Identifying Need: A Critical Part of the Sales Process

Does the solution fit their business need? If it doesn’t, you should probably go sell somewhere else. A company’s need for something is one of their most powerful buying motivators.

From the buyer’s perspective, need is the reason they have to buy something and must find an answer to solve their need. From the seller’s perceptive, need can take a very long time to research and identify. It requires asking a lot of questions, listening and interpreting supporting information and what the buyer is saying. Sellers should thoroughly research and understand the buyer before starting the relationship building process.

Using sales intelligence tools can paint a picture of what’s driving the company. They can identify current business needs and help craft what sales messages should be communicated with the buyer. Developing a sales positioning statement will help put all the pieces of information together to form a logical statement on why they should buy from you.

For example, Boeing has been working to consolidate their data centers. They began the project with about 60 data centers and are down to six as of December 2009. Their final goal is to have three, which will create significant cost reductions with their power drain.

There are many different solutions that could fit this need: consolidate hardware into core locations, outsource the data center administration, utilize the cloud, virtualization, etc.? If you can determine the business need, you can use it the tool to ask intelligence, qualifying questions. Collecting the right information is a critical part of understanding the core aspects of their need and what direction they want or think they should take.

By doing your homework on the company and understanding their business need, more people will listen and answer your questions, especially the decision maker. It will help develop the roadmap for the account and identify the other three BANT criteria: time frame, budgets and decision markers.  If your solution fits their needs, the buyer will find the money.

Fortune 1000 Company Business Drivers

Using CRUSH Reports new business driver section, you’ll be able to identify problems, opportunities and initiatives currently happening in Fortune 1000 companies.

Download the Ford CRUSH Report with 2010 Business Drivers

- Mark Kilens
mark.kilens @ salesquest.com
978.749.9999 ext. 118