Become Value Focused – It Sells

Most every frontline sales manager will agree that keeping staff encouraged when they have very price-sensitive customers can be challenging. It becomes quite easy to fall into the trap of believing that by in large, customers are cheap. But here is the reality; customers are not cheap. They are value-driven and want to know that they are receiving the best price and service available for their hard-earned money.  Understanding and focusing on their need for value will allow for the message to be heard and more sales to be made.

Here are a few of the many successful techniques to help your team command the attention of value-driven customers:

• When presenting a product or service, always focus first on the benefits of what the customer is getting, prior to quoting the price.  All too often the price is presented first and then the customer shuts down their listening skills.
• Focus on the value of what they are getting vs. the price they are paying.  People remember most, whatever they hear last so when presenting a sale price, highlight the “savings”. For example: “It can sell for as much as $99, today it’s only $69, that’s asavings of $30!”
• DO NOT PREJUDGE!!!!  Only assume every customer deserves the very best product or service you have to offer.
• People buy from those they like. Focus on connecting with the customer and delivering a presentation centered on enhancing their experience – with you, the company and the products/services you represent.

Most importantly, bear in mind that a salesperson’s perception of their customers will affect the presentation and ultimately, influence buying decisions.  It is critical that frontline managers do not “buy into” the same perceptions that can distract and dissuade their sales team.  How a salesperson feels about their customers and the sales opportunities determines how well those customers will receive their message.  Encouraging your frontline to focus their energies on ways to vary their presentation for the value-driven customers instead of dismissing the opportunity will increase sales opportunities and generate more revenue.