In his article Five Sales Lessons From a Harvard Business School Professor, Hyken describes the emerging sales philosophy of “selling with service.” He argues that sales is no longer separate from customer service; rather, these traditionally separate roles are closely intertwined. Businesses are gradually finding that customer experience drives far more buying decisions than previous sale tactics. Two points from this article in particular resonated with me and have functioned as helpful guides for me as a seller.
First of all, customers don’t want to be sold – they want to buy. In other words, they often prefer to research the product or service independently before engaging with any sort of salesperson. This gives them the space they need to evaluate their options before being pressured into purchasing something. Because of information about products being more easily accessible through online pages, sales conversations often act as confirmation rather than persuasion. Sellers have even more reason to tone down pushiness. As a buyer, this article resonates with me because I greatly value having the time and space to consider options before being pressured into buying something. This is the reason why I sometimes prefer online shopping to in-person shopping, as it allows me to shop freely.
Secondly, it’s important that buyers control the process. Again, buyers don’t want to feel like they are being pressured into making a purchase or even taking more steps in that direction. In order to show a buyer that they are valued, sellers should allow customers to choose how, when, and if they will interact with a salesperson. Companies can be creative with this by offering self-service resources (such as videos and FAQs) and easy access to human support when desired in order to relieve the pressure from customers. The ability for a business to adapt to buyer preferences is vital for its growth and overall success.
Citation:
Hyken, S. (2022, October 1). Selling With Service: Five Sales Lessons From a Harvard Business School Professor. Forbes.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/shephyken/2022/10/01/selling-with-service-five-sales-lessons-from-a-harvard-business-school-professor/
deleonardislm24
This article that you have simplified sounds parallel to what we have been talking about in class. First off, that the customers don’t want to be sold – they want to buy. When I was reading your post, my mind went straight to Pink with what Hyken said. It sounds exactly like Pink’s definition: “people like to buy. They do not like to be sold.” Also, the fact that the buyers control the process. Just like we have learned in class, a salesperson should not be pushy, obnoxious, or slick, but to fulfill and bless the buyers’ needs by being transparent.