Consultative vs. Transactional Selling

Are you struggling to sell higher-priced programs, offers, or services? If so, you may need to think about the difference between consultative selling and transactional selling. In this post, we'll discuss the key distinctions and the reason(s) behind why taking the consultative selling approach can be a game-changer for your business.

Introduction

When it comes to selling, many businesses usually rely on a transactional selling approach. This means just offering a product or service without much guidance or information provided to the customer. But, consultative selling involves taking on the role of a trusted advisor and offering expert advice throughout the sales process.

Transactional Selling vs. Consultative Selling

Transactional selling is more about the exchange of goods or services for payment, without taking about the customer's needs or concerns. It usually involves offering a wide range of options and letting the customer decide without any guidance.

Consultative selling, on the other hand, puts you in the position of authority and expertise. You take part in conversations to understand your customer's needs and recommend solutions tailored to their specific situation. By acting as a consultant, you help your customers through the decision-making process, ultimately presenting them with the best option suited to their needs.

Simplifying the Sales Process

In a consultative sales approach, it's important to keep things simple for your customers. Providing them with too many options can lead to decision fatigue and ultimately result in fewer sales. By narrowing the options to one to three choices and giving thoughtful recommendations, you can easily simplify the buying process for your customers.

Building Trust and Respect

By taking the consultative approach, you'll find that you won't feel like you're "selling" in the traditional sense. Instead, you'll be seen as a trusted advisor, aiding customers to find the best solutions for their needs. Even if a customer doesn't buy anything, they'll respect your integrity and may even refer others to you, knowing that you genuinely care about serving the right people.

Setting Yourself Apart

A consultative sales approach allows you to set yourself apart from the competition. By showing expertise and offering personalized recommendations, you putyourself as a high-level expert in your industry. This can lead to less focus on pricing and more attention on the value you provide to your customers.

Conclusion

If you're struggling to sell higher-priced programs or services, it may be time to go from transactional selling to consultative selling. By taking the time to understand your customer's needs, simplifying the options, and giving thoughtful recommendations, you can build trust, respect, and ultimately increase your sales. So, make the switch now and start seeing the difference in your business!

How do you actually sell higher priced programs and offers and services? In this episode, we discuss about the different ways that you can sell between transactional selling versus consultative selling and why the consultative selling approach is the best and easiest way to sell.

Too often, what I see is that most people use transactional selling. Transactional selling is essentially where there’s not a lot of advice or information that is provided to your customer or buyer. They’re simply coming in, paying for the service or the product. And that’s it. There’s not a lot of differentiation between what it is that you offer versus your competitors or alternatives

If you are a service provider, you’d want to sell more in a consultative selling process. This means that you take the role of a trusted advisor and you’re the expert in the transaction. You’re acting in an expert capacity to help your customers understand exactly how they can get the solution that they’re seeking because you under, you’ve taken the time to really understand the problem, which ultimately gets you the sale.

Biggest Takeaways:

Consultative selling means you take on the role of a trusted advisor, you are the expert in the transaction.
In a consultative sales process, you are standing in your position of authority and expertise. You are speaking with your potential customer to find out if they are a perfect match for your offer.
Your customers will get overwhelmed by too many options, so keep things to one to three options and keep things simple.
With a consultative selling approach, you won’t ever feel like you are selling because in essence, you are not selling, you are simple recommending because you are acting in an expert capacity to help your customers understand exactly how they can get the solution they are seeking.

Quotables:

In your consultative sales process, make things as simple as possible. Encourage your customers to really think through what would a yes look like versus what would a no look like. [Tweet This]
If they are the right people, they will come back. If not, they will send you the right people because they already have the respect for how you sell with integrity and understand exactly how you help people. [Tweet This]
You can’t help everyone. Your unique zone of genius, the way that you help is unique to you and unique to the people your serve. [Tweet This]

Highlights:

Transactional selling vs. Consultative selling [01:15]
What goes down in a consultative sales process and how you can apply it to your business as a service provider [04:18]
How to keep things simple and not overwhelm your buyer [07:23]
Do this ONE thing that gets you mad respect from your customers and have them refer other customers to you even if they didn’t sign up to work with you [09:17]
Three simple steps of the consultative sales process [11:48]
How to set yourself apart from everyone else offering similar services [13:57]

Bonus Resource:

6-Figure Blueprint: Finally Say “I’m Fully Booked” – With this mind map, learn the 3 simple proven ways to get calls booked so you can generate clients on demand! Grab your free copy now.

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