4 Tips To Solving A
Prospect’s Problems

By Glenn Fallavollita, CEO – SellMorePayroll.com | Author | Keynote Speaker

• Word Count: 526
• Time To Read: 2.1 Minutes [Based on 250 Per Minute]

Think about the last 10 prospects you spoke with - now ask yourself, how many salespeople have already pitched them on the same thing(s) that you sell?

The reality is that each and every prospect you meet has been in contact (and all too often) by salespeople who just want to “sell them something.”  That said, great salespeople bring more value to a prospect by helping them by solve or expose a particular problem(s) - and provide a cost-saving or money-making solution to that problem.

4 Tips For Helping A Prospect Solve Their Problem(s).

1. Take A Product/Service You Offer And Do This:  Reflect for a moment on what you sell and then write down all of the problems it solves for a prospective buyer.  After that is done, write down how it solves each specific problem.
2. Write Down The Things That Make Your Product/Service Unique:  After step 1 is done, start writing down the things that make what you sell any better or different.  If you can’t think of anything, now would be a great time to innovate your business product of service offering.
3. Create A List Of Business Questions You Can Ask A Prospect (That Exposes A Problem):  Now that you know what problems your product or service solves, start writing down questions you can ask a prospect.  Questions like:
   1. How has the economy affected your business?
   2. How often do you get price increase from ABC Company?
   3. Are you tracking how many leads you are getting from ABC Company’s _____?
   4. If you could wave a magic wand over your current provider, what would you change?  Why would you change it?  How much would this change save or make you?
   5. If you lost one customer, on average, what does mean to you in life-time revenue?
4. Send Educational Marketing Messages That Exposes And Solves A Problem:  The key to your sales and marketing success will most likely hinge on educating a prospect about their problem.  You also need to outline how much this problem will cost them/their business if they do nothing to solve it, e.g. Geico’s tag line of “15 minutes could save you $500.”  In addition, outline the steps they need to take to solve this problem. 

Executive Summary:  The key to your sales success is not just highlighting a problem, but to help QUANTIFY the problem for a prospect from a time and money standpoint.  By using a solution or value selling approach, you help expose the financial gains by a prospect. 

In our "tighten our belts” economy, prospects are more focused on bottom-line costs and results.  To do this, you need to show a prospect their problem, and then help them solve it.  Here are some things to do (and avoid):

• Ask business related questions early in the sales process.
• Before sending a proposal to someone, have a follow-up meeting (and strategy) in place.
• Don’t send any literature without first determining a prospect’s reason(s) for requesting it.
• If applicable, get an advanced deposit on your services and/or products.
• Don’t quote a price before you have had a chance to build value.

About The Author

Glenn Fallavollita is the President of SellMorePayroll.com, a Division of Drip Marketing, Inc.  He founded Drip Marketing, Inc. in 2002, and serves as CEO, lead copywriter and strategist.  He is also instrumental in developing the curriculum, format and expansion of Drip University - the training arm of Drip Marketing, Inc. and SellMorePayroll.com.  His work, insight and creative talent has been the catalyst for the delivery of more than 35 million e-mail campaigns on behalf of his clients.

To learn how we can help your payroll service increase its sales with our payroll marketing system, visit us on the web at www.SellMorePayroll.com or call us directly at (856) 401-9577.