“Learn to question like Sherlock Holmes.” “That’s the way to understand what’s going on in your customers’ mind.”
Do you really know what your customer needs?
The truth, however is that when a salesperson asks questions, they often come more from a self-centric point of view rather than a customer-centric point-of-view. Selling what I have becomes more important than sellling what the customer needs. Are you trying to first understand the customer’s need and then trying to fill that need with the relevant product and service? Or, are you simply aiming to fulfil an assumed need?
The time tested axiom in selling: Never present a feature unless the need is clear. And this need should be:
- Need as recognized by the customer.
- Not the need for a product, but need in the usage of the product or service.
- Need as shaped by preferences of the customer as an individual.
The only way to uncover the real needs of the customer is to practice the skills of curious questioning and active listening. For an in-depth understanding of the Power of Questions as a tool for effective selling, access the Mercuri Insight document on “Understanding Customer needs“.
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Understanding customer needs
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Consultative Selling
