In last week's blog, "Needs, Wants, and Pains. NWP’s™ Part 1" I introduced you to the importance of finding out the NWP’s™ of the customer or prospect. In part 2, I will explain each one of these and give you some tips(? to ask) on finding them. Without further ado, let's get started.
Needs
Needs are something they have to have. In other words, it would be difficult to impossible to maintain their business without it. Some examples may include:
· Consistent quality
· On time delivery
· Cell phone
· Website
· Credit
· Cash
What the needs are will certainly vary depending on the type of business or industry they are in. Understanding the needs of a customer/prospect is usually fairly easy. Most business leaders/owners understand these. However, some may confuse a want with a need, but I’ll touch on that when I talk about wants.
Tips (? to ask) for Finding Needs
· “Can you tell me the top 3 things that you have to have to keep your business open?”
· “Can you tell me the top 3 things that you have to have to make your business successful?”
· “If you lost this, your business would suffer and eventually close.”
Wants
Wants are something that would be nice to have. These wants could have an immediate or long-term effect on the success of the business. It could also make processes more efficient, increase capacity, grow revenue, etc. Some examples may include:
· Automated ordering
· Marketing support
· Shorter lead time
· Extended credit terms
· 24-hour support
· New products
Wants usually start out with a person saying, “I wish I had that” or “If only……” or it may be that they don’t know what they want, but they know they feel pain (I will get to Pains next). A salesperson plays a key role in helping a customer/prospect find out what their wants are. They do this by asking probing questions and listening.
I mentioned earlier that some may confuse a want with a need. For example, my two boys feel like life would be over without Xbox. They would definitely say it is a need and I have to admit there are times when my sanity depends on Xbox and I would classify it as a need also. But, it’s really not a need. It’s a want and life would go on without it.
The salesperson that can help a customer/prospect identify and implement a want that will truly have a positive impact will set them apart from the competition.
Tips (? to ask) for Finding Wants
· “If you could wave a magic wand, what 3 things would you ask for?”
· “Break down each of those 3 things and tell me what that would do for your business?”
· “Is there something keeping you from doing those 3 things now?”
Pains
Pains are usually things that make a customer/prospect stressed. It usually causes extra work and constant oversight. Pains, like being sick are often symptoms of something else that needs attention or needs fixed. This is why most business leaders/owners may know they feel pain, but have no idea what they want or need to make it go away. Some examples may include:
· Double and triple checking every order
· Constantly getting phone calls from customers
· Employees complaining
· Having to work after work or weekends to catch up
· Slow point-of-sale transactions
· Having to hire more employees than they need
Tips (? to ask) for Finding Pains
· “What are 3 things that are a pain in the butt?”
· “Do you know what would cure those 3 things?”
· The 5 Why’s! This is not a question, but an exercise to help them through finding out the root cause of the pain if they don’t know what is causing it. It works like this. Ask a question 5 times based on the answer you get from the previous question until you ask 5 questions. Below is an example of a conversation a store manager may have with an employee:
o Question 1- Why are you complaining all the time?
§ Answer- It is taking me forever to unload this truck.
o Question 2- Why is it taking you forever to unload truck?
§ Answer- Because I have to adjust my forklift for every pallet.
o Question 3- Why are your adjusting forklift?
§ Answer- All the pallets are different.
o Question 4- Why are all the pallets different?
§ Answer- Because there is different product on each pallet.
o Question 5- Why is there different product on each pallet?
§ Answer- It is ordered that way.
o The solution may be to either change order process or their supplier could change packaging procedures to ensure they fit on the same size pallet.
Hopefully, this will help you address the NWP’s™ of your customer/prospect. Never underestimate the importance of this step in the selling process. It is guaranteed to bring you results and your current customers and your prospects who become customers will love you even more!
About the Author:
John Williams is the Founder/President of Elucidate Resources LLC. A consulting firm that specializes in helping people and organizations be successful. John recently retired from Central States Manufacturing, a 100% employee-owned company and Great Game of Business practitioner, after working there for 14 years as VP Sales & Marketing. John is a Great Game of Business Certified Coach which focuses on teaching all employees how business works and how that in turn will engage and empower them to achieve outstanding results. He also provides sales coaching and ESOP communication training. He currently serves on the Ownership Culture Advisory Committee for the ESOP Association and speaks at the ESOP, NCEO, and The Annual Gathering of the Games conferences. John has an engaging energy and his passion and excitement for helping others shows when he speaks. John has 35 years of experience in manufacturing and earned his MBA from Oklahoma State University. John and his beautiful wife, Jennifer, reside in LaPorte, Indiana and have 5 children.
For information on coaching needs, please visit www.elucidateresources.com
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