We were helping a friend move into her new apartment. As we were helping her get set up, I commented, “You really ought to have a carbon monoxide detector.”

She asked, “Why?” I didn’t really know, so I went out to buy one while they continued unpacking. When I returned with the carbon monoxide detector, she asked again, “Why do I need it?”

I suggested we look at the box. The box had all of the technical information about how this carbon monoxide detector measured things. The box listed all the rates of when the alarm would go off, telling us how to use it and what it could do, but never explained why we needed it.

How much of your packaging and literature explains why someone would need your products or services and what benefits they can expect? Is this a good time to talk with your reps about focusing their efforts to talk more about why your products or services can help and the benefits they can expect?

Today’s video talks about this lack of “Why I want to buy your product?” descriptions in most product literature and packaging. After all…the more your reps talk about why a buyer wants your stuff…the more likely your team can sell even more!

How are your reps responding to a buyer asking “Why, based on all the competitive options available to me, do I want to buy from you?”

A great test to learn what’s being delivered by your team is to individually ask each rep how they’d answer a prospect asking “Why buy from you?”

Be prepared to hear a different answer/message from each rep. This is not a weakness in your reps, but in your management. When was the last time you discussed with your team what the best answers are to this question?

Most companies assume experienced reps have great messaging answers and don’t need any help. So, receiving no management help, what a surprise each rep then made up their own response. And each response is likely different.

How do you strengthen your brand? By strengthening the consistency of your message. Could this be a good time for you, as their coach and leader, to meet with your team to identify the key attributes and uniqueness they need to be communicating?

Today’s video discusses this problem of each rep having a different “Why buy from you?” response…and what you, as the team leader, can do about it. When you strengthen your team’s messaging of uniqueness, you tend to sell even more!

We need salespeople today to be more proactive initiators, not just reactive responders.

How many of your team spend most of their time answering the phone, covering their territory on the same days each month, and calling on the same customers? They define a successful sales call if they can ask their four questions… ”Anything you need?” “Anything coming up?” “Anything I can help with?” “How’s the family?”

But today, with all of the competitive pressures we face, this reactive support style of selling just doesn't work as much as it used to. Competitive advantages are gained when your salespeople become more proactive.

We need to be initiators, not responders to our customers, going in looking for solutions, bringing them new ideas and solutions. You can’t expect to keep a customer long term if your team is only supporting them.

Think you could gain more buyer loyalty by showing your customers how you can lower their risk, lower their total costs and/or make their life easier?

Today’s video talks about what you can do to help your team members identify more ways they can increase their proactive efforts by them bringing more solutions…so they can sell even more!