If this is your first time visiting, you can receive this blog by RSS Feed or email .

Summary: Pre-selling in a relational sales environment is not selling at all; it creates a foundation for selling.

It is my observation that the majority of sales organizations still rely on beliefs about sales from the 1950’s. One of those beliefs is that sales is a very here-and-now process and is formulaic. You approach the prospect, show them your stuff, apply a standardized closing technique and take the order. That idea wasn’t especially effective 50 years ago, and is even less so today.

Because of the information overload available to buyers today, they are increasingly dependent upon personal relationships to discover the added value you and your organization bring. One of the ways that you can demonstrate your added value is through pre-selling.

Pre-selling means that you set the stage for selling. The key to pre-selling is to initially develop the relationship with the prospect without emphasizing the product or service you hope to sell them. If you start to “sell” a new prospect when you first meet them, what happens? They think, “Here we go again, another arm twisting salesperson.” When that happens they throw up objections to stop your selling process. If you’ve ever played golf with a prospect, you intuitively know this; you don’t talk about the deal until you’re on the back nine.

Develop the relationship first and then move on to your products and services. Once you start discussing your products and services be careful to just provide information at this stage. Don’t try to sell them, but instead, inform them.

Pre-selling is a three step process that flows very naturally. Develop the relationship, inform them about your product and services and then move on to the sale. If done properly and without rushing, the actual sales part of the transaction becomes a comfortable and third step in the process.

To receive this sales tips blog by email <click here> to receive by RSS <click here>. © 2008 Scott R. Sheaffer

Tags: pre-selling

We'd like to hear your feedback on this post - feel free to comment below!