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Musings -
Sell the Sizzle
All salesmen and women are taught in their sales training to sell the sizzle, not the steak. How many of you really understand this concept? Really understanding this concept can have a very important, positive effect on your bottom line. 
Your client doesn't really want to know that your widget rotates at a gazillion RPM, or that it is made of the best imported steel. What he wants to know is that it is more efficient than what he is currently using and employs the latest technology in order to make him more productive. Your customer is much more concerned with the benefits than the features.
The fact that your widget comes in three colors, one will surely match his factory, means absolutely nothing. What does have meaning is that your product is easy to clean so he can save time and money in production; having an extra half hour at the end of a shift means he can produce more of his widgets in the same amount of time. It has to make him able to work smarter, not harder; it has to reduce production times, streamline current systems and have room to grow.
Your customer needs to know what the benefits of his purchase will yield, not how it works. He has engineers or  managers that need that information; a training class after delivery will tell them all they need to know. Most Managers don't really care how a job gets done; just that it gets done and makes money.
The steak is what the doohickey is; the sizzle is what the doohickey does. Emphasize the right one and you will start closing more deals than you ever thought possible.
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