This is a common problem that is both a sales skills and a communication issue. Many sales representatives, whether through sales training or habit, believe that only those prospects who are in great pain will be motivated enough to buy. From a communication standpoint, how a prospective buyer defines "pain" can vary widely, leading to misunderstandings between the salesperson and the prospect.

It is absolutely true that if a potential client is in some amount of pain and the sales representative can get them to discuss it openly, they are in a great position to present their company's product or service as a possible solution. This is a win-win situation.

However, many potential clients are not screaming in pain. They may view a business situation as an issue or a dilemma and may be very open to hearing about solutions, but wouldn't classify the situation as painful. This is sometimes described as "latent pain." Sales representatives who focus only on getting a prospect to talk about their pain may confuse or alienate them and miss a solid sales opportunity.

Here are some examples of issues that companies sometimes face:

I have been giving some thought to how our product might sell in a market we have never tried to penetrate before.

My two top-producing sales representatives want to take their sales capabilities to the next level.

We are launching a new product line and I need to outsource some of the marketing projects.

None of these prospects are in pain. The "problems" they are experiencing are actually pretty darn good ones to have! The issues mentioned above are potential sales opportunities, however, and a salesperson with a one-dimensional approach could easily miss these.

The key to helping your sales representative rests with the questions they ask. When speaking with a prospect, their inquiries should be broad-based with an emphasis on learning about the entire business and not just the problems. For example, a salesperson with a pain-based approach might ask:

• Can you tell me about your top three problem areas this year?
• What's keeping you awake at night?

A salesperson who is trying to understand the prospect's business might ask:

• What were some of your successes last year?
• Can you talk about your main business initiatives this year?
• Are those in any particular order of priority?
• Tell me a little bit more about initiative A.

Good salespeople do indeed include questions about difficulties a prospect may be experiencing as part of the interview process. What sets them apart from other salespeople is that they don't focus on problems exclusively. For instance, once a sales representative asked the four questions above and felt comfortable with the prospect they might as a question like:

• Do you have any concerns about completing initiative A on time and on budget?

Encourage your sales representative to ask the type of questions that get the prospect to speak more generally about their business, including a discussion of the positive aspects of their organization. This usually allows them to have a lengthier, more relaxed conversation in which they learn a great deal about the company and the prospective client. This can lead not only to a sale but to a long-term relationship and referrals.