The Consultative Approach to Sales

The Consultative Approach to Sales

If you own a retail store that sells a common commodity or an on-line store you may not have the luxury of using this approach. It is common to be greeted by floor sales staff when you enter a retail store. Further, it has become the norm as a “first encounter” or “greeting” as you enter. This is either to your pleasure or to your annoyance, but it is quite a common practice. Does this practice enhance your shopping experience and increase sales? For some, perhaps, but for the most part, “no”. In either case it isn’t consultative in any way. But for many businesses using a Consultative Approach to Sales can easily double or triple your sales.

When I think about who does Consultative Sales, well, the Dentist immediately comes to my mind.  I can never seem to get out of the Dentist’s office without making a future appointment.  That, to me, is a simple and effective consultative sale!

Another example might be a Salon where I go in for a haircut and the expert cutting your hair tells me that I need this shampoo, conditioner, and perhaps other related products.  He or she does this by explaining a problem that they see with my hair or scalp and how these products will make my life better.  When I approach the checkout desk those products are waiting for me and I would have to speak up and say “no”, which less than half of customers will do, in order to not purchase them.

What these examples have in common is not pressure tactics, but rather a, “you came here to have an expert do something for you, and I am recommending what you need in order to accomplish what you want”, approach.

Conversely, you have probably gone into a store of some kind wanting to learn about something you might be interested in purchasing, only to find no one there that can answer your questions.  If you are like me, you went somewhere else to find your answers and vowed never to return to the unhelpful store again.

Let’s face it when a customer or client comes to see you, they are, at the very least, interested in your product or service.  They have come to an expert, if not THE expert for what you offer.  If they didn’t come to buy, then they were seeking information about something that is of interest to them.

The consultative approach to sales is a sales technique that focuses on understanding the customer’s needs, challenges, and goals, and providing them with a solution that delivers value and benefits. It is based on the following principles:

• Research: The salesperson gathers information about the customer’s background, industry, pain points, and objectives before engaging with them.
• Ask: The salesperson asks open-ended questions to explore the customer’s situation, needs, expectations, and motivations.
• Listen: The salesperson listens actively and empathetically to the customer’s responses and clarifies any doubts or concerns.
• Teach: The salesperson educates the customer about their problem, the possible solutions, and the value proposition of their product or service.
• Qualify: The salesperson evaluates the customer’s fit, interest, and readiness to buy, and identifies any potential objections or risks.
• Close: The salesperson proposes a solution that aligns with the customer’s needs and goals and asks for their commitment or agreement.
• Follow-up: The salesperson maintains contact with the customer, provides support, and ensures satisfaction and loyalty.

The benefits of the consultative approach to sales are:

• It builds trust and rapport with the customer, and establishes the salesperson as a credible and reliable partner.
• It uncovers the customer’s true needs and desires, and enables the salesperson to tailor their solution accordingly.
• It creates value for the customer, and demonstrates how the salesperson’s solution can help them achieve their desired outcomes.
• It reduces the chances of rejection or resistance, and increases the likelihood of referrals and repeat business.

We all know that it is easier to obtain additional sales from a satisfied existing customer than it is to get a first sales from a new customer. That said, once that relationship has been established it is important to maintain it.

Follow-up is key to turning them into a lifetime customer.  Checking in with them from time to time will strengthen those chances of future sales and perhaps more importantly allow you to obtain referrals from them.  Those referrals may take the form of them handing you over contact information or more simply increased foot traffic from the testimony they give to others.

I said earlier that common commodity brick and mortar stores and on-line stores may not have this luxury. However, they too can benefit from this approach by being experts at customer service and handling every customer contact adeptly to obtain positive if not extraordinary customer satisfaction from each interaction.

The key is to be the Expert that the Customer is looking for.  Assume they want what they said they want and steer them toward a solution for their issue.  Be like that Dentist or Stylist that is trying to give you what you need and said that you desired.  Develop that long term relationship that inspires future sales and multiple referrals.

Skip Williams

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