Reilly Newman | A major shift in the mindset of a business happens when they stop selling how they think they should sell and begin selling how their audience buys.
When I bring this up to a business owner, there is typically a pause as they think about what this means and its implications. Then it clicks and they see the point I’m making. They quickly realize they have been approaching their sales and marketing efforts from the perspective of a seller rather than from the buyer’s perspective. Bingo!
One application of this is that the business can start by not looking at it through the lens of a seller. Be aware of their situation. Be aware of why they even have a need for your goods or service. It allows the business to integrate empathy into its sales. This is inherently relational as they put themselves in the shoes of the buyer. This is not only great sales approach, but how a great brand is formed. It transcends the transaction and allows the business to be more effective in creating value as well as capturing value.
One of the most important and in-depth interactions a business has with a consumer is the sales process. Sales gets a bad rap (and for good reason) because the amount of fake salespeople we engage with on a daily basis is exhausting. From spam calls and emails to the salesperson at the store who just wants a commission. Sales is often excused as a necessary evil in business.
However, when you reposition sales through the lens of brand it becomes an empathetic and authentic experience. Sales is actually one of the best ways to extend the brand’s experience for your audience to fall in love with your business. When you position sales in the mindset of brand it naturally will make you take on the perspective of the buyer.
Thinking and selling from the “perspective of brand” will change the sales approach from selling to the audience to listening to them and selling the way they buy. Putting yourself in the shoes of your audience will place you into the buyer’s perspective.
You’ll be able to not only better understand what pains they may be facing but also better understand how they can be remedied. This may mean your offering isn’t the correct fit. You’ll also better understand their aspirational goals and if your offering can assist them on their journey to achieving this. This makes the sales process much more pleasant and helps you help them in the best way possible. This puts the brand in a good light and removes the “selling” aspect.
When you are truly empathetic to your customers, it may even mean that you are willing to “send them down the street to the other guy” if what you have doesn’t perfectly meet their needs. When a customer feels that you have their best interests in mind, you can be sure that when you CAN meet their needs, they will be back and give you their business.
An example would be a tire store that will patch flat tires for free – regardless of whether you’re a previous customer or not. They do it because – while they are missing out on that immediate small transaction (fixing the flat) – they have sympathy to people that are in distress and have an urgent need. And those potential customers will come back when they have a need for new tires because that business showed them they weren’t just about getting “The Sale”. They garnered loyalty from that customer without even selling them something because that brand showed it served a greater purpose and wasn’t completely self-serving.
When we think of the buyer’s perspective, a good test is to think about what you say when you purchase something. You don’t say “I was sold this car” — you proudly say “I bought this car”— this proves the drastic difference between the sales mindset and the buying mindset. A good brand understands this and intelligently comes alongside the buyer on their journey to purchase. This again is focused on the value the buyer is striving for and any additional value your business can provide for them. This additional value (which is typically perceived value) is what sets you apart and gives you a sales advantage. This brings you the business of this customer and brings them the highest possible value because at the end of the day, you aren’t selling anything if they aren’t buying anything.
Business isn’t about you selling, it’s about them buying.
