Recently I had the privilege of working with the founders of a SaaS company, who were eager to learn and develop their sales skills in order to explore and open up a new field of business. We focused on various sales techniques, including the elevator pitch, the FAB method, and consultative selling. In this blog post, I'll explore these concepts and how they helped the sales team become more effective in their roles.
The Elevator Pitch
An elevator pitch is a brief, compelling statement that summarizes what your company does and what problem it solves. The name comes from the idea that you should be able to deliver your pitch in the time it takes to ride an elevator, usually 30-60 seconds. The key to a successful elevator pitch is to focus on the benefits of your product or service rather than its features. For example, instead of saying "our product has 10 different features," you might say "our product saves businesses time and money by automating tedious tasks."
I worked with the team to help them develop and refine their elevator pitches. We practiced delivering them to each other and solicited feedback to ensure they were clear, concise, and compelling. Having a well-crafted elevator pitch allowed the team to quickly and effectively communicate the value of their product to potential customers.
The FAB Method
The FAB method is a sales technique that focuses on the features, advantages, and benefits of a product or service. By breaking down the features of a product and explaining how they provide advantages and benefits to the customer, you can make a more compelling case for why they should buy.
For example, if you're selling a software product that includes a reporting feature, you might say:
Feature: Our software includes a reporting feature that allows you to create custom reports based on your data.
Advantage: With our reporting feature, you can quickly and easily analyze your data and make informed business decisions.
Benefit: By using our software's reporting feature, you can save time and make better business decisions, which can ultimately lead to increased profits.
By using the FAB method, the team was able to better understand the benefits of their product and effectively communicate them to potential customers. It also helped them identify the features that were most important to each customer and tailor their sales pitch accordingly.
Consultative Selling
Consultative selling is a sales approach that focuses on building relationships with customers and understanding their needs and pain points. Instead of simply trying to sell a product, consultative selling involves asking questions, listening to the customer's answers, and providing solutions that meet their specific needs. This approach requires a deep understanding of the customer's business and the ability to offer customized solutions that address their unique challenges.
I worked with the team to develop their consultative selling skills by role-playing different scenarios and encouraging them to ask questions to uncover the customer's needs. By taking a consultative approach, the team was able to build trust with customers and position themselves as trusted advisors rather than simply salespeople.
In conclusion, the combination of the elevator pitch, FAB method, and consultative selling proved to be a winning formula for this founding team. By focusing on the benefits of their product, understanding the customer's needs, and providing customized solutions, the team was able to build strong relationships with customers and close more deals. As a sales coach, it was incredibly rewarding to see the team's skills and confidence grow, and I'm excited to see what the future holds for them.
If you have questions or comments, feel free to contact me via email at flora@pauercoaching.de
All the best,
Flora
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