What Are You Really Selling?

You’re Not Selling a Product

Let’s get one thing crystal clear: if you can’t articulate what you’re selling, you might as well be walking blindfolded through a maze. Selling is not a guessing game, it’s a precise, strategic art.

Pause for a moment and ponder: What are you really selling? It’s not your product. You’re not selling some cool features your product has. You’re not selling the convenience of your product. You’re not selling how inexpensive it is. You’re not selling what you get commission on.

What are you truly selling?

You’re probably selling something far more profound than you initially thought. You might be selling improved customer service and a dramatic reduction in churn rates. You could be selling a flood of high-quality leads at a fraction of the cost per lead. You might be selling a damn good time.

You could be selling someone’s shot at landing their dream job or you’re selling the chance of skyrocketing views that get a company or person noticed for the first time. You could be the matchmaker behind more memorable dates or you could be architect of a person’s image overhaul.

Or, you could be selling intangibles like the opportunity to spend more cherished moments with grandma. None of these outcomes are a product or service. You’re selling possibilities and brighter futures.

Beyond Product – Fulfilling Customer Desires

This is where you need to pay attention – behind every one of those purchases there could be 50 different products – but the customer isn’t buying the product. The product you’re putting on the table is merely the vehicle to something far more significant.

If you find yourself in the business of selling your product, hit the brakes. What your customer truly wants goes beyond the tangible. They’re looking for the experience, the transformation, the solution, the outcome. You’re selling the gateway to fulfill customer desires and solve their most pressing problems.

Get to the core of what your customers want. And then, vividly demonstrate how your product is the bridge that gets them there. If you get stuck, remember, they aren’t buying the product.

Guide them on the journey and stay laser-focused on where they want to go and where you are taking them. Your product is the means to an end. The value of your product or service lies in how it transforms their lives.

The Art of Selling

There’s an old saying that goes, “No one wants a drill, they want a hole.” It’s a good quote but it only scratches the surface. Truth is nobody wants a hole, what they want is always deeper.

They want to gift their child a treehouse for a memorable birthday. They aim to build the fastest soapbox derby car for their Cub Scout. They have a dream of starting their own carpentry or woodworking business, not only to craft beautiful pieces but to break free from the corporate grind, finally having control over their own schedule.

Imagine selling a drill to someone who wants to start building furniture in his garage so he can spend more time with his kids and thinking you’re just selling a drill?

Each scenario demands a unique sales strategy. You can’t approach these all the same. It is absolutely critical to understand precisely what you are selling. Without that insight you are unable to demonstrate the true product value. Take the time to peel back the layers of your customers and find their true desires and tailor your sales approach accordingly.