A professional sales person communicates with all different types of people. The information you relay to a client and customer should be tailored for your audience.
The best way to listen to a customer or client is to ask questions and listen to the answers. Here is a basic description of the values clients hold dear.
Ask the right questions and you’ll be on your way to delivering a great service.
Quality
When customers and clients value quality, their aim is to find a product or service that will do what it’s meant to do at the highest possible standard. One that will not waver after a few months. One that is constructed by the finest materials, minds and processes.
However, quality means forgoing other factors such as discounted rates. Your client and customer will have already considered this when opting for quality.
When demonstrating the quality of a product or service, explain to your customer or client what is strong, superior and credible about what you have to offer.
On a budget
Hip pocket conscience. These customers or clients want something that will get the job done but at the lowest rate possible.
They have an established budget and won’t make exceptions. It’s likely they will try and bargain with you to get the best discount possible.
The best way to communicate with a customer or client on a budget is to break down your product or services into projects or features.
You may not be able to demonstrate that your product or service is the absolute cheapest, but you may be able to show that for all the elements they would be receiving, it’s the best you can give at the lowest price.
Long term investment
A customer that places value on a product or service as a long term investment most likely doesn’t buy on a whim. They carefully plan their purchases and only buy what they need and what they see will benefit them for the future.
Firstly, you must find out what type of investment they want to make. This may include one of the other core points.
Once you determine the investment, explain what value they will be receiving as a result, whether that be saving money, avoiding regular repairs or buying something that is classical and will stand the test of time.
Image
The image conscious customer or client only wants what looks good, or what is perceived to be good.
When buying any product or service, they will go with what is seen to be the best of the best, and that will usually fall down to the brand.
Give examples of other customers or clients you have dealt with that also value brand and image. Explain how they were happy with their purchase as they found the quality, features and use of your product or service to be just like the “brands” they were used to.
Use these values to start a conversation with your clients and customers. Ask questions around these values and you’ll soon have all the right information you need to deliver and retain a long term partnership.
Sue Barrett is a sales expert, business speaker, adviser, sales facilitator and entrepreneur and founded Barrett Consulting to provide expert sales consulting, sales training, sales coaching and assessments. Visit www.barrett.com.au
