In this episode of the Centricity podcast, our host Sean Doyle sits down with Ian Altman, author of Same Side Selling, to talk through the three most damaging sales tactics. Tune in to hear the importance of understanding and solving the buyer’s problems, focusing on results, and building buyer trust through tactful language.
Focusing on Features and Benefits
Lead with exploring the “symptoms” the buyer may be dealing with rather than trying to solve a problem they don’t know they have.
Focus on meeting your client’s goals and how your product will deliver those results.
BANT (Budget, Authority, Need, Time Sensitivity)
Focusing on these types of questions creates a “salesy” atmosphere and puts the client in an adversarial position, which causes sellers to lose buyer trust.
It’s okay to discuss needs and time sensitivity, but if you start with budget and authority, you’ve already put your buyer on the defensive.
If you want to talk about budget, instead, try bringing up the costs of NOT addressing the issues your product will solve.
Forgetting the Buyer
Know what problem you solve and present that to your contact at whatever level they’re at in the industry.
Align with marketing to understand your buyer and their needs better. If marketing tools aren’t useful, let the marketing team know so they can help you!
Resources:
Pick up Ian’s book, Same Side Selling: A Radical Approach to Break Through Sales Barriers, on Amazon!
