Do you have a firm grasp on what your customers know and don’t know about your products and services prior to inundating them with features and benefits? If not, you could be costing yourself more sales than you realize.

To stimulate interest and to increase the odds of earning the business of a new client, many sales professionals spend too much of their time attempting to educate their clients about their product, service, and industry. In many cases, this is the same strategy that compromises their opportunity to create a relationship with that client. Consider for a moment that providing too much knowledge and information is one of the main reasons a client will not purchase from you. Many salespeople find it difficult to determine when enough information is actually enough.

Once the client hears something they aren’t interested in or if they feel you are providing information that simply doesn’t apply to them, their interest is lost and they stop listening. A sales call is not the place to demonstrate your vast amount of knowledge about your industry. This technique results in no order, canceled order or “I’ll think it over.” The truth is, if you are talking more than 20 – 30% of the time during an appointment with a potential customer, then you are talking far too much! Instead, asking the right questions will determine the specific reason you are meeting with a potential customer and what their specific needs are so you can move that person from prospect to the level of customer.

Photo Credit: Tim G. Photography