What is more important in 'Sales'? Convincing power or develpoing customer interest?
Answers (11)
Ralph B
Owner, Consultingwoodworker.com
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Neither. Empathy to the customer's needs and concerns is most powerful.
I prefer that developing customer interst over convinving power. Interest of the customer will arise only if the need is felt. convincing power presupposes lack of need.
Even though may be viewed as a lighter remark, i feel that a good salesman does not sell. Apparently lighter remark there is lot of meaning behind such statement.
Sales is all about relationships; trust; integrity; developing customer interest; creating a ROI based on actual number, etc.;
NEVER is SALES about POWER; you loose when you play this game of "control" since the only thing you own to control is yourself, your belief's, and your actions.
Hugh R
VP Sales and Consulting
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Faran: Excellent question.
I would not hire anyone who can not develop customer interest for sales.
Typically, they are called farmers, and may play a critical role supporting the farmers in a sales organization. In reality they are sales support.
Without, the ability to generate new customer interest you can not have a pipeline and run a client through a sales process.
Typically, folks who can develop customer interest have excellent closing skills which is the "convincing power" part of your question.
Of the two skills sets, hunters are a rare breed who are the prospectors.
They are worth every penny as the 80/20 rule applies to most sales organizations. My most valuable skills is finding new clients. If I qualify them correctly, upfront, I am already way ahead in the sales cycle. The close process becomes a function of how effective a job I did upfront.
Clarification added 23 days ago:
In the second sentence, I wanted to clarify farmers are the support for hunters.
Benny N
Sr. Global Key Account, Program/Project Management and Talent Development Professional
For long-term sustainable and repeatable sales, developing customer interest is a must. Someone who is just interested but doesn't buy is however not yet a customer. To turn interested "prospects" into paying customers, persuasiveness and closing ability is needed.
Jack T
Helping You Maximize Sales, Customer Retention & Team Productivity Through Business Process Improvement
Faran,
If you're really interested in selling large accounts rather than just presenting to them - neither.
Asking lots of open-ended questions in order to really identify the prospect's priorities, followed by more open-ended questions to identify the prospect's own requirements for satisfying those priorities, followed by even more questions aimed at reaching agreement on the criteria that will validate how successfully the priorities are satisfied helps move the sales cycle from possibility of close to probability of close to close.
Answering the customers wants and needs is always the best way to create interest in what you are selling. How will this widget benefit your life.
Bob A
Find and win more of the right sort of prospects by walking in their shoes
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Neither. Focus on facilitating your prospect's buying process and good things will follow.
Dave M
Unique wire names created at your event ★ Traffic builder / Lead generator for your trade show booth ★ WireNames.com
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Without customer interest, you have no sales to speak of...
Isnt 'development of customer interest' the end result of superior convincing power? I am talking in terms of a one to one interaction between the consumer and the sales person. Unless the sales guy can communicate the product/service effectively, i am not sure the customer interest would be developed. Ideally, marketing needs on work on developing the interest and the sales person needs to close the deal with superior convincing power.
IFTIKHAR M
Director, ZED CONCEPT Sourcing Pvt Ltd. - Sourcing Agency / Buyers Representatives - India. www.zedconcept.com
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Developing Customer interest. Maintaining it, and meeting their needs.
