Most sales training programs teach sales professionals to ask lots of questions. While questions are nice and important in determining what customers want and need, they are no longer enough. Today’s business decision makers want sales people to understand their business from a business perspective. They want to know that you are there to see their needs and solve problems, not just to make a deal. So how do you do that? It’s actually easy…you have to speak the language of business.
When you are making your value proposition, share it in terms of the drivers that your customers are concerned about…key issues such as:
- Decreasing the costs of goods sold (COGS)
- Increasing revenues
- Improving margins
- Increasing cash flow
- Increasing asset utilization
- Improving operational efficiencies
By speaking the language of business and not just talking about the features of your solution, you come across as a business person. You are able to present the full value proposition and, more importantly, you should be able to command a premium and value-based price.
