It seems every sales organization is boasting these days about their consultative approach to selling. Anecdotally it also seems that to many of them consultative selling means, “let’s hoodwink the customer that we are actually consultants and maybe they’ll buy something from us.” They have it wrong.

What is consultative selling?

Consultative selling starts with knowing our space and that of the customer’s and never trying to be something we are not.

Consultative selling means genuinely caring about the success of our customer as much if not more than the success of our own business.

Consultative selling means giving our knowledge away for free, literally expecting nothing in return for our time, knowing that if there’s a fit between our solutions and the customer’s needs that the reward will come later and if no such fit exists, there should be no reward.

Consultative selling means being knowledgeable and educated on a customer’s business sector since, by definition, it is impossible to deliver consulting services if the consultant doesn’t possess knowledge that is useful to the customer. 

Consultative selling means asking the right questions. A mentor of mine once said that the best relationships are built by asking the right questions, not by giving the right answers. The consultant asks deep, thoughtful questions and listens attentively to the answers.

Consultative selling means understanding the customer’s goals, financial and otherwise, long before suggesting solutions to the customer’s problems or strategies for their future. It means putting the customer’s needs first and our products — and the sale — last.

Consultative salespeople think about challenges from the customer’s point of view, putting themselves in the customer’s shoes, understanding at an emotional level where the customer wants to go and what hurdles lie in the way. In turn, consultative salespeople see themselves as true problem-solvers.

Consultative salespeople tell the customer everything about their solution.  The great, the good and the ugly. No product or service on the planet is ever perfect for any customer. Ever. The consultative salesperson demonstrates where her solution is the best fit, and where it might not be. By acknowledging potential shortcomings up-front, she avoids having to explain around them later and in the process builds tremendous credibility with the customer.

Consultative salespeople are knowledgeable about alternatives — offered by their employer or by their competitors — that could help the customer. They are willing to send the customer in another direction if they know someone else’s solution would be a better fit.

Consultative salespeople are willing to say no to sales opportunities that they know are not the best fit for the customer. As hard as this is for some to believe, they truly don’t care whether they get the sale or not, as long as they further the customer’s interests.

Consultative selling means never having to gush with gratitude — as if the salesperson is shocked at being selected — when a customer awards them their business. A true consultant knows that the value she adds for the customer will far outweigh what the customer will have to pay for it. When the purchase order arrives, a genuine smile and thank you from the consultative salesperson are enough. Then she gets on with delivering the value she promised.

Consultative selling means following up regularly and for long after the sale to ensure the products or services purchased by the customer are delivering on expectations.

Consultative selling means sleeping at night never worrying about whether or not our solutions were the right fit for the customer because the consultative salesperson made sure they were before he ever took the order.

While consultative salespeople are never self-serving, by behaving as true consultants, they benefit their customers and themselves in the end. When they listen they build relationships. When they learn their customers’ businesses they gain knowledge that will help them with other clients. When they honestly explain where their product adds value and where it doesn’t they gain credibility. When they send the customer elsewhere instead of overselling a solution that doesn’t fit they earn trust. When the customer needs help the next time, who are they going to call?

The Consultative Salesperson.

What does it feel like to be a consultative salesperson? Not to brag too much on myself (which means I’m about to), but last month one of our companies was beyond honored to receive the Wisconsin Technical College System’s Futuremaker award, recognizing the unique and dynamic partnerships forged between Wisconsin’s technical colleges and their partners. During his remarks at the very touching award ceremony, one of our best customers stood up and told the crowd that when he meets with our team he never feels like we are trying to sell him anything, but that instead, we are problem-solvers who genuinely care about our customers’ success. Exactly!