Just Because You Have It
... Doesn't
Mean They Need It!
In Business Development,
strength can be a weakness. Companies create products, services and
accompanying solutions, so salespeople think that's where value and
strength lies and enter into business relationships with an unconscious
liability. They believe just because they have something to offer, someone
must need it. That's not necessarily the case.
People do not buy things based on need. Need is the pursuit of a
positive. Buying is not based upon pursuing a positive, but involves
overcoming or eliminating a negative. If there's no issue, problem or
concern, there's no need for a solution.
Salespeople often assume that either everyone should or does need what
they offer. They burden themselves with proving to prospects that needs do
exit. That 's a push relationship. Even if prospects do have problems to
solve, most would deny it when pushed. Relationships like these are
inherently flawed.
There's a difference between trying to sell individuals on their needs
vs. helping them buy products or pursue solutions based on their
perceptions of problems. For validation, ask a client what concerns were
eliminated or problems solved by purchasing your product or service,
from their perspective. You cannot create a need where one does not
exist. You cannot solve problems or eliminate pain where none are present.
You can, however, become the problem by trying to convince people of needs
that don't exist or concerns they don't have.
