"When is the appropriate time to conduct a product demonstration?"

All too often companies put undue pressure on their sales people to schedule appointments in order to show the product...do demonstrations, get face time. Rather than relying on their sales person's situational expertise and sales skills to create and process the prospect's needs, they are relying on their products 'feature and function' to create that interest. They are hoping that the prospect will see something they like, figure out how they would use it, and then buy it. What may end up happening is the seller spends time trying to sell to users who don't have any real business issues or the power to buy the product or service. Think about that for just a moment.

How many times have you found yourself or your sales personnel doing product demonstrations for people who can't buy what you sell?

I'm not saying that you shouldn't do product or service (chalk board discussions, description of services, visit to service centers or NOC's) demonstrations. I'm suggesting that you do them only when it is appropriate. The 'demonstration' should be used by the seller to prove that he/she can provide the prospect with the capabilities that the seller and his/her prospect have mutually determined the prospect will need in order to achieve their goals, solve their problems, or satisfy their needs. It's a proof step. It's not interest generation.

Doing demonstrations without a thorough understanding of the needs of the prospect can result in:

• Meaningless demonstrations to prospects
• Demonstrations by sales people to remain busy
• Demonstrations that don't meet the needs of your prospects
• Demonstrations of needless features & functions
• Increased cost of sales
• Unusually long sales cycles
• Buyers to conclude that your product is too complex
• Buyers to claim your product is too expensive
• Lost sales opportunities
• Sales people to blame their losses on the product's lack of feature or function

In order to determine what to demonstrate, or what to prove, the sales person has to take the time to 'diagnose the needs of the prospect with bias' toward the sales persons product or service.

The key to selling is the sales persons ability to converse, a two way dialogue with the senior executives who have the ability to purchase the sellers product or service. In effect, you want your prospect, with the help of the sales person, to be able to envision themselves being in possession of capabilities only you can provide; recognize what it's costing them to operate without those capabilities; and, confirm the value to their company moving forward. That requires a 'conversation', not simply a product demonstration.

So here is the tip. Take the time to diagnose the needs of your prospect before providing proof...doing a demonstration. Align your demonstration to show only those things that the prospect has said they needed. The demonstration becomes more relevant, focused, and meaningful.

Steps to a sell/buy cycle!

Future discussions in this newsletter will focus on the following key skills of selling and marketing.

CustomerCentric Selling® Sales Process

• Successfully executing the Process Steps in a sell cycle
• Selling Skills - Which skills are needed when?
• Sales Ready Messaging® Tools and when they should be used!
• Sales Process Deliverables - How do I know the prospect and I are on the same page?
• Milestones & Probabilities of a sale - How do I know where the prospect is during the sell cycle and when are they ready to buy?

• Preparing messages for Solution Development conversations that help buyers conclude I may be their best solution!
• Establishing business value for your solutions with prospects early in a sell cycle!
• Determining your company's market positioning so I'm asking sales personnel to go where the GOLD is!!
• Preparation of your company's "Core Marketing Messages" and using a "Rifle Shot" approach!

Good Selling,

Dan Lemke
A Licensed Affiliate of
CustomerCentric Systems®

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Post Script - check out the CCS® website