Why Educating Your Prospects is Better than a Sales Pitch

Why Educating Your Prospects is Better than a Sales Pitch:from Business 2 Community by Dana Prince

Are you an expert in your field?

If you are, you can use this to strengthen relationships with customers and attract new prospects, too. If you are not yet an expert, you should definitely do all you can to become one!
Your demonstrated expertise in your niche will be able to open doors to opportunities that will help you serve your customers, keep them coming back, and attract new customers, too. Your expertise will help you build your brand and establish yourself as an authority and this will give you an advantage over competitors.

Teaching Your Prospects

A good way to put your expertise to use is to use it to educate your prospects and customers. This is a highly effective way to develop and foster good business relationships and it generally wins people over much more often than simply pushing a sales pitch. Become known as a subject matter expert and this will make you a force to be reckoned with in your field. People prefer help to being ‘sold’ to, especially now… Why?
Decision makers within your customer base are under enormous pressure to make thoughtful decisions and to justify their decisions when spending their company’s money. Buyers will be much more likely to listen to a salesperson who helps them do their job well, helping them make informed buying decisions. If comparing you to other vendors they find that you’ve helped them arrive at a wise decision, you will be more likely to win the deal.

Education can Equal Retention

When your customers make educated decisions they also tend to be happier customers after the sale, too. Educated buying decisions will reduce client complaints, will reduce cancellations and returns, and can boost customer satisfaction and retention overall. Happy clients will give you the added benefit of continually bringing new business your way in the way of referrals and testimonials, too.

Inbound Marketing Success

You can also use the approach of educating your prospective clients in inbound marketing methods that will bring you leads.

Tips for Succeeding at Educating Prospects and Customers

In order to succeed at selling via educating, you need to truly know your product, know your industry, and know your audience. You also need to take the time to present yourself as a subject matter expert who stays up to speed on the changing trends on your industry. This means bringing breaking news to people and helping them see that you have a solid grasp of the trends and future of your industry . If you strive to build your reputation as someone who provides helpful guidance, this will position your company as a logical source to people — particularly those who need help.

Know What Makes Your Product or Service Great

One of the first steps in being a subject matter expert is knowing what makes your product or service best in class.

• Maybe it’s the warranty.
• Perhaps it out-performs others (have proof).
• Maybe it’s the price (or maybe the other features help it outshine competitors despite price).
• Does your company have strengths in excellent customer service and after sales support? People want to know that dealing with you equals value.

Regardless of what your strengths are, it’s important to present them as part of the education process to position your offering as a great solution and part of that success will also come in knowing the shortfalls of competitors (but positioning those in a way that does not come across as bashing others).

Do You Have the Listening Skills Required to be a Good Educator?

Part of being a good educator is the ability to guide people through a learning process systematically. Don’t simply go out there and just tell people how great your product is. Figure out what each prospect wants and needs and use this to position and educate according.