Monday, February 13, 2012

Why People Buy and Why They Don't

Understanding both aspects of why a transaction takes place and why it doesn’t is a great place to start in better identifying what motivates a perspective client to move either in a positive or negative direction in relationship to purchasing a product or service (P/S) that you represent. People in companies purchase a P/S because of the following:
·         The culmination of a transaction takes place when the value of a P/S exceeds the cost.
·         Companies purchases P/S to solve their specific problems
o   A problem either exists or it doesn’t. If it does and you can fix it, then great! If not, move on.
·         People do not want to be sold; they simply want to buy for their own reasons.
A few weeks ago, I was at a networking event and a gentleman approached me and introduced himself. I made the mistake of asking him what he did for a living. Ten minutes later, he was still rambling on and hadn’t taken a breath. He didn’t stop until I finally excused myself. He made the mistake in assuming that there was value in what he was presenting without knowing who I was, what I did for a living, or if I had an interest in what he was selling. If you think about it, why would anyone present any concept or idea until they find out if there is a potential fit?
When we present without knowing if a problem exists, we insult the prospect’s intelligence and leave a less than favorable impression. If you develop good interview skills, you will be viewed in a positive manner, especially if you determine that your P/S not a good fit and you share that with them.
Professional selling is not always about selling. In fact, many times it’s just the opposite.

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