Clients and customers want more than just information about your product or service. They want experts.
Ever wonder why the best sales people are able to get their customers on the phone anytime? Have you ever wondered why some sales people seem to always be at the customers site, have an entry badge, easily get on an executives calendars, and are in every deal? Great sales people are in these positions because they do more than talk about product or service. They give their customers more. They are experts.
Customers don’t want to hear about your product all the time. They don’t want to be constantly sold. It get’s old.
Customers want more from sales people. They want your expertise. They want to know what’s happening in the industry. They want to understand best practices. They want ideas. They want to expand their relationships. They want support solving problems that may or may not include your product. They want access to vendors they were unaware of. They want industry analysis, and they want it all from you.
Your customer wants an expert. They want an advisor who they can trust to help them do their job better. Being an expert in your products and solutions isn’t enough.
I once had a client say to my team;
I need someone who tells me what’s going on, gives me suggestions on what to do, even if that means going with your competitor. I want a company who is going to partner with me and educate me. I don’t have time to figure it all out myself. I want to know what’s coming down the pike in 5 years and how what I’m doing now is going to be affected by that. I want someone who understands my business and is going to help me make my goals. Here they are [he laid his goals in front of the team].
If all you can do is talk to me about your products, that’s fine. If I need them, I will buy them. But you’ll only be a vendor. I have tons of those. What I want and need is a partner. If you want to be my partner, you need to go further than selling me what you have today.
This was a gift and not everyone gets a gift like this. We heard him loud and clear. Are you hearing it with your customers?
Give more, go deeper, and think beyond your product or service. Your customers are dying for it.
