Consultative selling is one of the most beneficial concepts I picked up over the course of my career in outside sales. I still remember when I first learned about this concept – and how I experienced that proverbial “A Ha!” moment where things suddenly became very clear. That moment completely demystified the sales process for me and over time, helped transform a number of my clients into long-term friends. The positive repercussions from that experience still reverberate throughout my personal and professional life to this day.
So, what is ‘consultative selling?’
In simplest terms, consultative selling can be described as focusing on what your customers want and need versus on what you do or have to offer. In other words, your number one concern should be to first learn about your customers and what their challenges or goals might be, then figure out how your product or services can help solve their problems.
In theory, consultative selling is really simple and straightforward. In fact, it may already be an intuitive part of how you approach your online business. If so, congratulations! There are still far too many web sites out there with copy that is ALL about “who WE are and what WE do.” In many cases, these businesses never tip their hat to their prospective customers with the all important “what’s in it for you?” Quite simply, those businesses are missing out on a valuable opportunity to really connect with their potential customers.
Perhaps you are reading this and thinking “but Trish, I’m not trying to sell anything with my web site”…
On the surface, that may be true. Maybe your goal is to monetize your site strictly with AdSense or you just want to blog about your favorite hobby for fun. However, if your goal is to increase traffic and build an audience, you are actually asking your visitors for a more valuable investment than money: you are asking for their time. Therefore, it is very important that the information and resources you share with them while they are there offers real value – and gives them a reason to keep coming back for more.
This week, I’m going to talk more about consultative selling – and how you can apply this concept to your own web copy to achieve better results.
Til Next Time,
PS If you haven’t done so, be sure to sign up for WebCopyResults.com Tuesday Tips. Each week, I use Micro Niche Finder to identify 5 Bonus Keywords that receive substantial search volumes and face a relatively low amount of competition. The list is random, but subscribers can request what niches they would like to see covered in upcoming issues. It’s like having 5 instant article ideas delivered right to your in box! 
