What is iT? Why do customers buy from YOU?

WHY

Last newsletter we said “The BEST results are those which customers may not have been thinking about BEFORE they engaged with you.”  Why?  

• If you bring nothing new to the table (the iT of why they would want to talk to you) why would the top level decision maker what to meet with you?  They have NO excess time! (See Chapter 6: Time is the New Currency in Selling By The Book Today)
• If top level decision makers were already thinking about iT they would already be talking with their peers about insights into how to address the problem.  If you came up in a peer conversation you may earn the opportunity to get to the next level (all the more reason to grow your connections!)
• ALL top level decision makers think RESULTS! And if you can bring a RESULT which was not on the radar screen, then you earn the opportunity!  When we say RESULTS we mean:

1. Something they are NOT getting today and
2. WILL address a situation they have and
3. They NEED to address iT and
4. IF they don’t address iT...trouble will come their way and
5. IF they had not yet thought about iT...all the better

The reality is you can secure an appointment if you have 1-3 but because of competing demands to get their time it’s still a challenge.  If you have 1-4 the probability of an appointment goes up.  If you have all 5 then it’s purely about prospecting and recommendations

WHAT

So, what is iT?

Go back to last week's newsletter and look at those 2-3 results you have brought to your customers.  Categorize each item you noted as either:

• Price (note:  if this is the primary reason then it is easy to quantify.  Keep in mind customers often say they went with you because of price but it was something else.  PUSH ON THIS WITH THEM!)
• A Feature/Benefit/Advantage of your solution
• Service Advantage
• You

If you can’t define, in writing, why customers bought from you in measurable and quantifiable terms, then go back and ASK THEM!  If you or they cannot define VALUE, then iT becomes price and often price becomes a race to the bottom!

HOW

Go back and quantify, in measurable terms, which a CUSTOMER would confirm, the iT of why they bought from you!  Now, watch Video 149 in the Shot of Octane app (you don't have it yet?! - Apple Store or Google Play Store) and start to develop your questions!

WHEN

Every time you finish a project you MUST ask your customer (wait until the check clears) why they bought from you.  Once they begin to organize THEIR thoughts enough to answer the question they are better prepared to share it with others.  PLUS, once they organize their thoughts and give you an answer they are ready to write you a recommendation (more on that in this newsletter)

Too often salespeople (myself included) are so busy moving to the next opportunity in our pipeline we don’t take time to document the value we are bringing to our customer.

In sales, if you can’t measure iT, iT does not exist. ~Sales Octane Mantra

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