Why Are Your Customers Asking,
"Why? Why? Why?"
Get ready for these questions when you engage very early with a new client on a potential project:
- WHY SHOULD I LISTEN TO YOU?
- WHY SHOULD I ACT NOW?
- WHY SHOULD I BUY FROM YOU?
Your new customers will probably not verbalize these questions, but they are at least thinking them. The order of these questions is also VERY important--it tracks with the B2B clients' buying process journey.
Let's take a closer look at each question.
WHY SHOULD I LISTEN TO YOU?
First meetings can be awkward. As a Superstar rep, you suspect that your new prospect is wondering, "Why I should stop what I am paid to do and listen to this person?" Given the poor track record and reputation of most sales reps before you, the customer has good reason to NOT listen.
You must be able to gain trust by showing:
CREDIBILITY
: Imagine that your client is asking, "Can I believe you?"
Think about what credibility can mean. Do the words Honesty, Openness, Integrity, and Transparency come to mind?
C
ONCERN: Your customer is wondering, "Do you care about me and my business?"
Try to anticipate ways you can show your client that you care. For example, are you expressing Knowledge (of the customer's business), Caring, Authenticity, or Empathy?
C
OMPETENCE: Your client is asking himself, "Do you have the expertise to assist me?"
This is a great opportunity to demonstrate your Knowledge (of your solution and industry), Skills, Results, Experience, and Reputation.
Note: Competence is to be minimized relative to Credibility and Concern early in an interaction with a client. The focus should be on them; not you! Remember that, "No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care!"
Of course, prior to your initial meeting, and this phase of the customer's buying process, you will have refined your research on the customer's pains, needs, challenges and opportunities. You will be confirming your research during the initial calls.
Trust Triangle Selling workshop attendees will recognize this opportunity to assist a client with this phase of their buying process. Remember the "PROMISE" section of your Value Proposition? Your
PROMISE
summarizes how your offering will help to solve your client's pains and challenges.
WHY SHOULD I ACT NOW?
If you have completed your research and matched your PROMISE with a customer's pain point, you can now shine a flashlight on that pain and quantify it. This helps to elevate and answer the customer's question, "Why should I act now?" In other words, for this project to move ahead rapidly it must have URGENCY.
This is typically accomplished with a strong and passionate "business case." The business case is the detailed justification for moving ahead with the project. The greater the justification, the more urgency. Sales Superstars know that projects without urgency rarely receive budget approval, and if they do, the projects are often canceled or delayed due to other more pressing or URGENT projects (See Why Sales Superstars Focus On Their Customer's Budget).
Trust Triangle Selling workshop attendees will recognize that this opportunity to assist a client during this phase of their buying process can be found in the "JUSTIFICATION" section of your Value Proposition.
WHY SHOULD I BUY FROM YOU?
The final "WHY" question comes AFTER the client is satisfied that his first two questions have been answered adequately. The final question is, "Why should I buy from YOU rather than your competitor?"
For help with this situation, please continue with the "Unique Competitive Advantages" section of your Value Proposition.
Trust Triangle Selling workshop attendees now take the chance to congratulate themselves! They realize that they have climbed the left side of the Trust Triangle and can now experience the far right side of it.
Good Selling!
