Consultative selling is a form of sales that offers personalized advice to the client. Read on to find out more about it!
Selling is the great challenge of every business, its vital objective. Obviously, marketing is important, the production process also, but it is the sale that gives meaning to the whole system. It is at the moment in which the transaction is carried out that the balance point of the ventures is supported. If we don’t sell well, the house collapses.
We can affirm, then, that the sale is the cornerstone of the commercial system. Imagine having an excellent product, which is known to all, which is at your fingertips and nobody will sell it to you. What use would all efforts be? Without sales there is no growth, there is no profit, there is no generation of jobs, etc.
So today we ‘ll talk about the topic focusing on the new way of selling that has been imposed at the time of internet: the consultative selling. A way of understanding this process that is increasingly determining for business.
Join us, because in this post we will talk about this important concept!
What is consultative selling?
It is the type of sale in which the seller advises the customer in a personalized way so that they acquire the right product for their need, know how to use it, feel satisfied after purchasing it and, consequently, buy again. We could say that the advisory sale is a advised purchase.
In the digital age, the axis of sales techniques moved from the product to the customer. In the analog age we did not have the possibilities to personalize that communication technologies offer us today. Much less to study the behavior of our audience and get feedbacks . So the focus was on the product and its attributes.
Today we know that it is useless to make a sale if you are going to lose a customer. When you sell a product or service you also sell the guarantee that the client will get the most out of it. In this way the consultative seller sells and loyalty in the same process.
The new market
In most cases we no longer see the sale as a one-off event, but rather as a journey through which the client transits and we call that transit of experience. We have many more points of contact, in your routine, to remind you of our presence and to be part of your daily life in a non-invasive way.
What changed? The communication; the ability to inform, express and interact with other people. E-mail, social networks , SERPs , etc., are places where we are seen and studied by potential clients. Technology is in favor of the best choice, for this reason a seller must also be a guide who knows how to move within the cost-benefit offers that your product offers.
Below we will talk about the three aspects that have changed substantially in recent times giving prominence to consultative sales. The sale – the customer – the seller.
Sale as a concept
As we already mentioned, it is no longer an event but a process. The objective of the consultant is not only to sell, but also for the client to return, and for that he must guarantee a good experience. By good experience we understand more than just a smile, good manners and punctual delivery, but also that the client’s money is worth more.
When making a sale a company must educate the client to take advantage of the offers, know the days that there are discounts, guide him among all the options, suggest possibilities for improving his purchase and give him security and confidence to close the deal.
The googleador client
The client is now in control of the process, he is proactive, he is informed, he searches, he visits stores, he negotiates payment methods, he buys and receives the product … Many times without leaving his home. Before making a decision, “google”.
The sales consultant is the one who knows how to make himself visible to him, the one who understands his pain and opportunely prepares to solve his problem. The client has become very demanding and anxious, so he is looking for someone to advise him and help him make the best investment to solve his problem.
But not in any way, it has to be at the right time. The seller becomes visible and waits for the customer to take the first step.
The Advisory Seller
And finally, the agent of this type of link between companies and clients, the consultative seller. The person who handles all these variables and makes their sales service stand out so that the buyer, in addition to deciding to buy from him, returns every time he needs his product.
The profile of this professional should be:
- Customer-oriented: You must have a great capacity to generate empathy and interpret the customer’s need.
- Probe: You must also be able to extract valuable information to improve your experience.
- Relationship: Establish a bond of trust that allows the customer to perceive that the next time they need something, they can count on it.
- Emotion and decision: Understand the emotions, urges, anxieties, perfectionisms and other details of the human personality that influence when making a decision.
- Omnichannel : Of course you have to have versatility in relation to sales channels, that’s what the digital age is all about. Whether sending newsletters with exclusive offers, making promotions on the networks or attending in person.
- Executive relationships: This is very important, you must know how to be a strict salesperson, not to delay more than necessary or confuse the customer-seller relationship with a friendly relationship.
- Resilience: Like all salespeople, you must be strong to resist bad days without losing your good humor and charisma.
The good news is that, although it is true that for many the gift and the profile of selling are natural, both can be acquired by studying.
Techniques
And to finish I will tell you three specific techniques of this modality to better exemplify.
Cross sell
This technique consists of interpreting the purchase and offering a compatible product creating a price offer for both products. For example if you are going to buy a pair of shoes it is obvious that you will need stockings.
Upsell
This technique consists of offering a superior version of the product at a good price. For example a cell phone model, it is very likely that for a little more money the customer will accept a better model.
Feedbacks
This is an after – sales technique that is essential to study your client and make him feel part of your company. Always ask for feedback and create simple satisfaction forms. In the same way that you are a consultative salesman, he as a client can advise you on his needs. Two-way links are highly valued by the customer.
This has been an overview of the importance of sales in business. If you want to know everything about the importance of the union between sales and marketing,
