The stages buyers go through start with recognising there is a need. Then they make evaluations as to who they should buy from, followed by the decision phase and finally taking the action necessary to buy the product or service. However, it’s the level of value that the buyer percieves at each level that changes. Let’s see what makes the perception of value different at each phase:

1) Perception changes over time. How the buyer sees value when they are looking for a solution is different to when they are ready to make a decision.

2) Recognising their needs. Should the buyer do something or just let things stay as they are?

3) Identifying the options available. At this stage the buyer is sizing up the various companies who could help him solve his problems. Value at this stage is determined by possibilities of change.

4) Decision time. This is when the prospect resolves to make the necessary changes to achieve their goals. Their assessment of value is different again.

5) Putting the choice into action. This is when the final choice can be cemented and the prospect will identify whether the value of the decision can be backed up by facts.

So, determine what level the prospect is working at when you start talking value; that will help you present the value proposition in a way they are viewing it too.

Happy Selling!

Sean

Sean McPheat
The UK’s #1 Authority On Modern Day Selling
MTD Sales Training

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They found that the top four reasons revolved around the following:

Relationships, compatibility and fit: The supplier is a good match with the people, processes and culture of the organisation they are selling to.

Deep understanding of the business: The supplier works for and demonstrates an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the business setting the customer works in

Chemistry of the supplier team: They work well together and the customer has confidence that the supplier can deliver

Technical and industry expertise: They have the background skills and knowledge to find the right solution

All these build trust and respect between the client and the customer. What will be the result if these four reasons are dealt with at the deepest level with client?

1) You build up an atmosphere of safety that the client can rely on. This allows the client to open up, engage with, share information, explore possibilities and aim for solutions.

2) You create more reasons why the client can trust you and build a long-term relationship with your company.

3) You take away the emphasis on price, because the client has more reasons to see the value that you are offering, and so identifies that the closeness of the relationship is more important than haggling over the price of services and products.

The study concluded that salespeople should not try to sell their products – they should help the customer succeed in their business ventures. This will allow you to gain the customer’s trust, collaborating with them, making decisions in the customer’s best interests and creating mutual success. And that can only be good for business!

Happy Selling!

Sean

Sean McPheat
The UK’s #1 Authority On Modern Day Selling
MTD Sales Training

Have you downloaded my latest report “The Sales Person’s Crisis”? Over 10,000 sales pros have.

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I had an interesting evening tonight sending and replying to emails from Sharon Drew Morgen.

Sharon is the author of the NYTimes Business Bestseller “Selling with Integrity” as well as 5 other books.

Anyhow, to cut a long story short, our paths crossed due to me using the term “Buyer Facilitation” in one of my blogs. Sharon’s got a trademark on the name which I was unware of but all I was using it for was to describe a process to make it easy for our prospects to buy.

After we had exchanged emails I decided to “check things out” in terms of what Buying Facilitation (R) was.

I have to admit that I was impressed. As you know, I keep going on and on and on about making the buying process easy and instead of “selling” your wares, that you should do everything that you can to make it easy for them to buy.

Sharon’s model covers just that.

So, if I were to describe what Buying Facilitation (R) is, what would it be?

Well, Sharon gave me a great, “in a nutshell” definition:

Buying Facilitation(R): the skill to help buyers manoeuvre through their beyond-the-scenes decision issues so they can garner buy-in for all of the internal people/policy issues they must manage before they can make a buying decision.

Watch this space because I’m going to be interviewing Sharon on Buying Facilitation (R) in an audio interview very shortly.

Click here to find out more information about Buyer Faciliation (R)

Watch out for that interview!

Sean

Sean McPheat
The UK’s #1 Authority On Modern Day Selling
MTD Sales Training

Click here for Sean’s latest controversial report “The Sales Person’s Crisis”

N.B This post was originally called “Buyer Facilitation – By understanding how they think”
(Buyer Facilitation (R)) is also a term used my SharonDrew Morgen in the US. I was not using it in the context that SharonDrew uses it. Indeed SharonDrew has trademarked the phrase and has pointed that out to me. Please read our comments below. Out of respect to a fellow sales guru I wanted to change this post and also give SharonDrew a plug for her book etc)

As you probably know already, I am always going on about facilitating the buying process.

You need to understand how people make their buying decisions and then you need to facilitate this process.

The bottom line is that you need to make it easy for them to buy.

Now there are many areas in which you can do this and it was only last Friday that I received an email from Vic asking me for a graphical representation of how some buyers prefer to receive and take in information. And this is an absolute “must understand” area if you want to master your sales and to facilitate the buying process.

You see, if you are very detailed to a “big picture” person then you are not going to do yourself any favours when facilitating the buying process.

Conversely if you cover your content very quickly with broad strokes and your buyer wants to know the ins and outs down to the inner leg measurements of the installation team, then that will only make things worse for you too.

Instead, you need to tap into your clients way of thinking and then give them what you want.

In the PDF download below I’ve drawn an image that will help you to sell to GLOBAL, BIG PICTURE thinkers and also DETAILED, SPECIFIC thinkers.

Click Here To Download The Image Above

There are many areas in which you can “tap into” your buyers way of thinking. These are just two of them.

I hope they give you some useful pointers?

Happy selling!

Sean

Sean McPheat
The UK’s #1 Authority On Modern Day Selling
MTD Sales Training

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We’ve been fooled, conned or have purchased something only to be let down by the product or service.

And what does this create?

Yes, it makes you scared and a little skeptical to make the same mistake twice!

And that’s what happens a lot with our prospects. You wonder why they are stalling and are scared to make a decision but they’ve had their fingers burnt in the past and they don’t want it to happen again.

So building up trust is really important and we need to step into our prospects and clients shoes and see things from their angle.

They:

* Are scared of making a mistake
* Are scared of looking like a fool in front of their superiors and peers
* Have been duped before and have vowed “never again”
* Have made irrational decisions in the past due to hard selling tactics
* Don’t like to make decisions (yes, a lot of people would rather pass the buck!)

So it’s not just your features and benefits that will get the business. Instead, you need to overcome your prospects and clients fears and build up that all important trust.

This is often an overlooked area in selling.

Happy trust building!

Sean

Sean McPheat
The UK’s #1 Authority On Modern Day Selling
MTD Sales Training

Telephone: 0800 849 6732

Have you downloaded my latest report “The Sales Person’s Crisis”? Over 10,000 sales pros have.

Click on the image below to find out why you’re very existence as a sales person is in doubt…

If you ever wondered how important creating a positive brand and sales message is then YOU MUST watch this video.

Learn how the modern day buyer makes their purchasing decisions.

This is VERY VERY important.

Happy Selling

Sean

Sean McPheat
MTD Sales Training

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Have you downloaded my latest report yet? “The Sales Person’s Crisis” has been downloaded by over 10,000 sales pros and entrepreneurs. Don’t miss this unique report that lifts the lid on modern day selling!

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Well, to me, it’s obvious – today’s buyers have changed; they are more advanced, sales savvy and more sophisticated than ever before and they’ll take the shirt off your back if you’ll let them too!

But here’s the question: WHY?

Well, let me give you 5 reasons why this is so.

REASON # 1 is that the internet has changed the face of selling as we know it. Before the internet it was very difficult for any buyer to check up on anything that the sales person was saying.

Not so today.

With a couple of clicks of the mouse they can get information about your company, your products and services, your clients, your turnover and even information about you.

They can then go on over to your competitors site and do exactly the same. Just think about how cars used to be sold?

Before the internet you’d most likely have to go to a dealership where the sales person would you show you the cars and tell you all about them. Today, a prospect turns up armed with print outs and specs about the cars they are interested in, HP checks and information about competitor models where they are visiting next.

This is the same for mobile phones, software, B2B products and services – almost anything can be checked out, read up on and verified due to the internet.

So the modern day buyer is more informed than their predecessors and you need to know and appreciate that fact.

REASON # 2 is that they are far more sales savvy then ever before.

A lot of them have even read the same books as you and have been on the same courses as you too. You also need to remember that they have been SOLD TO more often than a lot of sales people have actually sold especially in a business 2 business environment.

So they know the tricks, they know the process that you might go through and they are tired of the same old bull.

You’ve also got to appreciate that a lot of today’s buyers also need to know techniques about selling too.

Whether that be selling ideas internally, selling themselves or whether they sell a product too – this type of knowledge is becoming a must-have in today’s commercial world.

REASON # 3 is that the modern day buyer understands that the balance of power has changed – no longer do they have to hang on every word that you say. Quite simply put it has become a buyers market.

They know that they can find alternatives to what you offer very quickly, they know that they can play you off against other suppliers and they’ll demand more value at a lower price all of the time.

REASON # 4 is the fear of failure.

The damage that might occur to their career, their self esteem and their standing in the company if they select the wrong product or service is more prevalent now that at any time in history and it’s important to bare that in mind when you sell.
That’s why there are so many committee decisions these days.

A lot of buyers have to also get internal buy in and input from other parts in their business before a decision is made so you might often find yourself talking to a number of different people before a decision is made.

REASON # 5 is the state of the economy. A lot of your buyers will use this excuse even if it does not affect them directly. They’ll use it to squeeze the life out of your prices, to play games with you and to stall on decisions.

You know, it’s very important to understand the modern buyer of today because the old sales tactics of yesteryear are simply less effective with them nowadays than they once were.

So my take away action for you is this: think about how you are currently selling to the modern day buyer in light of what I’ve covered.

What can you do differently to all of the rest of the sales people out there?

You know, sometimes you don’t even need to be better to get the business, sometimes you just need to be different.

Sure, you’ll get some buyers who don’t do any of what I’ve said during this session but the tide is turning and it’s turning fast and when you do come across a sophisticated and sales savvy buyer, you’ll need to have a different approach to make them sign on the dotted line.

Happy Selling!

Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Sales Training

Telephone: 0800 849 6732

MTD offer sales training, sales coaching and sales consulting to all types of businesses!

Have you downloaded my latest report yet? “The Sales Person’s Crisis” has been downloaded by over 10,000 sales pros and entrepreneurs. Don’t miss this unique report that lifts the lid on modern day selling!

Click on the image below to find out why you’re very existence as a sales person is in doubt…