| Consultative sales skills for women aren't really | | | | point is, it's not asking questions that makes you |
| just for women. But it's often easier for women | | | | consultative. It's not educating or advising either. |
| to embrace these skills by tapping into their | | | | How to Really Sell Consultatively |
| empathy and service-minded orientation to sales, | | | | Consultative sales means asking "them-focused" |
| rather than the combat metaphors so prevalent | | | | questions rather than "self-serving" questions. It's |
| in many traditional sales methodologies (beat the | | | | using these questions to help people process their |
| competition, hammer them on price, etc). | | | | decisions...without selling at all until you've received |
| Consultative sales focuses on connecting, | | | | their "permission." It's about knowing the stages |
| nurturing, and supporting....but shrewdly and by | | | | of thinking they'll go through and how to move |
| design. Otherwise you make a lot of friends but | | | | them through these stages. And it's knowing how |
| not a lot of sales. | | | | to gain their permission without being aggressive |
| Selling Consultatively...Or Not? | | | | or having to wear iron underwear to "close" them. |
| What's interesting is that when I ask someone | | | | Six Unique Skills for Selling Consultatively |
| from the traditional sales mindset if they sell | | | | I have identified six consultative sales skills that |
| consultatively, they always say yes. When I ask | | | | can be learned in order to master sales without |
| them what consultative selling is, they will tell me | | | | pressure: |
| it's about building rapport and relationship. So far, | | | | 1. Asking counseling questions |
| so good. Then there's often a pause, after which | | | | 2. Helping prospects address their own objections |
| they add...so we can beat the competition, | | | | 3. Using a decision protocol |
| hammer them on price, etc. In other words, | | | | 4. Embracing the hourglass approach |
| many salespeople pay lip service to consultative | | | | 5. Chaining questions |
| selling without really understanding it. | | | | 6. Gaining permission to close |
| When I ask salespeople what the most important | | | | These proven openhanded selling skills help both |
| skill in consultative selling is, almost 100% will tell | | | | men and women in sales to move away from |
| me "asking questions." Yet in my practice, I can | | | | the aggressive approach that tends to push |
| show you salespeople who ask questions all day | | | | customers away, making it harder for you to |
| long and fail to build an ounce of rapport. The | | | | grow your business. |