By McNall Mason – Modern customers believe they are missing out on relationships with knowledgeable salespeople who take the time to listen and act as trusted advisors. In fact, only 22 percent of customers find that salespeople understand their issues and where they can help. Prospects and customers alike look for answers at their pace and when they finally connect with a salesperson; most have narrowed the supplier list to a few. At this phase of the buyer’s journey, it’s important to offer a helping attitude.
Too often, salespeople think about the end game. They don’t take the time to invest in relationships with customers, which leads to retention, customer satisfaction and upsell opportunities. This is your chance to distinguish your business from the competition. Understand your customer’s needs and challenges and offer solutions to overcome their obstacles. This strategy builds trust and naturally leads to the close of deals.
Here are eight key strategies for Xerox Channel Partners to help sales teams relate to customers, build relationships, and close more business:
- Sell business outcomes not products
A printer is a just a printer and a copier is just a copier – until it can translate the incoming documents from your Munich office in a matter of seconds. Take the time to research your prospects before connecting to gain insight to start conversations with an understanding of their goals and challenges. With their needs in mind, recommend solutions that solve their problems and impact their business in a positive way.
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- Clarify your value prop
Looking critically at your competition is something every salesperson should do – regularly. Research their website along with their product messaging, positioning, and pricing. Understand who has come and gone from their team and assess where they’re excelling or failing. Only then can you craft a value proposition that addresses the buyer’s needs while edging ahead of the competition.
