The THING I Do to Set More Meetings and Close More Deals

We are all looking for that "thing" that gives us the upper hand in sales. Right? That thing that sets more meetings and closes more deals. 

If there is 1 thing that would make a major impact it is THIS ONE! (Pretty bold, I know) 

Which world are you in?

Founder… your product is everything to you. It’s taken you so much to get the product where it is today. You love talking about all the things it can do AND could give demos in your sleep.

Sales Leader… from the time a new rep is hired, you train them on the product inside and out. They need to live and breathe the product. 

Sales Rep… you love your product and know it inside and out. Demos are your favorite and it's fun to go through all the cool things your product does. When you talk with your teammates, it's often about the product and what you love most. 

SDR…  Messaging is all about what you can do... "10X or Save 40%"  Wish you had more case studies to share. AND nothing better than when new features come out or you raise a round of funding, you can share it with everyone to help you set more meetings.

We all… spend countless hours understanding its features, benefits, and the problems it solves.

The problem is the more you know about your product and all of its features, it kills your sales.

I know what you are thinking… how can that kill my sales? Isn’t it a good thing to know my product so I can explain it better?

To a certain extent yes… in a lot of ways, no.

Why… you are often times speaking a different language than they are. Even if it’s exactly what they need, you are describing it in a way that makes sense to you and not them.

Also, you covered so much that they are overwhelmed or bored.

Have you ever sat in a meeting where the person rambled on about this and that and you lost focus? You know they talked about the thing you care about but you tuned out and missed it.

So BIG QUESTION… What if you flipped your obsession with your product with an obsession with your buyer’s world?

• What do they think about?
• What they are going through?
• What matters to them?
• How do they talk?
• What words do they use?

Think about how this would change things for you.

• If you are going outbound… would you message differently?
• If you are doing a Discovery… would you ask different questions and engage differently?
• When you are doing a Demo… would you show it differently?

How do you make the flip… focus 75% on the buyer and 25% on your product?

Since we have established you know your product do this…

1. Make a list of everything you can solve.
2. Take each of these and make a list of what pain points it solves and for who.
3. Make a list of how your buyer would describe these pain points
4. Describe what these pain points are holding them back from doing and what’s the impact.
5. If they didn’t make changes and kept things exactly how they are, how would this impact them?

For me, I like to use ChatGPT and with information I know about my product and my ICP start asking lots of questions.

My go-to question is “How would they describe this in their own words”. I do this for both describing their pain points and what the solution will do for them.

It may not get me 100% there but gets me much closer than staying so focused on my product.

How bad is this product-focused approach?

Founders… you will win some deals even when you are focused on your product. The problem is, you won’t get as many as you should. You may even make changes to your product based on a lack of sales or excitement. The reality is the focus is in the wrong place and pushing people away instead of helping them connect the dots of how big of an impact you can have on their current world.

Sales Leaders, Reps, and SDRs… you will set some meetings and win some deals but not nearly as much as you should. You aren’t connecting the dots for your buyer and they are choosing not to do anything at all or going with a competitor because it’s not connecting for them.

Benefits of a Buyer Focused Approach:

• Increased Sales: A tailored approach is more likely to resonate with the buyer, increasing the chances of a sale.
• Stronger Relationships: By showing that you understand and care about the buyer's needs, you're laying the foundation for a long-term relationship.
• Efficient Use of Time: Focusing on qualified leads who genuinely need your solution saves time for both parties.

So if you want to grow… make your focus on your buyer and their world much more than your product.

Your pipeline and closing rate will thank you. :) 

PS... Don't sit on this. Open up ChatGPT and start firing questions at it. Get to know your buyer and start talking their language.