Knowledge Is Power When It Comes To Sales.
Why Leading With Education Is Important.
A lot of our sales reps initially think they need to be “fast talking salesmen” to close sales, however, that isn’t really the case. The more you come across as someone who is trying to be helpful (i.e. a messenger of good news), the more sales you will make.
One of the best ways to do this is to lead with educating your potential customer about your products and services and positioning them in a way that can help them. People do business with those they trust and that are a credible source on what it is they are promoting.
When you lead with education and teaching your prospect about your product or service, it positions you as an expert in your field. People want to buy from people who know what they are talking about, and when they feel like you know more than they do, this can help you to close more sales.
How Can Having Extensive Product Knowledge Help You Close More Sales?
There is another reason why having extensive product knowledge can help you close more sales, and that is being able to customize your value build and service explanation specifically for your potential customer’s needs.
For example, if you were marketing pest control and your potential customer had an ant issue, the more you know about ants and the products and techniques used to treat for ants, the more you come across as an expert in your field.
The more confidence your potential customer has in you, the more likely they are to buy from you. You also avoid the dreaded, ‘Yes-Sir’ ‘No-Sir’ mistake by agreeing with your prospects because you don’t know any better.
When you educate while you sell, especially during the value build, this positions you as an expert and establishes credibility. It also makes your potential customer feel listened to and that you really care about them.
Having extensive product knowledge will also allow you to spot and diagnose problems much easier and offer a solution. One of the best ways to qualify a prospect is to see they have an issue that your products and services can help with.
If you have extensive product knowledge and industry knowledge it will be much easier for you to identify potential needs for your product and service, rather than relying on a potential customer admitting to having a problem.
The more you know about your products and services the easier it will be to sell your products without needing to be a fast talking, pushy salesperson.