9 Jun 2020

Selling to a Goal

What selling to a goal means? Let’s start with selling. Selling involves the exchange of information, which then leads to an exchange of a product or service.

There are many components to a sale. That includes sales conversation, which should be about discovering a customers needs and goals. This is achieved through using effective questioning, listening and clarifying, amongst other things. It’s important that you include these skills as part of your sales training.

When the focus of a sales conversation is about “closing a sale” and getting closer to a sales target; it impacted the customer experience before it’s even begun. The focus becomes selling anything and moving on to the next person. From a customer perspective, this would feel rushed and impersonal. Not what you’d want a customer to feel if you expect them to be loyal. You’ll want them to advocate for your own business/brand.

Goal Approach

However when the approach is to learn about personal or business goals, the interaction is meaningful. That being said, the relationship has the potential to be long term. There are instances and in industries when a transcational sale is appropriate. It is where a customer wants X and you have X to offer. All other times need to be about understanding your customer, regardless if it is a business or individual buying a product or service for personal use.

Your sales training also needs to prepare your sales people to adapt to different situations. A business to business sales conversation still requires a foundation of trust and rapport. This is prior to discussing needs and goals, without it the conversation will be general. A first contact close, should not be expected in any sales conversation, particularly business to business.

Discovering needs in a business is linked to understanding the goals in a business.

The sales approach to a business to consumer conversation should be the same as a business to business conversation. The noticeable difference will be in an individuals needs and goals, which will be specific to the product or service that is being sold.