How can you handle a buyer who prioritizes the relationship over the product?

Even as a sales trainer I coach people to worry much less on how to sell and more emphasis on learning Why People Buy! People buy for four main reasons: 1. they like you 2. they trust you 3. they believe you 4. they have a desire to do business with you But is starts with like. When you get to the point where your prospect is looking for reasons to do business with you... Only then have you completed the sale. Go get em today!

1. **Personality Assessment:** Use tools like DISC, MBTI, or Enneagram to understand their behavioral style. 2. **Thorough Research:** Explore their background, interests, and goals through social media and connections. 3. **Identify Pain Points:** Pinpoint specific challenges they may be facing to position your solution effectively. 4. **Adapt Communication:** Adjust your communication style to match theirs, whether detailed or concise. 5. **Build Rapport:** Establish a connection based on shared interests for a positive relationship. 6. **Tailored Approach:** Personalize your strategy to enhance engagement with the relationship-oriented buyer.

Handle a buyer prioritizing the relationship by fostering trust, understanding their needs deeply, aligning the product with their goals, and maintaining open and transparent communication.

Here's a concise guide to establishing trust: 1. **Authenticity:** Be genuine and sincere in your interactions. 2. **Consistency:** Demonstrate reliability and deliver on promises. 3. **Respect:** Treat your buyer with courtesy and consideration. 4. **Genuine Interest:** Show curiosity about them beyond the business context. 5. **Active Listening:** Engage in meaningful conversations, asking open-ended questions. 6. **Positive Atmosphere:** Use humor, compliments, and empathy to foster a comfortable environment.

No one (well almost no one) buys from someone that they do not trust. this is why we iPhones from the apple store not from a man on the street, even when the man on the street is charging less. It all starts with trust. First impressions are very important. we decide how we feel about someone very quickly after meeting them. so, show up on time, be respectful, take an interest in your buyer as a person rather than as a buyer. They will not trust you immediately. you have to demonstrate that you can be trusted by doing things for them. these can be small, simple things that don't cost anything but make a big difference to their trust.

While your buyer may be keen on the relationship, the features and functions of your product will be important in time. Make sure that you understand what they are trying to achieve, not just their pain points. where are they heading? what are their objectives? what other problems do they have? they may have other, bigger problems that they need to solve before you can help them. they may need what you have but not just yet.

Showing that we care about their satisfaction even beyond the initial transaction. Modifying our strategy in response to shifts in their circumstances or preferences & also displaying a readiness to adapt to their changing demands.

Here's a succinct guide to providing value: 1. **Understanding:** Identify buyer's pain points, goals, and challenges. 2. **Customization:** Tailor your solution to address their specific needs. 3. **Demonstration:** Show how your product aligns with their desired outcomes. 4. **Social Proof:** Utilize testimonials, case studies, or referrals for credibility. 5. **Long-term Emphasis:** Highlight the enduring benefits and support your product provides.

Try to understand what is driving them to make a decision and what their decision making process is. These are legitimate questions to ask your customer. Once you know, you can determine how much you might want to encourage them to make a decision. If they want to take their time, ensure that you stay in touch with them. don't just wait for them to make the decision. keep contacting them, send them useful information, invite them for a coffee etc so that you can stay in touch.

In the dance of the deal, respect becomes your rhythm when dealing with a relationship-oriented buyer. Like a slow waltz, they prefer a deliberate pace, gracefully exploring options and consulting before stepping into commitment. Avoid the hustle; instead, gently sway with their rhythm. Introduce a subtle urgency by unveiling the cost of delay, yet give them a spacious ballroom to ponder. Nurture the dance with strategic follow-ups—thank-you notes, insightful resources, or tempting incentives—to keep the symphony of interest harmoniously playing. In this nuanced choreography, respecting their pace becomes the choreographer’s key move.

Salespeople who are unfamiliar with relationship buyers sometimes experience closing reluctance because they fear damaging the relationship. To overcome this it's important to frame the close as "the right thing to do" and when you believe that asking for the business is the right thing to do, then of course you will ask someone you have a relationship to move forward. Everyone feels good about asking to work together in this scenario.

In the symphony of relationships, the crescendo is reached when you delicately ask for the sale. Don't rest on the notes of trust and liking alone—guide them through the buying process, addressing objections like a skilled conductor. Employ trial closes and alternative closes, tuning into their readiness. With each note, reinforce the melody of your product's value and the harmonious benefits of the relationship. Express your excitement, for in this final movement, the sale becomes the grand finale, a culmination of the orchestrated dance you've artfully navigated together.

For customers who value relationship over product, it is important to broaden the sales cycle in which you go for education-based selling and have conversations beyond professional activities. However, you have to set a deadline for yourself and clearly share your intent with the customer. After all, the underlying motive for such a relationship is that you generate revenue in exchange for adding value par excellence. Don't be afraid to be straightforward about your intentions. After all, the foundation of any long lasting relationship is a sense of economic security.