Think about the best sales presentation you've ever made. You researched your prospect. You put together a killer PowerPoint. You gave them all the reasons they should buy. Yet for some reason, they didn't become a customer.
Giving an effective sales presentation requires more than just having a well-crafted pitch and an excellent slide deck. It also requires a deep understanding of your prospect's issues and challenges - or "pain points." And the same thing applies to leading a team and managing your people!
By taking the time to identify and understand the pain points of others, you will be able to create a tailored solution that meets their needs and—when the other person is a prospect—increase your chances of making the sale.
Let's look at how you can identify and address pain in order to give an effective sales presentation or become a better leader.
What is a pain point in sales?
Your prospects don't care about the features and benefits you offer - they want solutions to their problems. Find out what pains your prospect is experiencing, then link those issues back to how your product can help solve them!
Often, we may think our decisions are purely rational, but when it comes down to it, emotion plays a key role in many of the choices we make. Just take a moment and reflect on how often
you find yourself making spur-of-the-moment impulse purchases that weren't part of your original plan!
Of course, the same thing applies when managing your team. People work for and are likely to respond for their reasons, not yours. Understanding their pain can help you to get on the same page as your team and manage them effectively.
How do you identify sales pain?
To get to the heart of a person's issues, use an effective questioning process. Carefully probe for details about their problem and the pain it's causing so that you can build connections with the other person and arrive at winning solutions together.
When a prospect or team member comes to you with an issue, never assume that it is the real problem. Take the time to delve deeper and ask questions about what is causing the issue and how it has impacted them personally.
There is always something else at play beneath the surface!
No pain, no sale
When it comes to making a sale, the rule is simple: no pain, no sale. Without understanding and addressing the customer's pain points, it will be difficult for them to act on your proposed solution with any sense of urgency. Without a compelling reason to buy, there can be no sale.
The only effective presentation is one that is tailored to solving the other person's pains.
When leading your team, the same principle applies. The most motivated team member is one whose pain you understand, and whose motivation you've tied into your organization's goals.
Understanding and addressing the other person's pain points is essential. By utilizing an effective questioning process, you can dive deeper into the issue at hand and build connections with the other person in order to arrive at winning solutions together.
Remember that no matter how compelling your pitch or how excellent your slide deck may be – without understanding the customer's pain, there can be no sale!
Jim brings over 35 years of sales, management and marketing experience to the "training table." He has coached hundreds of business owners, sales executives, managers, and corporations to help them achieve greater levels of success and productivity. His areas of expertise range from sales and management training in the advertising and sports marketing fields to professional and business-to-business services, continuing education, new business development, staff hiring and assessments.
