Understanding Your Customer’s Needs | Selling Tips

Understanding Your Customer’s Needs

Let’s highlight the key term: “understanding your customer’s needs.” Needs-based selling has been around forever, where you ask questions, uncover a need, and propose a solution. But that’s not what we’re discussing here. We’re talking about truly understanding your customer’s needs.

For instance, if a customer complains about their current supplier’s slow responsiveness, it’s not enough to simply acknowledge their dissatisfaction. You need to dive deeper: What impact is this slow responsiveness having on their business? How long has this been an issue? What steps have they taken to address it with their current supplier, and what was the response?

Understanding your customer’s needs goes beyond repeating back what they say. It’s about articulating the problems this issue is causing them, understanding the impact, and confirming that your understanding is correct.

Furthermore, you need to determine if they want to fix the issue and when they are ready to do so. Sometimes, they might want to address the problem but can’t until a later date. Pushing them too quickly can lead to frustration on both sides.

So, as you engage with your customers, ask insightful questions to uncover their needs, understand the impact, and determine their timeline for fixing the issue. With this approach, you’ll have meaningful conversations and a clear understanding of your customer’s needs.

Good luck and happy selling!

From Jack Kasel, Sales Development Expert
Anthony Cole Training Group