Ahmad Elhassan’s Post

The pace, energy and success of sales cycles often depends on the questions we ask our customers... When the right questions are asked at the right time, we can obtain important information to help our clients solve problems... I am always 'on the hunt' for good questions to add into customer conversations... Some good ideas and thought starters are in the article below... A solid read for the sellers in my network ↓

What prevents buyers from well, buying? A study of 2.5M recorded sales conversations (shoutout 'The Jolt Effect'), 40-60% of deals are lost to buyer indecision. Here are 3 key reasons behind buyer indecision and tips on addressing each... 1️⃣ Solution valuation Buyers don't just want the best option, but the one best for them. It's a seller's job to help them make that decision. Tips: - Offer personalized recommendations - Provide comparison charts - Share customer reviews/industry insights 2️⃣ Lack of information Not fully understanding the solution, implementation, and it's impact can make decision-makers feel uneasy. Tips: - Provide comprehensive product descriptions - Include specifications, FAQs, and demo videos - Ensure CS/SE is available to answer questions 3️⃣ Fear of not getting full benefits What if the product doesn't deliver on its promises? That's a direct impact on their goals, budget, and ultimately reputation. Tips: - Be transparent in your marketing - Offer trials/demos - Share case studies that demonstrate real benefits Each of these reasons has its nuances. The best way to address them depends on understanding your buyers' concerns preventing them from making a decision and providing clear, honest, and detailed information. Hope this helps you convert more hesitant buyers into happy customers! Note: the study is from 'The Jolt Effect'. An amazing book on how reps can identify and overcome indecision. I've never recommended a book on here, but this one is worth the read for reps, managers, and even those who develop sales strategy (like me).

Want to close more sales? Stop focusing on the sale. Do this instead: Determine your customer's business outcomes FIRST (and you'll close twice as many sales). Here's why: Psychology plays a crucial role in sales. Not manipulation. Identifying business outcomes that matter most to the: Customer. Buying team. And company. … helps you determine whether, or not, your product and expertise are relevant to the customer’s situation. This saves time and effort on deals that either go dark or have customers feel disappointed when your product fails to meet their expectations. Because when you prioritize customer outcomes, your focus shifts from selling product features to offering targeted solutions to customer’s pain points. This mindset change resonates with buyers. They feel understood and guided. Not pressured. The result? → More trust. → Increased sales. → Stronger relationships. But it starts with clarity. Define the specific outcomes you can best support for your customers. Then: → Work backwards. → Align your sales strategies around these targeted outcomes. Because when you do this, it saves time and creates precise value for your customer. You can't be everything to everyone. But you can provide a targeted outcome for a specific customer pain point. Get this right, and your closing rates will climb. Do you agree?

Our recent publication - Four Sales Tactics that will help ensure that deal closes in the end. If we had to pick our 2 most common 'why did this deal fall out' scenarios, it would be: 😫 Ensure you're not only dealing with one potential buyer. There are many well-meaning gatekeepers along the sales journey. 😅 Start asking steps-to-close questions earlier than you think. Prospective customers are not technologists and do not buy your product often. Thanks Disruption Magazine for sharing this. While we say lead the customer - the big caveat there is *while listening to their needs and adapting accordingly. Not even salespeople like a sales-y sell. Follow Rivet to hear more insights on how to optimize your sales cycle

🔥Burn the playbook, folks! There's a new way to dominate in sales, and it’s not just about the product or the company – it's about you. Yes, YOU! 💪 In an era of cutthroat competition, the distinct value you bring to the table can be the defining ticket to sealing deals. We’re not just selling products or services anymore – we’re selling ourselves. 🧩 The buyer isn't looking solely for the best product but rather the best partnership, one that they can truly trust and see value in. That partnership is us, the salespeople. 🤝 The hard truth is, products can be replicated, and companies can imitate each other’s tactics in order to survive. But one thing that can't be copied is who we are as individuals. The personal touch, the reliability, the enthusiasm, trustworthiness, and above all, the positive difference we can make for our customer. 🎯 I challenge you. 💡Start viewing yourself as the most value-packed offering your customers can get. Prove that you're indispensable, not just by discussing your product or the company, but by selling YOU. A great product will open the door, but YOU keep it open. Take a moment to reflect on your own value. What makes you stand out? How has this impacted your sales? Have you ever had a customer tell you they'd buy either your product or your competitor’s from you? I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences. 💭 https://lnkd.in/eRbi6xB Dive deeper into why YOU are the most important value offering in sales. 🚀

Understanding the difference between what your product 'is' and what it 'does' can significantly impact your success. Here's why emphasizing the benefits over the features is crucial in connecting with customers. 1. Benefit Focus Appeals to Customer Needs: Customers care more about what your product or service will do for them than the specific features it possesses. Highlighting how your product improves their life or solves their problems aligns with their interests and needs. 2. Tune into WII-FM (What’s In It For Me?): Every customer's favorite 'radio station' is WII-FM, meaning they are primarily interested in understanding how a product benefits them personally. Sales strategies should tune into this frequency by emphasizing outcomes rather than specifications. 3. Visualize the Benefit Pipeline: Imagine your product as a pipeline where features go in one end, and tangible benefits (what improves the customer's life or work) come out the other. Your job is to clearly articulate these outcomes to the customer. 4. Emotional vs. Practical Reasons: While practical features like affordability and ease of use are important, emotional drivers like 'peace of mind' often play a decisive role in purchasing decisions. Understanding and speaking to these emotional needs can be more effective in closing sales. 5. Tailored Questions to Uncover Emotional Needs: Using targeted questions to explore the emotional needs related to your product helps gauge customer interest. If a customer doesn't resonate emotionally, they're less likely to be convinced by practical features alone. Shifting your sales approach from what your product 'is' to what it 'does' — especially in terms of emotional benefits — can dramatically improve how you connect with potential buyers. Remember, it’s not just about selling a product; it’s about providing a solution that enriches the customer’s life. Next time you interact with a customer, focus on explaining the benefits that matter to them. See how this shift in approach can change your results! #sales

SOME COMMON SALES OBJECTIONS AND TIPS TO HANDLE THEM. Ever had a potential customer hit you with objections that feel like they’re blocking the sale? It’s a common part of the game, but with the right approach, these objections can actually become your opportunity to shine and make sales!! Here’s a peek at some of the objections I’ve tackled while selling, and how one can handle them: ~IT'S TOO EXPENSIVE: Focus on telling the customer the features and qualities that you know is what he is looking for. Highlight even the features they have no idea about, its advantages and how it can add value and ease to their life/work. They will see value for their money. ~ I'M ALREADY PATRONIZING ANOTHER BRAND: Discover ways to differentiate your product and demonstrate what sets it apart from the competition (product analysis). Emphasizing on the advantages your product can offer which the one he’s using can’t. ~ LET ME THINK ABOUT IT: Find out how to keep the conversation going and provide additional information that helps speed up their decision-making. ~ IT'S THE SAME THING: Master how to showcase the added benefits and improved performance of your product compared to lower-end options. ~ NOT A PRIORITY FOR NOW: Understand how to create a sense of urgency by emphasizing how your product solves a current problem or enhances their life. What objections or challenges do you commonly face when selling your products? Drop your tips in the comments. I’d love to hear how you handle these challenges. #salestips #salesexpert #customersupport

Why You Don't Have To Instantly Elevate Your Product Over The One A Prospect Is Using. As sales persons, we more often than not come across prospects who are already loyal to other brands. Winning such prospects can be very challenging, but worthwhile. That not withstanding a genuine desire to help the prospect buy, rather than get sold always thrives. From my personal experiences, instantly trying to elevate your product above other brands before prospects puts them off. ✅That single act speaks a lot negatively to the customer as they see you to be disrespecting and belittling their decision, damaging trust and rapport. ✅It also signals that you are pushy or aggressive, and has the potential to put the customer on the defensive. ✅Again, it signals you have not taken time to understand the customer's needs or reasons for using the current product, leading to misaligned solutions. ✅Instantly taunting your product over others also signals you're focusing on competition, not solution as you may be prioritizing outdoing the competitor over addressing the customer's needs, losing sight of the primary objective. ✅In your quest, you may be overemphasizing on features, not benefits to the customer and thus fail to showcase the value proposition. ✅If care is not taken, you may even draw attention to areas where your product falls short, creating doubts in the prospects mind. It is good to sell, however, it is best to guide customers to buy what best suits their needs. We can do this by having an open mind, not being biased towards our product as we build trust by showcasing our product's value without coming across as overly aggressive or competitive.

Sales pros; Get better results by focusing on these 3 vital stats: 1) Activity Levels ◾ Track all your appointments, calls, and meetings. ◾ Aim for a specific number of client interactions each week. ◾ You can only control the inputs, not the outputs. 2) Conversion Rates ◾ Measure interactions proportional to sales. ◾ Monitor the ratio of meetings to closed deals. ◾ Iterate as you go to improve conversions. 3) Sales Size ◾ Focus on increasing the average value of each sale. ◾ Implement strategies to upsell or cross-sell. ◾ Listen intently to your customers and their needs. Then, identify your most improvable, vital statistic. Which tasks can drive the greatest results for you? Start doing them.

The New Age of Selling: Creative Techniques to Increase Conversion Long gone are the days of pushy sales tactics and hard closes. Today’s buyer expects an experience, not a sales pitch. Empathy, curiosity, and creativity are the new pillars of selling. 1. Empathize: Talk to your prospect like a human, not a potential sale. Acknowledge their pain points and needs. 2. Curiosity: Ask open-ended questions to figure out what they really want. Listen deeply to their answers. 3. Creativity: Surprise & delight your prospect throughout the sales process. Personalize your outreach for each prospect. You’re not selling them a product, you’re giving them a solution. If you focus on understanding your customer and providing them an experience, the sale will inevitably follow. Go forth and sell!