- Finding new customers
- Keeping existing customers
- Selling more to existing customers
- Improving customer service
- Reducing personnel costs
- Reducing customer complaints
- Decreasing time to market
- Improving market share (or mind share)
- Taking advantage of new technology
- Improving morale
- Developing new products
- Leaving markets or closing units
The most successful salespeople are the ones who find pressing customer
problems and do something to solve them in a way that is convenient, cost
effective, or timely. Top salespeople find problems that customers are
ready to solve, then they work hard to solve them. Of course, finding
those problems and then delivering good solutions for them requires a
well-planned and organized effort. This book provides the steps for
delivering high-value, innovative customer solutions and recommendations
for identifying the customer's priorities for solving those problems.
Top sales professionals know that when you find customers’ significant,
pressing problems, they will be willing to pay for a solution. Finding
those significant problems means sorting out customers who are ready and
willing to buy from those who aren't. A critical success factor is how to
market your problem-solving abilities so people know what you can do for
them and how that they can save time, money or effort by using your
solutions.
Taking the initiative to identify and decide to solve customer-related
problems in unique ways is leadership. Sales leaders open untapped and
sometimes vast new market opportunities. What problems are you solving for
your customers? If you were to ask your customers, what would they say? If
you asked them to prioritize those problems, would there be any surprises?
Customers have many problems. Find those that they want to solve the most
and that you are most uniquely qualified to solve and you will have a
winning combination.
So, how do you solve problems? There are proven problem-solving steps
you can use. You may use them already. Let's take a look at one approach.
Five Step Problem-Solving Approach
People who are really good at solving problems go about it
systematically. They have a way of placing the problem in context. They
don't jump to conclusions. They evaluate alternatives.
A good way to become a systematic problem solver is to adopt the
following five-step problem-solving process:
1. Identify the problem. This is critical: you must try to solve
the right problem. Don't try to solve a problem the customer sees as low
priority or unimportant. Identify the right problem by asking the right
questions and observing. You cannot identify the customer's problems by
presenting your products. What’s leading the customer to feel there is a
problem? Is it something specific or is it an intuitive sense that things
aren't as they should be? Can the customer define the problem?
2. Analyze the problem. How often does the problem occur? How
severe is it? Are there any special circumstances that are present when it
occurs? What might be the causes of the problem? Can you rule out any
causes? How long has it been going on? Has it gotten worse? How is the
problem affecting other processes or people?
3. Identify decision criteria. How will you and the customer
make decisions when it is time to decide? How will you weigh the criteria?
Can you identify independent standards that can be used?
4. Develop multiple solutions. Don't stop at the first solution
that you or others identify. It may be good, but much better ones may
exist. Evaluate alternative scenarios. As objectively as possible, assess
the pros and cons of each.
5. Choose the optimal solution. Use the criteria you developed
in the third step of this problem-solving process to choose the best
solution. Develop a base of support that will ensure you can implement the
solution. Prepare for contingencies.
When you solve problems systematically, you save time, achieve better
solutions, and increase your credibility with the customer and the
perceived value of what you've done. If you can solve problems the
customer is facing more expeditiously than someone else, the customer will
appreciate the time saved.
Problem solving involves some considerations beyond those addressed by
the five-step process. Once you have the problem identified, you can
sometimes rely on a known solution or a combination of known solutions. At
other times, no ready solution is apparent. In this case, you may need to
do a business case analysis to determine if it will be profitable for your
company to develop a solution. This includes asking what might be involved
in developing the solution, how much time the process would require, and
how well suited your company is to do the job. The issues become more
complicated, but the problem-solving process may also be more rewarding.
You may need to tap into the knowledge you have acquired in solving
similar or even non-similar problems or the knowledge that exists in your
company. You may need to have someone initiate research and create a
solution from scratch, (which can be cost prohibitive), or you can find a
partner that already has the solution you need. You will need an
innovative approach. Deciding to create solutions and driving them through
the organization is part of what makes exceptional sales leaders
exceptional.
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From the 10 Immutable Laws of Power Selling
(McGraw-Hill) ©2003 by James A. DeSena
