learn more...The structure of explaining highlights the difference between the benefits of goals and the benefits of features. Start your explanations with customers' goals and they will value them more as they listen to how you connect features to them. Avoid leading with the features of products and making customers wait as you work your way back to their goals. It takes a little practice becoming comfortable starting explanations with customers' goals—not product's features. It is like visiting a country where they drive on the wrong side of the road (at least, according to Americans). The steering wheel is where the passenger sits from our perspective. Although it feels a little awkward jumping into the passenger seat, it is still the fastest way to get where you want to go. In addition, you connect all the features and benefits of one goal before you proceed to the next one. These connections require concentration (fortunately driven by logic) when customers might have two or more goals, one goal might have two or more benefits, and one benefit might have two or more features that can connect to it. Again, the case studies give you plenty of examples of the explaining process. Explaining consists of the following four-step process:
Another sure-fire way to determine if customers accept your explanations is to let customers know that you accept responsibility for their understanding of what you said. A helpful question is: "Does that make sense the way I explained it?" The Tactics Behind Crystal-Clear ExplanationsIn the course of explaining, use the fewest words possible to connect the features of your products to the benefits of the customers' goals. Your explanations take into account the following six guidelines:
When selling technical products, take the responsibility to ensure that customers understand your features. Let customers know up front that if they do not understand something, it is because you did not explain it properly. You win when customers feel smart. Two issues affect how smart you need to make customers feel.The first issue involves how easy it is for customers to accept that a feature produces the benefit the way you described it. For instance, it is difficult to accept on face value that 800 MHz computers process information 50 percent quicker than 600 MHz computers. After all, their 200 MHz difference suggests they would be 33 percent, not 50 percent faster. Yet, it is easy to understand how a computer with 128 MB of RAM has twice as much RAM as one with 64 MB. The second issue is the technical expertise of the customers. The greater the gap between your technical expertise and that of you customers, the more you should explain concepts in their jargon. Conversely, if your customer has a strong technical background, you do not need to elaborate as much. |
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