For a successful sale tell what the product can do, not what it is

In other words, the seller tweaked what the product can do for buyers, commensurate to who the buyer was. 

Don’t tell them what you made. Tell them what it can do. For them. I recently read this somewhere and its explicitness inspires today’s post as it captures the essence of successful selling.

Entrepreneurs should especially take heed as they are most vulnerable to telling what they have made, instead of what it can do. Caught up in their innovation they dwell on extolling its features instead of how it benefits the buyer; the buyer may be taken in by your enthusiasm but he most likely won’t stay ‘in’, when he doesn’t hear what the innovation can do. For him. For instance, “We have made this app with the latest coding”, the entrepreneur excitedly says.” This app is available on Google Play Store and is only 30MB. The app can reduce noise remotely from as far as 25metres. ”

Ease of comparison

All that is good to know, Mr. Seller but so what? The buyer, being polite, won’t voice this but will think it. And this is the question sellers must ask themselves about their product or services. So what, if it’s available on the Play Store? (It is easily accessible; it’s a download away); so what if it can reduce noise remotely? (You can buy yourself instant peace by reducing the obscene volume of that irritatingly loud music from the matatu you are in because the obnoxious tout has refused to do so); so what if it is 30MB? (the app is light; its size makes it easy and fast to download. Better still, it will occupy less the size the WhatsApp app does.). Notice how easy the comparison to another app the buyer has is easy to relate to than 30MB. And so what if the coding is the latest? (The app is designed to automatically block any viruses from attacking your ‘phone).

Limit pitch to benefits

Progressive sellers will sell that app and say only what is in brackets completely ignoring ‘what they have made and saying instead what it can do’. For their respective buyers. Meaning that, telling them ‘what it can do for them’ differs with who ‘them’ is. What you made doesn’t change; only what it can do for them does. For instance, this underwriter was telling me how he couldn’t recognize the product this salesperson he was shadowing was selling. “I mean, Kageche”, he said, “I know this product inside out. I’m even involved in writing the terms and conditions of how it runs. But, this agent didn’t tell the buyers that it was a life insurance policy, which I know it as. He told a mother that buying the product will guarantee that her dream for her child will live beyond her; and this businessman that should he pass on his business loans won’t kill the business nor extend to his family because of creditors coming to collect.” In other words, the seller tweaked what the product can do for buyers commensurate to who the buyer was.

Don’t tell them what you made. Tell them what it can do. For them.


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