Rather than pushing products outwards, shift the focus inwards. Understand the journey your customer is on and the problems they are trying to solve. Then frame your offering as enabling progress, not just features. Become less of a salesperson, more of a helper. Listen deeply to what customers want to achieve in their lives. Equip them with solutions tailored to their goals. Meet them where they are, don't force them where you want them to be. The most effective salespeople empower customers to make progress on their own terms. They build trust by being helpful, creative problem solvers. They craft win-win solutions that customers pull into their lives, rather than pushing unwanted products. Selling should not feel like a transaction, but a relationship where both parties' needs are met.
In the realm of sales, the traditional approach has often been dominated by supply-side thinking, where the focus is on the product's features, benefits, and persuasive techniques to convince potential customers to make a purchase. This perspective operates under the assumption that customers inherently want what you have to offer; they simply need to be informed and persuaded about the value of your product or service. This method emphasizes the seller's need to communicate the superiority of their product, believing that with the right pitch, customers will be convinced to buy. However, demand-side selling offers a contrasting approach that aligns more closely with the actual buying process of customers. Instead of starting with the product and looking for ways to sell it, demand-side selling begins with the customer, seeking to understand their needs, desires, and the "jobs" they are trying to get done. This approach is grounded in the Jobs To Be Done (JTBD) theory, which focuses on understanding the progress a customer is trying to make in a given circumstance and how a product or service can facilitate that progress. Bob Moesta, a co-founder of The Re-Wired Group and one of the architects of the JTBD theory, emphasizes that demand-side selling is about reframing the sales process to focus on being helpful, empowering, curious, and creative. It's about understanding why people do what they do and aligning your product or service as a solution to their specific needs or struggles. This approach shifts the focus from selling to helping, where the salesperson acts more like a coach or mentor, guiding the customer towards making progress in their lives. A compelling example of demand-side selling in action is the transformation of Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) under the leadership of Paul LeBlanc. Initially, SNHU's online program was marketed similarly to its traditional on-campus offerings. However, by interviewing online students, LeBlanc discovered that they had different needs and were often older, working adults looking to improve their lives and careers. By understanding these needs, SNHU was able to tailor its marketing and offerings to better serve this demographic, leading to significant growth in its online student enrollment. Demand-side selling requires a deep understanding of the customer's context, struggles, and desired outcomes. It involves listening to customers, identifying when they experience a "struggling moment," and positioning your product or service as a solution that can help them make progress. This approach creates a pull for your product, as it resonates with the customer's needs and aspirations, rather than pushing a product based on its features and benefits.
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