The Key Sales Funnel

As Coach DiDonato shared his perspective and thoughts about his own selling experiences, strategies, and what he’s learned over the past several years, I found the sales funnel he illustrated especially wise and insightful. Coach DiDonato emphasized the four major sections in the funnel: 1) Need Analysis, 2) Need Awareness, 3) Need Solution, 4) Need Satisfaction. He first went in depth about needing analysis. Coach explained that before any sales interaction, you should have a “pre-call analysis”, meaning a general understanding and knowledge of your client and customer. This requires conducting research in preparation to the meeting. Once you have your background information, you can begin your meeting by asking your client very general and open-ended questions. Coach DiDonato clarified that they can’t be too specific nor “yes or no” questions in the beginning of the interaction, as this will not give you helpful insight at this stage. It is only after you ask these broader questions when you can move onto the next section: need awareness. This is the stage in which you take the answers you’ve received thus far and use them to formulate more specific, probing questions. You have to earn the right to share about what you have to offer, and you do this by narrowing down and determining what the client’s most important want/need is. Once this is clearly established, you move down the funnel to needing a solution. This is finally the moment where you can explain and articulate the specific benefits you can offer that will fit the buyer’s most valued want/need. Coach Didonato explained that “features tell, benefits sell”. Benefits will be specific to each client/customer and it’s important to identify them for each individual, as opposed to listing endless features that don’t pertain to their interests/needs/wants. I liked this point because it’s true that there’s no gain in rambling out every possible thing you can offer as it won’t be affective in making a sale. Lastly, if you believe you can fully satisfy the client and customer’s need better than competitors, you move onto needing satisfaction. You have to gain an agreement and ask for a sale. Coach DiDonato pointed out how it can be intimating to ask, as you’re putting yourself out there and risking rejection; however, it’s a crucial step for any salesperson that’s aiming for success. The whole process is about building trust, which Coach DiDonato said requires two things: ability and intent. You have to be honest about what you can provide and be willing to follow through with it. Not all sales will get a yes. In fact, nine out of ten sales may be rejections. However, I believe this sales funnel is a hugely helpful tool and could make a huge improvement in going about selling.