I was in an all-day training class yesterday and, as people around me were trying - and failing - to describe the sales process, a phrase came to mind: People buy for their own reasons, not yours. You can't be successful trying to sell something to someone. It's not a sales process, it's a buying process and you need to understand where they are in that process in order to help them to make that purchase.

Occasionally customers tell you exactly what they want. More often they describe a need that is merely the tip of the iceberg - a hint at what their real need is. It's your job to uncover that need and how they feel about it. That takes patience, good questions, and active listening. When they recognize their need they will also understand that they will feel better by addressing it. Now they're ready to listen to your proposal.