ComputerHunter.org

 

Communicating Value


Abstract: People buy for their reasons, not yours. This article covers the key elements that prospects want to hear you talk about.

Always, but especially during lean times, effective sales professionals know the importance of communicating value.

Budgets ? if they ever were discretionary ? are tighter. Business customers are being asked to do more with less. Decisions are increasingly less on WHERE to spend the money and more on WHY we need to spend the money.

Value is the customer's perception of your worth, excellence, usefulness, or importance with respect to them or their business. Value addresses the customer's question, "What can this person or company do for me?"

Even spending time on the phone with you must return something of value to the customer. You must initially and continually earn the right to have the customer invest their time and money with you.

Position value by explicitly answering these questions throughout the sales cycle:

  • How much? (What can the customer expect to gain by doing business with you in terms of increased sales, lower costs, etc.?)

  • How soon? (When will the customer be able to receive the value? This is a critical question in today's economy.)

  • How sure? (Where is the proof that the customer will in fact attain the value stated? References and examples are critical.)

How would YOU answer these questions for each of your prospects or customers? If you don't have the answers, expect resistance. If you do have answers and your solution is directly linked to your customer's articulated needs, you will be successful even in these difficult times.

Successful reps tell their customers what the value to them is ? customers shouldn't have to work to figure it out themselves. If you don't explicitly quantify the value your customer can expect to receive, and your competition may be doing this work for your customer, who is going to win the business?

This information comes from Forming Business Relationships, a module in Entelechy's High Performance Sales training. Check out this module as well as our 40 other modules, training tools, and eGuides at http://www.unlockit.com.

About The Author

Terence R. Traut is the president of Entelechy, Inc., a company that helps organizations unlock the potential of their people through customized training programs in the areas of sales, management, customer service, and training. Check out our 40 customizable modules, training tools, and eGuides at www.unlockit.com. Terence can be reached at 603-424-1237 or ttraut@unlockit.com







Google News - Top Stories

Thaindian.com

Official: Richardson to be commerce secretary
The Associated Press - 24 minutes ago
NEW YORK (AP) - A Democratic official says President-elect Barack Obama will name New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson as commerce secretary.
Video: Richardson Likely Pick for Commerce Secretary AssociatedPress
Richardson is the Innovator We Need in Commerce Huffington Post
Wall Street Journal - Washington Post - MLive.com - FOXNews
all 323 news articles


Boston Globe

Obama, Karzai Discuss Afghan Security
Voice of America - 2 hours ago
By VOA News Afghan President Hamid Karzai says he has spoken with US President-elect Barack Obama for the first time since Mr. Obama won the US election.
Karzai: Obama promises to fight terror in region The Associated Press
Afghan opposition demands election in April Reuters India
CNN International - Reuters - AHN - Los Angeles Times
all 611 news articles


The Age

Lawrence Summers to Head National Economic Council
Wall Street Journal - 1 hour ago
By JONATHAN WEISMAN President-elect Barack Obama will name former Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers the director of his National Economic Council, placing the Harvard University economist he passed over for Treasury secretary inside the White House ...
Obama sends strong signals from the sidelines Los Angeles Times
Hoyer stresses help with jobs, Boehner pushes tax relief MarketWatch
Washington Post - San Jose Mercury News - Business Mirror - Chicago Tribune
all 1,569 news articles


BBC News

APEC aims to restore confidence in world economy
Washington Post - 1 hour ago
By JOSEPH COLEMAN AP LIMA, Peru -- Pacific Rim nations struggled Sunday to restore confidence in the world's ailing financial system, wrapping up a summit that focused on guarding against protectionism and resuscitating moribund free-trade talks.
Video: Bush Says Goodbye To APEC CBS
Diplomatic Memo President Looks Back in Goodbye From Peru New York Times
Reuters India - The Associated Press - Antara - Voice of America
all 3,305 news articles


BBC News

Islamic fighters vow to rescue hijacked Saudi tanker
CNN International - 6 hours ago
(CNN) -- Somali militants vowed to rescue a Saudi supertanker that was hijacked by pirates a week ago, according to residents of a town where the pirates are believed to be based.
Somali Pirates Move Saudi Tanker as Islamists Warn of Attacks Bloomberg
Tension mounts in Somali pirate lair as ransom clock ticks AFP
FOXNews - Telegraph.co.uk - Aljazeera.net - Monsters and Critics.com
all 4,089 news articles

Google
 

Copyright © 2006 Computer Hunter - A Division of Arthur´s Job Base