The problem with too many sales people is that they sell based on how they like to buy …

We’re all trained to be great customers.  It starts from a young age.  We all want a great deal – we want to get maximum value for the lowest price.

In fact the customer’s JOB is to get the lowest price with the greatest value.  We shop around, we ask for discounts and we try to reduce the perceived value of the offer to push the price down.

Sometimes we even look for fault to try and get a discount.

We ALL know how to do this customer dance!

However, when we become sales people we have a different job.

Our job is to DEFEND VALUE!  

Unfortunately we are never taught how to defend value.  In fact we may well have been taught the very opposite …

Don’t talk yourself up, stay small, don’t make big promises JUST IN CASE you can’t keep them!

So when the customer does their job to get the best price, how do most sales people respond in their job to defend value?  Often not that well.

On top of that, if the sales person doesn’t TOTALLY believe in what they’re selling, the challenge becomes even greater.

After all, when we’re in the customer role, it’s easy to TOTALLY believe in the benefit of a lower price!

One of the reasons we created the Models-Based Selling System is because it is easier to sell the model first.  It’s not a big challenge to say to the customer “… let’s take a look at what a robust design model should look like behind this product that you’re buying.”

Walking through that conversation allows both the seller and buyer to align against what a good solution should look like.

The leap from there into a value based conversation isn’t that great.

Once the prospect has bought your model, you’re only one step away from them buying your actual product or service.

I’d love to know what you do to ensure your salespeople are defending value at every step of the sales process?