In theory it is impossible to know too much about the product you are selling. But you have to emphasize the application of the product rather than its manufacture,' says Ken Langdon.
Customers are unlikely to be interested in the remarkable technical innovations which have made the product possible. But if you have just introduced a lifetime guarantee, this is likely to be significant to them.
Striking a balance is not easy. In preparation you need to run through as many possible scenarios as you can imagine.
Think of the likely questions a customer will have about your product or service and think about your responses. The guide to all of this must be to match the needs and aspirations of the customer with what the product or service can provide.
Be persistent
'You have to keep plugging away. No matter who you are you have to be continually attracting new customers,' says consultant Tim Foster. 'You are often dealing with customers and clients who work for large organizations. You have to be aware of their agenda. While the self-employed are accustomed to taking risks, people in organizations are often risk-averse. They are fearful of being fired or made redundant. How the hell do you get work from people who aren't willing to take a risk?'
Selling checklist: The customer
- Would the customer really benefit from your product or service?
- In what way would they benefit? In the short term? In the long term?
- Are you able to identify all the key people in the company?
- Are they the decision-makers?
- How much sales effort does the customer demand?
- Does the customer have the money available in a budget?
- Does the customer have a rough expectation of cost?
Timescale
- Have the key people agreed on a decision date?
- Is there an agreed implementation timescale?
- Is your solution valid?
- Can you deliver it when the customer wants in the numbers required?
- Can you support your solution?
- Do you have an advantage?
- Do you fully understand what they are offering and at what price?
Have you made it clear:
- what the customer will receive;
- when they will receive it?
- in your business, and;
- in the customer's?
Having achieved a sale in a particular organization you then have to develop the business. This can be done in a number of ways.
Developing contacts
Do you have regular business meetings at all levels with:
- Senior management?
- High level within the product users?
- High and wide at technical level?
- Where necessary in Central Purchasing?
- Do you have an agreed measure of customer satisfaction with the customer?
- Do you deliver what you promised on time and within budget?
- Does the product give the expected up-time?
- Where problems occur are they fixed quickly?
- Are you supporting the customer properly where appropriate?
- Are you thoroughly aware of your company's product strategy and can you articulate it to your customer?
- Does your plan fit in with your company's strategy?
- Is there a connection between your plan and your customer's overall strategy?
- Can you see the connection between your plan and some customer critical success factor(s)?
- Can you see the connection between your plan and a change in a crucial customer performance indicators?
- Are you aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the main competitors you are facing?
- Are you aware of your company's strengths and weaknesses in relation to the main competitors?
- How vulnerable is your installed base to competitive attack?
- Are you seen as price competitive and value for money?
