If a prospect has a need, they may be willing to spend time with you. But that’s probably all they’ll really end up spending. On the other hand, if they have a problem – that is; too much of a bad thing or too little of a good thing – they may then be willing to actually spend money… and this is the kind of prospect you want to be spending your time on.
A problem is a bad thing for the prospect, but an opportunity for you – a gap, deficiency or impediment, even a fear that something bad may happen in the future (risk). A problem needs to be addressed immediately and gives both parties (the prospect and the seller) something substantial to capitalize on.
Often, people like to self-diagnose and say “this is what I need”, when in fact they may be completely off the mark. To overcome the issue of self-diagnosis you should always ask your prospects the question “what is the problem that you are trying to solve?” This way, you can step around the self-professed need statement and delve into what is troubling the prospect together.
As a challenger salesperson, it is important to focus on one single problem that your company is the best at solving so that the prospect views your ability to solve that problem as exceptional. If you can prove that your company will provide the best possible solution for the agreed problem, the prospect is more likely to spend money with you fixing that problem.
In other words, you should not just want to meet needs, as this will not guarantee you an inflow of revenue. You should work on finding the pain point that will give you the opportunity to respond with matchless solutions. In turn, this will better your chances of earning revenue from the prospect.
Let’s clarify from the outset that understanding the difference between a prospect with a need and one with a problem is imperative if you want to gain new clients and increase profits. Especially in B2B marketing, it is the difference between time and resources being wasted to get nowhere and focusing efforts to get to where you want to be.
If a prospect has a need, they may be willing to spend time with you. But that’s probably all they’ll really end up spending. On the other hand, if they have a problem – that is; too much of a bad thing or too little of a good thing – they may then be willing to actually spend money… and this is the kind of prospect you want to be spending your time on.
A problem is a bad thing for the prospect, but an opportunity for you – a gap, deficiency or impediment, even a fear that something bad may happen in the future (risk). A problem needs to be addressed immediately and gives both parties (the prospect and the seller) something substantial to capitalize on.
Often, people like to self-diagnose and say “this is what I need”, when in fact they may be completely off the mark. To overcome the issue of self-diagnosis you should always ask your prospects the question “what is the problem that you are trying to solve?” This way, you can step around the self-professed need statement and delve into what is troubling the prospect together.
As a challenger salesperson, it is important to focus on one single problem that your company is the best at solving so that the prospect views your ability to solve that problem as exceptional. If you can prove that your company will provide the best possible solution for the agreed problem, the prospect is more likely to spend money with you fixing that problem.
In other words, you should not just want to meet needs, as this will not guarantee you an inflow of revenue. You should work on finding the pain point that will give you the opportunity to respond with matchless solutions. In turn, this will better your chances of earning revenue from the prospect.
Let’s clarify from the outset that understanding the difference between a prospect with a need and one with a problem is imperative if you want to gain new clients and increase profits. Especially in B2B marketing, it is the difference between time and resources being wasted to get nowhere and focusing efforts to get to where you want to be.
If a prospect has a need, they may be willing to spend time with you. But that’s probably all they’ll really end up spending. On the other hand, if they have a problem – that is; too much of a bad thing or too little of a good thing – they may then be willing to actually spend money… and this is the kind of prospect you want to be spending your time on.
A problem is a bad thing for the prospect, but an opportunity for you – a gap, deficiency or impediment, even a fear that something bad may happen in the future (risk). A problem needs to be addressed immediately and gives both parties (the prospect and the seller) something substantial to capitalize on.
Often, people like to self-diagnose and say “this is what I need”, when in fact they may be completely off the mark. To overcome the issue of self-diagnosis you should always ask your prospects the question “what is the problem that you are trying to solve?” This way, you can step around the self-professed need statement and delve into what is troubling the prospect together.
As a challenger salesperson, it is important to focus on one single problem that your company is the best at solving so that the prospect views your ability to solve that problem as exceptional. If you can prove that your company will provide the best possible solution for the agreed problem, the prospect is more likely to spend money with you fixing that problem.
In other words, you should not just want to meet needs, as this will not guarantee you an inflow of revenue. You should work on finding the pain point that will give you the opportunity to respond with matchless solutions. In turn, this will better your chances of earning revenue from the prospect.
