I’m taking notes.
Feelings
When we are selling our services, many of our prospects will buy the feeling and the comfort of having someone else take care of things. That is usually my initial approach, and most people do not care about the detail. They just want things taken care of. I feel the same when we are having a new carpet laid. I am not interested in how it is done. My wife and I look forward to the end result.
In business and in life, sometimes the process is important and we need when selling to be open to questions about how we do things. I know I do.
The detail
I have a current health issue (don’t worry) and I have apparently three equally good ways of fixing it. It has been hard to decide which, so I have seen three different consultants to talk through my options. Only after seeing the third and getting some vital information which I had not got from the second guy was I able to choose the second guy’s option. With a complicated issue we really do need to drill down to the detail.
Comfort zone
I use some very specialised software. A year back I had become disillusioned with the inflexible package I was being offered by my then provider, which meant I was paying for stuff I did not need. Nevertheless I was afraid to change because I liked the way the software worked and I was comfortable with it.
Asking questions
I tried several trial versions of software from other providers. I wanted more details from several of these software houses, and some were helpful and others were not. Some had FAQs which they did not answer in a way I understood. The unhelpful companies did not get my business.
The most helpful people were the ones I bought from. Their package is great, and after a year I can say I am very happy. Surprisingly, although I was not hung up on getting the best price, the cost is fairly modest. I expect they sell more because they are so helpful. Good luck to them.
If your prospect wants the detail of what you are selling rather than just looking forward to being pleased with the end result, do indulge them.
If you are buying, sometimes you will put your faith in a person you know. Otherwise, do not be afraid to ask for the detail, particularly if the process is vital to your business.
Do you ask enough questions? Don’t be afraid to.
