Sell What People Care About
Table Of Contents
Tip
No one gives a shit when you claim that the software you’re selling will save them time or money. They do care that they will get a promotion or have more time to spend with their family. Focus on things that have an emotional connection.
Introduction
This is a short, but important, post.
If you’re selling transactional software that can be put on a credit card, then this really doesn’t apply to you. However, if you’re selling large-ticket, enterprise-scale software, then pay attention.
Emotion Trumps Sales Strategy Every Time
Your Sales Enablement team, or CEO, or VP of Sales, or CRO, or someone with a great title has been drilling the corporate value proposition into your brain.
Hell, your Sales Kick-Off is just around the corner, and you’re emotionally preparing for 2-3 days of people saying all your woes will be remedied if you fine-tune your pitch and perfect your negotiation skills. Break-out sessions will occur, team-building will happen, and you’ll be a changed person. Everything will fall in place for a killer Q1.
At an average cost of $2,000 - $5,000 per-attendee , entire industries are built on the grand promises of Sales Kick-Off meetings.
I’m going to save you a ton of time and money – as well as the pain of a fabricated team-building event.
Focus on What Matters to Your Buyer
Think about any large-dollar deal in your pipeline and ask why it’s stalling. If you’re a halfway-decent sales rep, you’ve achieved BANT , figured out who the buying committee is, and done all the things you’re supposed to do. Yet, the deal hasn’t moved.
Why is that?
You probably haven’t answered one key question that absolutely needs answered.
How will purchasing change the buyer’s life?
- Will they get fired if things don’t go well?
- If so, then you need to ensure they are 1000% confident that this purchase is going to be a win for their career. If they’re uncertain, you still have work to do.
- Will they be promoted if things go well?
- If so, then you need to articulate and agree on what needs to happen so they get a nice bump at the end of the project. Become a career coach and help them map out their next move up the ladder.
- Will they be able to spend more time with their family?
- If you’re claiming your software will save them time, then articulate how they’ll be able to be home for their kids baseball games, not have to work while on vacation, etc.
You get the point. People are selfish. Yes, they want what’s best for their company, but personal wins are what they really care about.
Summary
Find out what’s important to the buyer, and focus your sales strategy on that to close the deal. If buying from you doesn’t make their their life better, then the deal may close – but it will take longer.
Header photo by Natalya Zaritskaya on Unsplash