buying Proposition) centered on your customer that enables you to move out of Maybe Land?
Yes, this will take some practice and yes, you’ll be required to know the pains and irritations your customers are trying to eliminate.
Yet, by recognizing your customers’ Buying Proposition and putting it into motion in your own business, you move yourself away from pain, too! One more “yes” and one less “maybe”—are you feeling better already?
Go forth and do great things,
Martha Hanlon and Chris Williams