When you can recognize the difference, you can turn one-off relationships into long-term clients and trusted advisors...
What people think they want vs what they need, right?
How could we possibly presume to know what our clients need, even above what they think they need and what they say they need?
We know because we ask – and we listen - DUH!
There are means needs and there are ends needs. Means needs surface in companies as problems that need to be solved. These problems can be either tactical or strategic, but if you’re focused on solving means needs, you’ll find yourself “closing deals” rather than “enrolling clients.”
If you go into your prospect’s office and accept what he or she has represented to be “the problem,” and you close the deal by solving the problem, then the door closes behind you when you leave. You’re going to have to open it again to get the next deal done, and that’s if someone else doesn’t get there before you to ask, “What’s next?” See, in this situation, with this mindset, your solution was a means to an end (or a step toward an outcome) of which you may not have even been aware.
Again, means needs are about solving tactical and strategic problems. Ends needs are about helping organizations achieve their missions and reach their goals. Now which would you rather your solution be associated with? The ends need, of course. And so would the client.
People are much more emotionally connected to their ends need (mission and goals) than their means need (the immediate problem) – and much more connected to you when you are helping them reach their ends need and achieve their outcomes. Demonstrate to them that you understand their outcome and provide a solution that helps them reach it, and you’re a partner. Close them on the first problem they were willing to reveal and you’re a vendor.
The first need that a prospect reveals is almost always a means need and hardly ever the only need for three reasons:
1. The prospect doesn’t know what the ends need is.
2. The prospect is not ready to reveal the ends need b/c you have not built enough trust.
3. You have not asked the right questions.
Your mission is to find out what the prospect really needs versus what he or she thinks and says the need is. Your mission is to discover the need and help the prospect achieve the mission. Your goal is to help the prospect achieve his or her goals.
Are you ready to Revolutionize Your Sales?
Joe
