What does my customer really need? Identifying customer wishes with the help of needs analysis

Anyone who wants to sell something often tries to convince his counterpart of his own product with numerous arguments. Prospective buyers, however, usually switch off in the face of this information overload. "That's why experienced salespeople not only prepare in detail for a sales meeting, but also analyze potential buyers' needs in an exchange with them. In this so-called needs analysis, they determine exactly what the customer really needs and can use this as a basis for more targeted advice," reveals Oliver Kerner, professional sales trainer, speaker and coach from Bremen and founder of OK-Training.

Solve problems

Needs analyses are an important part of every sales pitch because potential customers basically have no personal interest in a product. For them, neither the detailed company history nor the entire range of services plays a role, because they are simply looking for the best support for their challenges. However, if you don't know these, you've already lost. "Customers buy solutions. They don't want a drill, for example, but holes in the wall," Oliver Kerner knows and adds: "The goal of a needs analysis should therefore always be to uncover the prospects' problems, even if they may not yet have recognized them themselves, and to present an appropriate way out in the next step." This also involves putting oneself in the customer's shoes and finding out which product has the greatest benefit for them. Only in this way can a customized offer with high sales opportunities be created in the end.

Ask open questions

To understand the goals of potential buyers, they must be asked numerous questions during the needs analysis. However, closed questions to which interviewees only answer "yes" or "no" do not help in many cases. Instead, open-ended W-questions provide more detailed information. The question "Is quality important to you?" is often followed by a one-syllable answer. However, when salespeople ask, "What is important to you?" customers mention, for example, several characteristics in addition to quality, such as short delivery times, good accessibility of the salesperson and a reasonable price. "In particular, inquiring about what experiences the counterpart has already had is a good way to gather information. Because this is where many people indirectly reveal their wishes and expectations of a cooperation. If prospective customers report bad experiences, it is also possible to draw conclusions about what is essential for them. For example, those who criticize the complicated operation of the previous software obviously place a lot of value on programs that are easy to understand," explains Oliver Kerner. At this point, salespeople should not talk much themselves, but listen attentively and let the customers speak. It goes without saying that follow-up questions are allowed in order to give the prospective customer a good recommendation in the end.

For more information www.ok-trainings.com