Types of selling situations
1. Consultative Consultative selling occurs when the salesperson
selling :
questions customers about their specific situation and needs to determine a
specific product or service to meet their needs. The salesperson listens to
the answers and follows up with suggestions that might meet their needs. A
definition of consultative selling is matching specific products or services to a customer's
particular needs. Successful consultative salespeople are advisers and solution providers
who understand their customers' distinct needs. The salesperson focuses on developing a
long-term relationship with the customer.
Dave is the vice president of marketing and sales of an electronics company. The
company designs and manufactures custom circuit boards for various customers. The
circuit boards are included in products like refrigerators, phone systems, vending
machines, and vehicles. The design and manufacture of the circuit boards require specific
knowledge about the unique needs of each customer's business. Dave uses consultative
sales techniques in his work.
1. How does consultative selling work?
An effective consultative salesperson has deep knowledge of the products or services they
represent. The salesperson researches customer needs, asks relevant questions, then listens
carefully as the customer describes their problem. The salesperson advises the customer about
specific solutions that solve their unique problem.
2. What is the difference between consultative selling and
normal selling?
Consultative selling is useful for expensive items with complex features that may be purchased
infrequently. Routine purchases don't require extensive research. Customers simply need to be
made aware of what is available.
3. What is an example of consultative selling?
An example of consultative selling may occur when a customer visits an appliance store to
purchase a refrigerator. The consultative salesperson asks the customer questions about what's
motivating them to buy a new refrigerator. The salesperson uses the information to present
products that satisfy the needs
2. Solution selling: solution selling is a sales methodology wherein salespeople consider the
needs of their prospects and recommend products or services that can best solve their
problems. To do this, they need a deep understanding of their target customers and their pain
points.Essentially, solution selling requires sales reps to dig into the true needs of their
potential buyers, rather than approaching every sale as an opportunity to push a specific
product. Leading with the product is known as product selling, which differs from solution
selling in a few ways.
How does it differ
Product selling is what most people think of when they imagine “salespeople”—those
charismatic door-to-door Tupperware and essential-oil pushers. Regardless of someone’s
need for Tupperware or essential oils, a salesperson with a product selling approach will
attempt to convince a prospect that their product is necessary, valuable, and better than
the ones offered by competitors. This often results in sales pitches based on product
features and pricing options, without any consideration for the potential customer’s actual
needs.
Solution selling doesn’t focus on the product at first. Instead, it involves a
more consultative selling approach that shows what the product can do for a prospect to
make their lives easier. Rather than discussing specs and features, reps using solution
selling will identify their prospects’ problems and then guide them to the solution that
best solves those issues.
No selling strategy is a perfect fit for every sales team—there are unique benefits and
drawbacks that can make some strategies more useful in certain industries than others.
Solution selling is no exception.
Solution selling can be an effective tactic for any prospect, but it’s most appropriate when
you’re dealing with customers who need unique solutions and/or support. On the sales side,
that means solution sales are most impactful when the salesperson has a variety of products
or packages to offer their prospects.Instead of pushing one type of product or service onto
potential customers, solution sales teams will research what their prospects need and how
they can offer a solution throughout the buyer’s journey. Oftentimes, this means customizing
packages and meeting the prospect where they are.
Transactional selling : Transactional selling and solution selling are two of the most
popular sales strategies that companies use to increase sales. However, they are vastly
different and as a result, lie on opposite sides of the business spectrum today.Where on
the one hand, Solution selling is becoming increasingly popular because companies
believe that it can support their complex business models more
effectively. Transactional selling, on the other hand, is losing its value since many
businesses are moving towards e-commerce that works on a much-reduced salesforce
model. Plus, as more and more transactions become automated, the need for salesmen
to pitch a product to customers is diminishing. But which of the two strategies is right for
your business?
3. B2B sales: Uncover the three main types of B2B sales: transactional,
consultative, and enterprise. Learn how to choose the right approach and
maximize success. The secret to successful B2B sales lies in
understanding different sales approaches.
4. Collaborative: Collaboration between sales and customer success can happen
through several means like setting common goals, sharing customer
insights, documenting the best practices, and using the same collaborative
tools.
5. Direct sales: Direct sales can help your business both remove costs and reach a wider
consumer audience. Continue reading for a detailed explanation of what direct sales is, what it
isn’t, and strategies to achieve business success. Use the links below to jump around if you’re
interested in one particular section.
6. Provocative selling: Provocative selling is all about offering customers a
unique perspective on their industry or business. It's about not just giving
them the cold facts, but rather providing an insight that will both engage and
leave a lasting impression.
7. Challenger By encouraging their customers to consider new opportunities, the Challenger sales rep
can begin to offer an alternative way forward. The Challenger sales method relies on delivering insight
about an unknown problem or opportunity in the customer's business that the supplier is uniquely
positioned to solve
8. High pressure selling: High-pressure sales tactics often involve extremely
unappealing sales practices such as persistently contacting customers even after
their lack of interest has been expressed, making exaggerated claims or false
statements about product advantages, consistently increasing product prices,
inflating past performance, and
