Everyone talks about the need to create more value for customers, but one element that gets left out far too often is the element of time.
Time is an incredible asset for any salesperson and, for that matter, for the customer.
The one who leverages time the best is going to be the one who wins.
If the customer knows the salesperson needs to close a sale by a certain date, then the power certainly goes to the customer.
Is there any wonder why more cars are sold in the last couple days of the month than at the beginning?
Same holds for the salesperson. When the customer is in a position where they have to buy, then the power certainly goes to the salesperson.
This is why it is essential as a salesperson to learn quickly from the customer what time means to them.
The only way you can find out how important time is to the customer is by asking them, but not just as you’re about to give them your price. The time to ask them about time is as early as you can in the selling process.
The sooner you find out the role time is going to play in their decision-making process, the sooner you can begin integrating it into your selling process.
Once you learn the importance of time to them, you then need to understand why. Knowing the “why” is key. This is what you leverage to increase value.
Here’s a quick example: A customer who says they need to a make a decision quickly is one thing, but knowing they need to because their old system know longer works is the real “why” you can leverage. For this customer, price may still be important, but of even more importance is getting a new system quickly.
In this example, you can begin to ask questions to get the customer to share with you the ramifications of not having a system that works. The more the customer shares with you, the more they will see how the value they’re looking for is in the speed of getting a new system in place. Speed to them equals value, and to you value equals price.
Burn this in your memory: Leverage time and you increase value. Increasing value increases price.
Copyright 2014, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog. Mark Hunter is the author of High-Profit Selling: Win the Sale Without Compromising on Price.
