DRATHORE – BLOG

In a recent Interaction with my Sales team, the chairman of one of my principals mentioned : “In order to sell it, You first need to fall in love with your product”. This statement, kept haunting me for several days, and led to a lot of mental jugglery on my part. How apt was the statement “Fall in Love with your Product” and how aptly it applied to each and every aspect of our life. Why only product, we also need to fall in love with every one surrounding us, in order to make them or us successful. This includes our close family, colleagues, Employer, Employee, and each and every iota of all that surrounds us. However being on a professional forum, I will restrict this discussion to loving the products only and I being from Industrial field, the focus will be majorly on Industrial ones.

Falling in Love with your product implies to be very confident of the product that you are offering, fully are of its advantages over competitive products, its unique features, it’s pricing justification and how it’s really advantageous to the customer. Only when you are well versed with the above, having full admiration of the product yourself, only then you will be most likely to sell it. Let’s consider a few issues that most likely a Sales person may have to face in a Sales meeting, and how can “Loving your product” help resolve them.

The most common statement made by a prospective customer is “Your product is expensive”. Now, do you also think the same? If yes, only God can help you. But if you “Love your product”, then you will be fully satisfied with the justification of its price. For example, the product may be priced higher than the competitors, but it has a much shorter ROI, gives better productivity, has higher run per unit, less rejection rate, better quality results, or a lower operative cost. Your product’s price justification is essential to be registered first in your mind, only then it’s possible for you to convince the customer. If you yourself have doubts regards the pricing, how hard you may try, the same will be evident in your discussion.

“This feature is not available in your product, but is offered by other companies” another common statement by a prospective customer. Now if you “Love your Product” you will be well acquainted with all the features of your products. The ones missing are non-essential and a lot many essential features are there, which in fact are missing in a competitive product. Not only should you be aware of all the features, but also the benefits the customer will derive from them. For example the Machine which you are offering gives an “Error Log” on the Screen, which is not there in the competitive Machine. You can explain that this “Error Log” is highly beneficial in Trouble shooting the Machine.

If the customer mentions that “Your delivery period is too long”, then remember you also “Love the system” that is being followed by your company. If you really do that, then your reply would simply be “Sir, we have a very systematic manufacturing process that we follow come what may. We also don’t rush into things, just to please the customer with a faster delivery. We also have a very stringent quality testing process, which is adhered to for each and every product. This we do to ensure that when the product reaches the customer end, there are simply no after Sales issues.”

There are many more such doubts expressed by the customer, which can be addressed very efficiently if you follow the principle of “Love your Product”. If the customer confronts you with his doubts regards the product and the same persist in your mind, it will be evident on your face. How much hard you may try to convince the customer, your mannerism will show. Also remember if you yourself don’t “Love your Product” how can you expect the customer to fall in love with it ? Part from loving your product you should also love your Customers.

As I close the article a word of caution here, “In your zeal to sell, don’t ever make an over or wrong commitment”. Commit only what you can deliver and not an iota more. Your wrong or over commitment will do more harm to the company’s reputation than gain. Especially if it’s an Industrial product commit only what the product is able to deliver. Although you must be aware of the product features and specifications, there may an instance where you may not be aware of some aspects regards it. In this case, don’t commit without understanding the facts. Excuse yourself from the customer, confirm things from your Technical team and then revert to the customer.

Just remember your fake and hollow confidence will crash in a Sales meeting. Only being confident about the product and being fully aware about it will sail you through. Wishing you all the best and Happy Selling !!

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