Ever wonder what many successful sales people do to close the kind of long term business that creates lasting relationships with customers and ultimately leads to many warm referrals? When youre out there marketing theres a great thing to keep in mind. That is, what is your prospects perception of his/her situation? This is also referred to as the customers concept. When the prospect understands where they are at in a situation, you can work together to present feasible options which will hopefully result in your product or service being a fit to help that prospect with what theyre trying to accomplish, fix or avoid.

What is it that most sales people or marketers do? They get in front of there prospect for a show and tell session as if it were first grade all over again. The prospect doesnt really understand how the marketers opportunity or product will help the prospect to accomplish, fix, or avoid something in their lives. Consider asking your prospect questions up front so you can understand his or her situation and so they can bring verbalization to their feelings and better understand where theyre at themselves.

Doing this allows for mutual respect to transpire as your prospect starts to understand that you understand their concept and are working together to come up with an overall solution. This allows you to become much less off a sales stereotype and allows for a lasting relationship. Just think of the competitive advantage you will create for yourself in a market full of old school show and tell salespeople.