Why it is time to stop selling

There is no money in sales.  No, really.  Think about it: you can sell, and sell, and sell. But at what point do you actually make money? When somebody else buys.  The money is in the action of buying, not the action of selling.  Before you build a sales plan, understand how your clients buy. …

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Find out what your clients fear

All of your clients want something.  All of your clients need something too.  And all of your clients also fear something.  They may talk about it, ignore it, or not even have thought about it yet. Still, they know that every decision they make involves some risk.  What are the risks Every decision carries risk. …

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How to use WIIFM (what’s in it for them)

Trust your customers to know what they want.  And when you sell to other businesses, those are mainly business-related achievements.  But businesses are still run by people, and people are ultimately driven by the WIIFM urge.  Saying “what’s in it for me” conjured too many negative stereotypes, so allow me to debunk this impression right…

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What are your clients thinking about when they buy from you

The answer is: it’s not about you.  So how do your customers buy? Deciding to buy something means knowing that choice is the best option; using the money there instead of somewhere else, hoping it will be a long-term solution, considering what else has to change to accept this new product and more.  The better…

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Yes: Your Clients Know What They Want

It is a common refrain:  “My clients come to me without knowing what they want. But I listen and learn and then I can guide them.” There are two sentences there, and only one of them is correct.  What clients want When I come across a client expressing this sentiment I always pause for a…

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What Is Your Next Customer Doing, Right Now?

How do you know who is ready to buy from you, right now?  How do you know who else would be willing to buy from you, if you managed to speak with them? How do you know who else would buy from you if only they knew that you existed? How do you know who…

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It’s All About Service

value proposition

It has finally happened: it is 2020 and your business advantage is all about service.  Back in 2018, I spoke at Jim Moran Institute Small Business Leadership Conference. My talk was a workshop to focus attention on how customers buy, rather than how businesses sell.  The theme that year was “It’s all about the customer”.…

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Features Or Benefits

What is the difference? Which is more important? How much does it matter? At some point - maybe working on your website, or hiring your first marketing agency, or responding to a client request - you have been confronted with the battle between features and benefits.  And perhaps a debate about which one is more…

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The Reviewing Buyer

Each buyer is inspired in a different way.  When buyers come to you, they will talk to you about your own services and try to use your language. But by asking the right questions, you can understand what has really brought them to your door.  Understanding their journey to get to you will allow you…

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The Proactive Buyer

Your clients find you in different ways and for different reasons.  Sometimes they have an urgent need for your service, sometimes a friend recommends you, sometimes they just happen across your website, and sometimes it is something you said.  The more you know about your audience’s buying triggers — in other words, what prompts them to make…

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