Stop closing sales and start providing value, or lose to price

I recently watch this video from the sales guru Jeffrey Gitomer. He highlights a very interesting means of closing a sale; by getting the customer to do it for you! This video explains that if your sales people can focus less on closing the sale and place all their attention on providing the value, the customer will jump the opportunity to do business with you again and again.

Jeffrey asks “Is it more powerful for you wanting the sale or for the customer to want to buy? Is it more powerful to ask for the sale or for the customer to ask when can we get started?”. By creating value for our customers rather than just selling to them they become more inclined to do business. He goes on to state that value is created from what you offer and how the customer will perceive your offering will benefit them.

Here are his 10 (and a half) ways to improve the perceived value of your offering to customer:

1. Ease of doing business with you

2. Ease of contact with you and anyone in your company

3. Ease of use

4. Increase of productivity for the customer

5. Availability of service when the customer needs it

6. Boost in customer morale after product or service is installed

7. Reasonably affordable and market priced aligned

8. Additional profit to the customer

9. Assurance to the customer and the perception of the customer theta there is a perfect fit

10. Assurance that there is no risk with you or by purchasing

10.5. Continued value messages to the customer after the purchase has been made.