ROI Solutions
What is your return on investment (ROI)?
Solution-selling is “the only way to sell” these days; but, what does selling a solution actually mean? For me, solution-selling is being a trusted partner and great listener with your customer. As their trusted partner, you must be straightforward and truthful and offer what is only in your customer’s best interest. This means forgoing pushy approaches that are often associated with being a salesperson.
My experience in this field starts back in the late 80’s. I had rented a record by Dale Carnegie’s called “How to Improve Your Social Skills.” At that time I found myself bored in my career and also rather shy; I had two small children at the time and I worked in the engineering department at Siemens, an occupation requiring little interaction with other people. I desperately wanted to move my career up and onward into the Sales.
However, I couldn’t conform to the fast-talking, always-smiling, always-taking-you-out-to-lunch stereotype of the 80’s salesperson. That brand of “smooth” salesmanship was not suited to my character at all. So, I settled down and began to listen to this record and planned on reinventing myself.
I didn’t have to go far to do that.
I remember hearing: “You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.” It went on to say: “Becoming a good conversationalist was all about being a good listener.”
A light bulb went off while listening to this record: my first memorable “Ah hah” moment. I could do this; I could be a good listener. In fact, I already was a good listener. I figured out by concentrating on my own innate strengths rather than trying to cover up for some sort of perceived “weakness,” I could easily accomplish this goal.
And that’s about the time I kicked off a new career in the art (and sometimes science) of selling. I went into real estate and sold $3 million my first year in a city where I knew few people, however I was even more proud of winning a “Customer Service Award” for a large, well-known firm in North Carolina. It was simple: i diligently followed up every lead, listened intently and showed my clients what THEY wanted to see (not what I wanted them to buy.) And, of course, I was always friendly.
Currently, my career is back in technology. And in the competitive coliseum of Software and Web development, I still retain my natural qualities of sincere listening and trustworthy advising. Most importantly, I know it’s essential to show our customers their Return on Investment.
Why should they buy our products, what incentive do they have? How will SiteBrandBuilder help them save money, improve process time or service/market their products better? These questions need to be answered based on their metrics for example; what did they spend on maintaining their website to date; how much paper are they printing out and re-enter information because they don’t have forms online; how can they reduce the sales process by having asking for key information; what can they save on product returns by having good descriptive content on their website?
Consider the field you are in…. As entrepreneurs ask your self why should a customer buy my product or service? What is their Return on Investment?
Wendy Brabon
SiteBrandBuilder.com