Imagine you are entering the Sales industry today. What does that look like? You are probably super motivated, and your learning curve is close to 90 degrees. But then you prepare for your first calls and customer meetings. Your high motivation is influenced by doubt, inexperience and lack of knowledge. How can that be an advantage?

Look around the room you are sitting in right now to bring that in context. Look at anything: a desk, a laptop, a lamp, a pen, a book…anything! Or, think about the person who painted the walls in your apartment or the car dealer who just did the last repairs on your car. Think about any online activities you do with a bank, or insurance, a paid app service, to name a few. …Then you realize that every product and service was at some time, somewhere sold to you. You were the buyer, and someone else was the seller. And if you go to a flea market, then you see that some products and services are sold several times over and over again.

Why did you buy all these things? Were you pushed to buy them? Or, at one stage, did you think you just needed them? Did you buy things because you were convinced that they would improve your life in one way or another? Probably all answers are correct. And that’s why we have so much rubbish in our cellars and storage rooms, LOL! But if you had to make a selection of which products or services have been shaping your life for the better, then these are the ones you are most content with and have told others about. The classic mouth-to-mouth marketing.

We, as consumers, never like to be pushed into buying something. You are not even thinking about purchasing whatever is pushed towards you. It feels weird, uncomfortable. So, think about that when you prepare for your customer meetings. Don’t lead with your products or solutions. Buyers are not ready for that.

They are more willing to listen to information relevant to their challenges. Something that they failed to notice. Information that is new to them and shifts their perspective on their situation. Similar to the time when you thought that your old car would run for a couple more years until someone did the calculation for you (or with you) on how much you have spent so far on repairs, plus the ineffective fuel usage, adding up to a staggering amount that you were not aware of. Maybe it was time to look into investing in an electric car via a small instalment and an attractive loan?

Keep that in mind when approaching your customers and prospects. You want to lead the conversation about them and their challenges. About decisions they made, and question if these have achieved the results they want. At the end of this initial meeting, now understanding their challenges much better, ask them for a second meeting to share some relevant insights and stories from other customers in similar situations. I bet they will always say yes to that request.

Unlike more experienced sales reps, who have to unlearn the old way of selling, you are unbiased and use common sense. Such as your own experience as a potential Buyer when you were holding on to your old car.

Your Perspective	Their Perspective
You understand where your customer is in their buying process	Initially, you did not see the need to change to a new car either
You verify the challenges they have	Your car repair amounts were piling up,
You share new information that is changing the perspective of their situation	In your case, someone shared with you the cost-efficiency of new electric cars and relatively cheap loans available
You share risks of doing nothing	For you, that was another year of risking more repairs and fuel prices kept increasing
You ask if there are more people interested in this conversation	For these kinds of decisions, you wanted to consult with your wife/husband

Leading conversations in this way, I am sure your customer will be interested in another meeting, and to go over more details of exploring what a change would look like.

You have just sold with the Buyer’s Perspective: the new way of selling! You see, being new to Sales and using common sense can be your advantage instead of a disadvantage.

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