Selling Today: Partnering to Create Value, 14/e

Involving the Prospect in the Need Discovery

In most selling situations, there is a certain amount of time pressure. Rarely does a salesperson have an unlimited amount of time to spend with the customer. As noted earlier, the salesperson is often allotted only 30 minutes for the sales call. Some buyers limit all their appointments to 30 minutes or less.

Figure 11.5 illustrates an ideal breakdown of time allocation between the salesperson and the prospect during three parts of the sales process. In terms of involvement, the prospect assumes a greater role during the need-discovery stage. As the salesperson begins the product-selection process, the prospect’s involvement decreases. During the need-satisfaction stage, the salesperson is doing more ...