The buyer-seller dance is a metaphor for the dynamic that occurs between buyers and sellers during a sales call. Both parties have their own goals and agendas, and they are constantly trying to influence each other.
Who leads in the buyer-seller dance depends on a number of factors, including:
- The type of product or service being sold.
- The buyer’s stage in the buying process.
- The seller’s skill and experience.
- The relationship between the buyer and seller.
In my experience, if we don’t have a sales process, we automatically divert to the buyer’s process and the buyer leads in the buyer-seller dance. Buyers have access to more information than ever before, and they are increasingly sophisticated and savvy. Buyers also have the option to walk away from a sale at any time.
When I led sales teams in my banking career and now having sold coaching and exit planning services, I saw firsthand how diverting to the buyer’s process (“hey, just give me a price/quote”) was a trap that we can fall into if we’re not careful. To lead a buyer-seller dance, the seller must:
- Be prepared. Sellers should do their research on the buyer and their needs before the sales call. This will help them to tailor their presentation and ask the right questions.
- Be consultative. Sellers should focus on helping the buyer to solve their problems, rather than simply selling them a product or service.
- Be persuasive. Sellers should be able to articulate the value of their product or service in a clear and concise way.
- Be patient. The buyer-seller dance can be a long and complicated process. Sellers need to be patient and persistent in order to close the sale.
Here are some specific examples of how sellers can lead the buyer-seller dance:
- Set the agenda for the sales call. Sellers can do this by asking the buyer what they want to learn about and what their goals for the call are.
- Ask open-ended questions. This will help sellers to learn more about the buyer’s needs and challenges.
- Focus on the buyer’s pain points. Sellers should show the buyer how their product or service can solve their problems and improve their life.
- Be honest and transparent. Sellers should avoid making false promises or overselling their product or service.
- Be confident. Sellers should believe in their product or service and their ability to help the buyer.
When sellers are able to lead the buyer-seller dance, they are more likely to close sales and build long-term relationships with their customers.
