Critical Selling

6Presenting What Your Customer Needs: Link a Tailored Solution

You've connected with the customer and set the stage for a positive sales interaction by delivering a solid opening. You've done your research, looking into your customer and his organization. You've asked the right questions and listened to the answers. You're building credibility and trust and are on your way to becoming a trusted advisor.

So far, so good.

Now it's time to move forward and deliver your presentation to your customer, that winning presentation that you give to all your best customers, the presentation that you've rehearsed and delivered so many times that you have it down pat. You could do it blindfolded. You eat that presentation for breakfast.

Right?

Wrong.

If this is your approach to making presentations, you're missing a big opportunity. Presenting isn't about delivering a canned performance that simply highlights you, your organization, and your product or service. It's your opportunity to share with your customer a tailored solution that's linked to his needs, accommodates his priorities, and fulfills the objectives of his purchasing decision. It's not the time to regurgitate the same old presentation that you always give.

It's important to keep in mind that all customers are different. The reasons each customer will purchase your product or service are as varied as your customers themselves. Therefore, your biggest opportunity to deliver a presentation that will win the sale comes down to ...