The 7 benefits of asking to understand your customer

Did you or do you understand the problem of the customer that he just explained?
Most people (even in Sales) don’t listen or just hear half of the story or the problem.
As soon as they see or recognize a pattern, a recognizable event or an indication they have seen before, they jump on conclusions and start their sales pitch.

Ask, listen and learn about the problem

So did you understand fully the problem of the customer ?
No:
Then shut up and start asking questions.
Listen to what he has to say or how he describes the problem.
Maybe you will understand and can offer him help.

Yes:
Then shut up and ask questions in order to be certain of the best suiting solution or to be able to dig deeper into his problem.
Listen to what he has to say or how he describes the problem.
Maybe you will understand and can offer him help.

For all meetings and all telephone calls the goal is to have a conversation, not a reason to start your product pitch.
During your conversation you can evolve slowly into your product pitch when you are certain that you are offering your best matching solution.

The internal selling is the hurdle

As it is in only rare cases people can decide without approval of their superiors, your buyer, influencer or decision maker needs to sell internally your solution too.
If there is something missing or there is a uncertainty about the solution in relation to the problem, it will cause a delay in the decision or the internal selling will even not stand any chance.
If there is an uncertainty or missing part in the sales pitch, your internal seller needs to come back to you and formulate the difference or the perceived difference between the solution you proposed and the problem he had defined or has been defined by his internal audience.
Being able to define or describe this difference requires effort and attention: causing delays or even missing the deal completely if your competitor has done a better job of listening and asking.

The 7 benefits of asking to understand the customer

Thus the better you understand the problem:
1. The better match you can provide with your solution.
2. The better explication you can provide supported by suiting reasons.
3. The less missing parts there will be between problem and solution.
4. The better you can drill your internal seller about your solution.
5. The lesser questions that will be raised by the others.
6. The higher the likelihood the internal selling can be successful.
7. The better you stand out compared to your competitors.

Thus the next time you think you understand the problem, just ask a few questions more. As people always tell you more than they want to, you will get more information and learn about issues and even about your competitors.

How well do you listen?

Send article as PDF to

More From LEADS Explorer

• The better your short sales pitch – the likelier to get sales
• How to improve your sales pitch: shorten it
• Ride on the marketing coattails of your competitors
• Making The Most Of Your Blog
• Making The Most Of Your Twitter Profile
• Your SEO Campaign Brought More Visitors to Your Website… What are You Doing With Them? | KEO Marketing Blog