Page 27 - Consultative Selling

CONSULTATIVE SELLING: PRE-SALES PREPARATION

The next step in the homework would be to study competition and
prepare a detailed chart comparing the competition product visa
vise the product that is being proposed.

An informed salesman should know all about the competitor’s products as
well. He should be in a position to discuss meaningfully with the customers
about his product and compare it with the competition and bring out the

advantages or disadvantages of choosing a particular product from the
customer’s perspective. A customer who finds a salesman discussing
objectively about competition and keeping the customer’s interest at heart
will appreciate the sincerity of the salesman and is likely to trust his advice.

Many times it does happen that your product may not suit the customer’s
needs. Instead of walking away a consultative salesman will either choose a

complimentary product that can be associated with your product and offer a
workable solution to the customer. In several cases, salesmen are known to
go back to their management and canvas for a customized solution in order
to win the customer and not lose out on the relationship.

There are also cases where in the marketing and salesmen have advised
customers on choosing a particular competitor’s product to suit the

customer’s needs. While one may be surprised, it is actually a very genuine
right thought and action on the part of the true salesman. Any professional
and confident salesman will always place customer relationship and
customer’s needs above everything else. When one’s product is not suitable
for the customer, he would rather become an advisor or sort of consultant
to the customer and guide him on choosing the next best alternative.
Thereby one gets to build a relationship with the customer and wait for
future opportunities rather than give up on the customer. The sign of a good
salesman is that he would look at losing out on one transaction in order to
gain a lifetime relationship with the customer.

Consultative Selling - A new
2/5/2019 27
Approach