My wife and business partner, Angela, taught me one of the most valuable sales lessons I’ve ever learned; the difference between selling to a need, versus selling to a want.
\nWhen she sold Fords and GM’s, she sold to a need. Families needed a van to take the kids to school or a car to replace their dying relic in order to get to work. These were largely transactional buyers looking for basic transportation needs to be filled at the lowest possible cost. They did not look forward to spending money on another vehicle.
\nWhen she began to work at BMW, she quickly discovered nobody\u00a0needs<\/i>\u00a0a BMW. At BMW, the customers bought what they\u00a0wanted<\/i>\u00a0rather than being sold what they needed.\u00a0 There was a huge difference in the customer relationship at BMW. \u00a0Customers were actually excited about buying their new BMW while the needs buyers were skeptical and nervous.
\nWhile the Ford and GM buyer shopped all over town and had no loyalty, the BMW buyers became life long friends who still send Angela cards and letters today even though she’s out of the business and works with me.
\nDo your sales people know how to build relationships to the next level, going beyond selling solutions to needs?
\nTraditional needs analysis and solutions selling are great door-opening strategies. But the cost of the cure cannot exceed the price of the pain in needs selling.
\nTo build more profitable customer relationships you need to get beyond appealing to needs and become a partner in filling the wants of your key accounts.
\nNeeds are largely short term\u00a0band-aid… “I must sell four cars today.”\u00a0 Wants are longer term and visionary in scope… “I want to be the largest dealer in the county within five years.”
\nWhen you become the conduit to filling the vision instead of the need, you are on your way to partnering in a more profitable customer relationship.<\/p>\n