No matter what product or service you're selling, whether it's business-to-business or business-to-consumer, EVERY customer is concerned about an R.O.I. (Return on Investment).
In fact, isn't the whole act of buying something really about hoping we get a certain "return" on our investment? It doesn't matter if we're buying sports tickets or a sports car...or advertising, consulting services, a new roof, a second mortgage, or simply a sandwich...whatever -- when we buy something we have a certain return in mind we're hoping to achieve.
And that return could be anything from a tangible increase in business (if we're buying advertising let's say), to simply a pleasant taste and a full stomach (in the case of a sandwich)...the return is totally in the mind of the client!
Unfortunately, many salespeople approach selling from the "me first" mindset, thinking that the only "return" that matters is their own, in the form of a paycheck, commissions, bonuses, etc. They're so obviously interested in what's in it for them, they don't even ask about what the client is hoping to achieve from the transaction!
The third main concept of my book, "Consultative Closing" is all about Selling AFTER the Sale, which is the process of focusing on what happens AFTER the client takes ownership of our product or service. And that is really what R.O.I. is all about, knowing what the client is hoping will happen, and then going the extra step of "partnering" with them to deliver that return.
The sad reality is that 90% of salespeople have the attitude that "once you take ownership...you're on your own...I'm on to the next kill" and they don't even bother to check up ONCE on the client to see how things are going!
Thus, I've been inspired to write a 3 part series on R.O.I. starting next week right here on the blog. Part 1 will be about how we need to discover the R.O.I. expectations...Part 2 will be on how we need to change our sales and delivery process in order to close and deliver on that R.O.I....and Part 3 will focus on how we can form that long-term partnership with clients to not only deliver the R.O.I., but turn it into on-going streams of business!
Stay tuned right here next week...now stop reading, pick up the phone and sell something :)
GB