Fundamentally exceptional consultative selling requires that the sales professional disappear within the process.  When a customer is looking for a product or service, the sales professional must serve as the matchmaker between what the client needs and what is available to them.  The biggest conceit of a sales person is when they believe they are more important than either the client’s needs or the product/services’ capabilities.  The real value that a true, consultative sales professional brings to the dynamic is the ability to understand both, match them effectively and frame the latter correctly.

A work of art can be breathtakingly beautiful, but in the wrong frame it doesn’t fit with the taste of the consumer.  Change the frame and the art resonates.  Consultative selling works the same way.  The right products or services can fail to excite a customer if the sales professional fails to provide the correct context.  Keep these seven fundamentals of consultative selling in mind:

1. Consultative selling begins with good rapport.  Pay attention to the behavioral cues of your customer to determine the relationship they desire with their sales professional.    There are four types of consumers and each requires a different relationship.   Think of them as either Romantics, Warriors, Experts or Masterminds.  If you sell the same way to everyone, you will be effective roughly 25 percent of the time.
2. The Romantic consumer enjoys appreciation and harmony.  They want a likable sales professional.  They are far more likely to buy products or services that enhance the lives of their loved ones and will create positive emotional experiences.
3. The Warrior consumer wants results.  They want a sales professional that can navigate the process quickly.  They like products and services that offer value and increase efficiency.  They also respond to status and luxury and are willing to spend a little more for high end brands.  Just be prepared to negotiate!
4. The Expert responds most to reliability, safety and a reputation based on quality.  They want a sales professional with deep and accurate knowledge of the products and services. Providing credible information and accurately answering the Experts detailed questions is critical to a successful outcome.
5. The Mastermind is likes new and different.  They want an enthusiastic sales professional. They are trend setters, early adopters and alpha consumers.  Appealing to their desire for something cool and unusual and customizing the experience to their needs will make them giddy.
6. Customers are not as interested in you, your company or all the information you know about the product as you might think.  Identify the three critical concerns they have related to their buying decision and address these with the product/service you offer.
7. Even the most seasoned sales professionals stumble when dealing with a customer’s objection to price.  Many immediately attempt to convince the customer that the product is worth the money while others begin steering the customer to lower priced products that are not as good a fit.  Essentially, the sales professional is falling victim to the body’s fight or flight response.  To combat this tendency, take a moment to confirm the objection.  By simply saying, “So what I am hearing is that you like the product, you are just concerned about the investment.”  This will elicit additional information from the customer and give you more clarity on their concerns.  It will also allow your stress reaction to dissipate.

For more information on these strategies and more related to consultative selling, read The Power of Understanding People by Dave Mitchell.