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Guest post by: Leanne Hoagland-Smith Become an Author

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Keeping the sales tunnel or what others call funnel full is a never ending challenge. Yet, many sales professionals still attempt to sell what they want to the customer and fail to sell what the customer wants. This behavior ends up making the sales professional work harder and not smarter not to mention upsetting many potentially qualified customers.

During my many years in sales, I have personally witnessed sales professionals who have attempted to sell me what they want and not what I want. These behaviors not only turn me off, but I suspect keep a lot of sales people from their goals to increase sales.

Maybe part of the reason for this sales approach is that these sales folks have been schooled in sales based marketing. Look at the majority of advertising. The messages are all geared to sell you something. According to Martin Lindstrom author of buyology: Truth and Lies About Why We Buy, most advertising does not deliver the results given the resources expended. Sales Coaching Tip: This should be a must buy book all sales professionals’ libraries.

To swtich sales tactics begins by embracing a new sales metholodogy such as education based marketing. Using this sales thought process, your goal is to add value through education. The more value you can add, the greater opportunity you have to separate yourself from what I call all those other gray suits.

Additonally, you may need to improve your sales skills specific to:

1. Research
2. Active Listening
3. Asking relevant open ended questions

Education based marketing can quickly double conversion rates while reducing overall sales cycle time. Of course, this means that you must know your own sales metrics.

TAKE ACTION SALES COACHING TIP: If you truly wish to increase sales, consider selling what your customer wants and not what you want. By taking that action, you will build long term relationships and truly become that Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits.

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