When trying to acquire new customers you are
trying to cause a slight disruption as a way in as an outsider. But with your
existing customers, that can backfire. Existing customers are ten percent more likely
to switch providers when challenged. They are also 13 percent more likely not to
renew a contract when a provocative message is used.
Sales Techniques Focused on Selling Benefits
We have all heard the line, features tell benefits
sell. But there is a proper way to sell benefits. You cannot just dive into
selling your benefits. You are jumping the gun and have not identified any pains
that your prospect has. Once you find a pain, you can start to consider mixing
some benefits in with more questions.
Competing in a Bake-Off
Everyone is trying to get the prospect to buy
from them. They are going to be hearing all the different why us pitches, but really,
they are all about the same. The prospect is going to buy from the seller that
can pitch the why change and why change now. Those are the unique pain solutions
that will separate you from the competition and get the sale.
Marketing to Personas
If you think about it marketing to a persona
makes sense. But the need to change is not driven by demographics or behaviors.
It is not characteristics that cause them to re-think their current approach,
it is the solution that is going to solve their problem. Instead of developing
messages, focus on how to convive a prospect that their status quo is “unsafe”
and show them how life would be better with your solution.
Relying on the Standard Elevator Pitch
An elevator pitch is a short summary to quickly
and simply define your product or service and its value proposition. The issue
here is that you are telling your story, and elevator pitch is an elevator
pitch for a reason. It is not to be used in an extended selling situation,
because it is not the prospects story.
It is funny how these comments view your opinion of the elevator pitch as helpful in a sales conversation. I agree with you in how it can be detrimental. Elevator pitches are a minute or two of you talking and not listening; the last thing you want to do.
It’s crazy how many sales people are out their, trying so hard but are just misguided. I think a lot of sales really misses the less is more rule that pink illustrates
The 5 tactics above remind me of what how your “typical” salesperson sells, and you are right, they are wrong! Finding the customers problems is by far more important then perfecting any of these above tactics.
You made a good point about not making personas or messages. You can develop a basic structure of the conversation and what to say, but each person is different and has a different problem. You need to focus on finding that problem and solving it for each individual person.
testacr22 
Trinity Blank 
Caroline Marie Dawson
Interesting blog post. I like how you worked in the elevator pitch because that can be a great way to spark at least some sales conversation.
I definitely liked what you did here! Never sleep on the ol’ elevator pitch!
It is funny how these comments view your opinion of the elevator pitch as helpful in a sales conversation. I agree with you in how it can be detrimental. Elevator pitches are a minute or two of you talking and not listening; the last thing you want to do.
It’s crazy how many sales people are out their, trying so hard but are just misguided. I think a lot of sales really misses the less is more rule that pink illustrates
The 5 tactics above remind me of what how your “typical” salesperson sells, and you are right, they are wrong! Finding the customers problems is by far more important then perfecting any of these above tactics.
You made a good point about not making personas or messages. You can develop a basic structure of the conversation and what to say, but each person is different and has a different problem. You need to focus on finding that problem and solving it for each individual person.