Do customers really know what they want?

If the golden rule is find out what people want and help them get it then how do you go about that with (1) people who don't fully understand their problem and what to do about it or (2) people who don't know what they want because they have no concept of what is available or (3) people who fear the risks associated with change? -Community Mailbox

The golden rule isn't 'to find out what people want'

If they already want it...they'll go and buy it.

The golden rule is to find out if people have a 'need' (or create the need in some cases) then....

Discover exactly what that need may be and 'make them 'want' whatever solution you are able to provide. (yes of course assuming you have the right solution and it is ethical etc etc etc)

If our job is to make them 'want' (which it is) but they already 'want'...then there is nothing for us to do except 'serve' them....and any old body can do that...certainly it requires a very minimal amount of skill. -helisell

To be successful the seller should sell to a 'need'. They must establish this 'need' and demonstrate how they can fulfill it.

This can best be achieved with a consultative approach, discussing and discovering the clients issues. They may well not know what they want, or what their alternatives are, but they will always know what they want to achieve. The successful sales person proves their solution is the best fit for their clients ambition. -Tony Pizii

It all depends where you start the sales cycle. The sypmtoms described occur in very early phases of a buying cycle usally ignored by most sales people. This distinguishes Trudsted Advisors from vendors. Trusted Advisors know that helping the customer to buy is a change management process and they help the customer to go through this. -camaurer

(1) People who don't fully understand their problem and what to do about it: You have to get them thinking about areas they don't usually think of as problems. Start by helping them explain how they do things, what their key company objectives are, how are they doing against them, what do they often complain about, etc.... Keep asking questions to questions to get them to talk and think about things. If you find some problems, don't solve them, just do the doctor thing (hmmmm, I see) and ask another question. If they are open they will begin to see a problem.

(2) People who don't know what they want because they have no concept of what is available: You need to do a little show and tell. I like doing this best after understanding how they operate and sharing stories of others who are using similar solutions to improve. Sometimes you need to educate and teach about methodology and technology, other times get them to envision new ways of doing things.

(3) People who fear the risks associated with change: Hard to solve, this is more of a personal problem. All a sales person can do is manage expectations to minimize the uncertainty that accompanies change. Be detailed on process, progress and follow through. Provide contact with others that have gone through change with your company that had similar fears.

Lastly, I always thought the golden rule was treating others as you want to be treated.

Rene -Sales Manager Now

1) A problem isn't generally a want, in my opinion, but it does create a need. People want to have their probems/needs solved, even if they don't know about it yet... take estate planning in 80's. 2) See one... :) 3) Well that is where the job of the salesman comes into focus. How do you manage the risk is basically with you, the company, and the solution.

Much Aloha... :cool: -rattus58

The question ought to be something like "do YOU really know what the customer wants/needs", since w/o that you don't know why you are there in the first place.

If you sell trucking and the customer's items all fit in the "ship this box anyplace in the US for $4.95", you don't belong there. If you sell $4.95 boxes and the customer ships train-car load lots, ditto.

Yes, customers do not know what the want some days and that's what consultive sales is about (play video from Wilson Learning about now - :-)) so that you can assist if there is a need actually there. Tony is right in the idea that a need is the driver, but the want is a result or an achievement. -dlcottin

I think the customers know what they want, but marketer job as at today, is to provide information to customers on what they want, the more marketer can make their product and service information accessible to the customers, the more their product and service are likely to do well. In the 21st century,customers are regarded as information seeker and they have access to various medium, especially the internet, where information about anything can easily be acquired. Marketers must move with the trend, knowing that customers are the KING and do everything to get them.

Kola -kola garuba

Customers may not know what they want because they may not be aware of all of the options that are available to help them solve their business problems. The good news is, if you know which business problems your products and services can solve, and if you know what questions to ask to determine whether a prospect has any of those business problems, you can determine pretty quickly whether any of your products or services are a "fit" for the prospect.

Regarding people who fear the risks associated with change, the question is whether the impact of their business problems (and the return on investment from solving those problems) is substantial enough to motivate them to be willing to take on the risk of change. The sooner you can learn the answer to this question, the less time you will spend with people who are unwilling to buy. -Alan Rigg

I was heading down a similar track to Kola.
The whole want v need thing is quite critical.
People often know what they want and not nearly as often know what they need.
You need to start the sales conversation defining what they WANT.
Once the customers wants are uncovered that is when the sales conversation starts clarifying the need and the problem / solution space.
I think the "don't know what's available could be tricky". The old question about do you educate your prospect about your competition could come into play here and that discussion has come up at this forum before.
In terms of fear of risk obviously a warranty or guarantee helps to relieve this. In my previous industry extensive warranty / guarantees were not practical so my approach was to go slow. Prospects used to test a sample, run a factory trial, place a small order and then place a full size order. On occasions I had a customer who want to skip the small order step and I convinced them to go small first. This was not entirely to alleviate their fear but also mine. If there was a problem I'd rather be dealing with a small quantity of product than a large one.
Regards Greg -Greg Woodley

Well not really the golden rule but what the heck. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you still fits. When a sales person calls on my I hope that they are good enough and smart enough to find out what I want. That is what I do for my prospects. I do for them what I want done for me. Next if they have a solution I pray that they ask about my budget to buy. And finally I hope that they explore my decision making process. When it comes to financial matters I'm not the decision maker. When it comes to purchases for my houseboat I will make that decision. So the point is that yes we should find out what they - the prospect wants. You say that sometimes they don't know? Well then find out. I always assume that if someone is taking the time to see me it must be because they have a problem they want to solve. No one that I call on has time to waste. -actgllc

This is an intricate and multi-faceted inquiry, and one that is important to success in sales. A great question.
In the book Rapid Sales Success the golden rule is “sell them what they want and deliver what they want and need”. The reason for this is contained in the definition of the two words.

Want = feel or have a desire for; want strongly
Need = require as useful, just, or proper

The book further states that a “perceived need” is a want – by the prospect. Selling to a ‘desire’ is always better, as opposed to trying to convert a need into a desire (want). It is just more efficient.

To accomplish this we created a Commonality of Issues Sheet (CIS) for our prospects, based upon actual surveys of previous buyers, by asking the previous buyer why they purchased. We came up with fifteen choice reasons for our test industry product/service, put them into a form that stated them as questions, and two boxes to be checked as “In Control” or “Needs Improvement” by each one. We then have new prospects fill out the newly created form and only address the ones that prospects tell us “Needs Improvement”. This is their reality level – these are their wants.

Prospects do know what they “want” when put into this encoded format.

We also developed a process called the Rapid Recall System (RRS) to address what I called The Evil Twins of Procrastination and Hesitation that we see in a lot of prospects. When someone has checked “Needs Improvement” on an item off of the Commonality of Issues Sheet, we address each of those items with this simple RSS question format. This generally addresses your last question also on ‘People who fear the risks associated with change’.


-People Advisor

If the golden rule is find out what people want and help them get it then how do you go about that with (1) people who don't fully understand their problem and what to do about it or (2) people who don't know what they want because they have no concept of what is available or (3) people who fear the risks associated with change?

1.
Working in the b2c profession I am fortunate to come across these three areas almost daily. They believe it is a simple fix and that translates into inexpensive. What I have found to be the problem, the non professionals that have tried to help the client in the past with band aid approaches and fixes.

Proper relationship building allows me to ask more questions that arrive at the root of the problem. Once I build the relationship I have found I can say anything I wish as long as I phrase it in a question to them that requires an answer other than a yes or no. When I ask questions the client is informed that there is more to the problem than a simple fix. They can get rid of the problem for a very long time or never have the problem come back.

2.
People who do not know what they want because they have no concept of what is available. This is a contradiction. My clients have a general idea of what they want and it is required of me to discover more needs then consult them on the discoveries. Informing them what is available. I am the trusted professional expert that is there to help them make the very best decision for them.


3.
Change is tough very few like change very few want change until change is a must. The urgency of change and how do I convince them to begin. Again I would cover this with the rapport and relationship building. The more my clients speak the more information I gather about them. I discover their motives concerning owning or thinking of owning. I am able to judge the mood of the buyer/s.

During the information gathering time the client informs me of the terms, products, and service that they want and expect. They give me their reasons to own and I can use those same reasons to convince them to own. I am learning their feelings otherwise known as emotions and I can use those emotions to fuel value, benefits, and service. By listening to If the golden rule is find out what people want and help them get it then how do you go about that with (1) people who don't fully understand their problem and what to do about it or (2) people who don't know what they want because they have no concept of what is available or (3) people who fear the risks associated with change?them and their concerns I can better educate them on the ease of moving forward today.

I am a little different and believe that the client must want, need, can use and can afford however this does not mean I am going to get the sale. I am required to drive their need and want to own from me instead of my competitors. With this comes exceptional value and service and someone who actually cares about them making the right decision. If you do not want to get rid of the problem then I am not the right person.
-rich34232

Hello Greg,
I agree with your explanation, in order to understand the difference between WANT AND NEED, I am trying to define them from Encarta dictionary and my simple understanding of PROSPECTIVE CUSTOMERS is that, Want is the ability to desire something, to fell a need, lack of something, While Need is to require something, to achieve a goal, to fulfill a want or desire.
From this insight and according to Greg, it is correct to say that, customers know what they want and maybe generally, they are looking for the available opportunity to fulfill their require desire, this is where the job of the marketers are very important, ensuring that, they provide the right information to the consumers. For me the method are very many, like Greg, getting the consumer to start little purchases and experiment on the product benefits and values can lead to more big volume sale. The want and need is a very big part of the selling process, when marketers know what customers want, they can conveniently provide the require need to meet the want. I also believe that, consumers know what they want and how to meet their needs.

Kola -kola garuba

HELLO EVERYONE!
Call me simple, but I find that the greatest "principle of sales" lies in EDUCATION, with the "instincts" to read peoples "buying signals" aside...I believe that a teacher to student mentality will prove more fruitful to focus on (our time and energy are important).
With so many things to focus on, the customer often finds themself wondering where to start (the source of the confusion). They are not experts (they aren't supposed to be), and even though they may not know "what" or "where" to buy an item/service.....they ALWAYS know "why" they buy. So the focus should be on the part they need help on, which is 1) educating them on the products they are "unsure" about, 2) use instincts to "read the buying signals", 3) inform them further about the product/s that "they" showed interest in, and 4) suggest a "theoretical scenario" with the customer and your product/s to lead into a graceful close (most of the time!).
My experience in my lifetime of sales has shown me that people buy "solutions to problems" and not products, and that it is ALWAYS best to assume that they know what is "right for them"....and that it is your "humble" duty to share your expertise!


-DRIVEN82

The source of the "rule" which was described as "the most important secret of salesmanship" is Frank Bettger's great book, How I Raised Myself From Failure to Success in Selling.

Bettger labeled it a principle. The actual quote as he was taught was "The most important secret of salesmanship is to find out what the other fellow wants, then help find the best way to get it."

I accepted that philosophy very early in my career and my acceptance has been unwavering.

The word "need" has once again surfaced here. I rarely use that word in discussions on this forum. I've seen cut and paste definitions and even seen references to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs--to what end I don't know. Very few examples exist, in this forum's long history, of uncovery of need from real life situations. A lot of What and Very little How.

A construct that has helped immeasurably was one I learned from the great Canadian insurance saleman, David Cowper, and his use of the word "need" set me on the right track. He called it the "five questions of evaluating a prospect." They are:

1. Will I do business with them?
2. Will they do business with me?
3. Do I realize their need?
4. Do they realize their need?
5. Can they pay the freight?

So I'll comment on the original topic as follows:

• ...people who don't fully understand their problem and what to do about it...

We are supposed to be experts in our field. If we are, we should be able to decipher the problem and make recommendations.

• People who do not know what they want because they have no concept of what is available.

We are supposed to have an advanced concept of what is available. Most prospects do not. We have to provide that information as we engage the prospect.

• ...people who fear the risks associated with change...

Perception of risk describes it better. We have to weaken that perception by comparison with the risk of doing nothing. One way to do that is to put The Loss on the table, rather than entertain the concept of risk. -Ace Coldiron

geting them to reveal what they are currently used/familiar with and then you subtly hinting at what could be lacking in what they are familiar with and letting them know what advantages lie in your offer usually does the trick of opening their ees to what they need. once they know what they need, they are on their way to knowing what they want -Yetunde Akinmeji

Do customers really know what they want?
Well of course they don’t and I’m glad they don’t, otherwise we sales people would be out of a job! Think about it. If the customers knew precisely what they wanted, why would we be needed? So don’t get frustrated when they don’t know what they want, instead rejoice!
We can have many an esoteric discussion on the difference between needs and wants, but to the customer, does it matter? If the customer wants it, then they need it. Even if the customer knows precisely what they want (and in my experience they are few and far between) our role as sales people is to add value to the transaction. Value may be in gift wrapping the purchase. Value may be in explaining the guarantee. Value may be in sending a “thank you” note after the purchase. Value may be in inviting them to a function.
Rather than, initially, addressing the three points from a sales angle, let’s approach it from a human behaviour perspective. When training sales people they will often express frustration at customers not knowing what they want, even saying one thing then doing or choosing something else. My reply to that is “What do you want out of life?” I then go around the room and, predictably, I’ll get Health, Wealth and Happiness. (Hello! These are by products of us achieving goals). As these are such nebulous definitions I’ll ask participants to be more specific at which many struggle. Readers of this forum, let me ask you a question “What is it that you want out of an intimate relationship?” Often we struggle to answer such a simple yet important question.
To change human behaviour I first have to make them aware (e.g. an alcoholic will not change behaviour until they believe they have a problem/their behaviour is inappropriate). So possibilities to the three points could be
(1) Don’t ask them what their problem is as it is seen in the negative and they’ll tell you they don’t have any. Questions such “What is the greatest challenge facing you in your business right now?” or “What is it that is hindering you from accomplishing what you would wish?”
(2) Again a question may help “Are you aware there are 15 different products/solutions that could satisfy your requirements/needs?” Even if they say “Yes” then one can always ask another question. For example, “Which of those appealed to you and why?”
(3) Better the devil you know! At some stage we all fear change and, fortunately, there are many ways of convincing/persuading people to change. People change because (a) the present situation is so unpalatable that anything would be better (e.g. people fleeing their place of birth due to war or famine) and (b) the benefits presented outweigh the present situation (e.g. new relationship or new job). As (a) and (b) are on a continuum there will be influences of both in varying degrees, depending upon the circumstances. A hypothetical question may tease out some responses. For example, “If you were to change or adopt this proposal/product what benefits/advantages would you want to see?” -Market People

Customers in general have a problem or are not happy with the present circumstances. Their real 'need' is for the problem to go away but will articulate that as a 'want' for a product or serve that they think will fill their need.

Our job is to get to the root cause - get past the articulated 'want' - and find out what the real problem is. Only then can we figure out if we can help them and how. -DaveB

If you approach someone with a product, service, or idea, what makes you think that he/she will "articulate" a "want" to you?

You're talking about, root causes, problems, real needs, wants, and real problems. It's enough for any Girl Scout to give up the thought of selling another box of cookies. -Gary A Boye

Are we assuming that people will act in a logical manner and state what they want/need?
People seldom make their decisions logically. We are highly emotional creatures and, as such, we commit at the emotional level. No? Think of the most important decisions you have made. Logic or emotion? People would not go to war if you appealed to the logic of it (mass destruction, possibility of being killed, etc). So we appeal to the emotion (defending democracy, fighting for one's country, etc).
We often don't know want we want until we are made aware of it; think advertising. The sales and buying process is not one of logic, but emotion. When I go shopping for a white business shirt, I only know that I want/need a white business shirt. However, the way I'm treated by the sales person will determine my purchase, even to the extent of me paying more than I intended. When shopping many of us have refused to buy a product we wanted because of the way the sales person attended or did not attend to us. -Market People

My experience as well.

Much Aloha.. :cool: -rattus58

If the prospect has agreed to meet with me then it's a pretty good bet that he believes there is something I can do for him, and whatever it is, it's probably related to something I've said or he's heard about me, my company, or product.

I want to know his expectations for this meeting. In the process he'll articulate his perception of the 'problem'. We'll explore from there. -DaveB

Hi David,

I agree with you here.

It would seem obvious that what you "articulated" here, is how most sales meetings wherein we have initiated/received the call go.

The world is full of folks who have yet to be called upon. Do they want my product or service? I really don't know. That's why I call on them. If they agree to see me, it's obvious that your premise is validated.

After our meeting(s), if we do our job right, the customer will be able to answer the question of "do they really know what they want" regarding our offering of product or service.

I could have said all this just by saying I agree with you... ;bg

Much Aloha... :cool: -rattus58

But that did not answer my question.



It was:

If you approach someone with a product, service, or idea, what makes you think that he/she will "articulate" a "want" to you?

I meant the question literally. Are you saying that just because a person agrees to meet with you, he/she will articulate a want?

I'm not asking you to challenge you, only to examine your thinking and where it derives from.

At this point, however, I can say that I do not agree with you. -Gary A Boye

You disagree... Why? -rattus58

A prospect will meet with me for a variety of reasons. Some I have listed below:

• Out of courtesy.
• Out of respect.
• Because of my standing in our community.
• Because of a strong referral from a mutual relationship.
• Because the prospect realizes that they are in business also, and would not want to close their own door for possible future sales.
• Out of curiosity.
• Because of a policy of always granting an appointment to reliable vendors.
• Because of a good impression of me from our initial contact.
• Because they once had a good experience with me.

None of those examples validates in MY experience the following statement:

"If the prospect has agreed to meet with me then it's a pretty good bet that he believes there is something I can do for him, and whatever it is, it's probably related to something I've said or he's heard about me, my company, or product."

Do I sell those people? Yes, in many cases. But not because of Dave's premise.

The object lesson here is that we should not get ahead of ourselves in the sales process. I'm hoping that newcomers to sales will adhere to that advice. -Gary A Boye

You are most fortunate and I am most envious, Gary. I've never had a business owner agree to meet with me purely out of curiosity, respect, or courtesy. They are just too busy. -DaveB

Envy won't pay the rent--assuming you're not being facetious with that remark.

If you are not getting respect and courtesy from others in business, you need to work on that. As for curiosity, of course that would depend on how you intitially engage the prospect. -Gary A Boye

Oh I get the respect and courtesy. I'm saying that the respect and courtesy by themselves are not what motivated them to agree to the meeting. -DaveB

If the golden rule is find out what people want and help them get it then how do you go about that with (1) people who don't fully understand their problem and what to do about it or (2) people who don't know what they want because they have no concept of what is available or (3) people who fear the risks associated with change?
---------------------
Typically in five - ten minutes I can find out if what I offer is what someone wants or not. Sometimes the process takes longer or a couple of presentations.

Know what you have and expect, ask direct questions, and pay attention.

The best of 2010 to you.

MitchM -MitchM

Sometimes when I'm selling, I think a little bit about what I experience when I'm a customer. For me "want" is more a matter of feeling than "knowing." Need is often more thought out than want. So I believe there's an important difference between want and need. -ToddR

If a customer wants something or needs something it still doesn't mean they will buy from you. -cs80918

The notion that if a customer knows what they want, and you understand that need, and you have a soultion that fits that the task requires only modest skill is one that may under estimate, in a B2B market, the challenges in of today's competitive environment.

Actually consistently winning the business under the above noted conditions in today's market requires sales people who have a superior skill level. If the situation is analyzed just from a competitive perspective - three conditions drive the need for a high skill level.

First, other companies may have an equal understanding of the customer's needs and are likely to have a soltion that also fits - the sales person must not only comunicate the value of what they are selling but create value by the way they selling. Can they help the customer see the added value of what they bring to the party - selling that difference is a highly skilled task.

In addition you have the notion of "competition for dollars" - you may lose when the customer spends the money on a different need. If the seller does not have a comprehensive understanding of the company it is easy to get blindsided. A third considertion is the customer may, unless the selling is effective, simply decide "to do nothing" - not uncommom in these uncertain economic times. -richard ruff

There is a very simple answer to this problem, just follow the SPIN or Solution selling model of need development.

The very purpose of these need development processes is to clarify all of the above.

Though prospects often think they know what they want, quite frequently they base that on incomplete information. Often they don't even know of newer and more advanced solutions that allow them to make even bigger gains.

With the proper execution of the need development process you work through all of these issues and actually help the prospect discover what the real issues are and which need to be solved today. -Flyn L. Penoyer

Inasmuch as you view it as simple, can you give members here a bonafide example of need development using either of those models? -Gary A Boye

Gary...

To give a decent example would be pages -- but the basics are...

Ask questions that reveal the current situation (situation questions). These questions allow you to understand the business and what the problems might be.

Ask problems questions to discover and illuminate the problems. These questions are driven by the sellers knowledge of the situation from the questions asked above, from the knowledge of the common problems the seller solves, and finally from understanding where key problems hide and uncovering them.

Ask impact questions which take the discovered problems and investigate how they are affecting the business -- to shin a light on them and expose all the pain possible.

Finally, on asks need-payoff questions to find out how much value the prospect puts on the solution of each of the identified problems.

Those which the prospect now says "must" be solved are the ones which represent the benefits that would be used to close the sale.

There is much missing in this example. One really needs to study the SPIN model to get the whole picture. But I hope this helps. -Flyn L. Penoyer

1. Yes, indeed, it could happen that they don't fully understand their problem, not even its causes BUT they have a perception, maybe small, about what the consequences are or have been of having and not solving this 'not fully understood problem'. A skilled sales conversation can reveal everything but it depends on what you are selling.

2. Well, when people, clients, customers, find that there is more available that what they thought it is, either they buy it or not. But, they buy it ONLY if they understand/know/see how the XF304 will solve their insomnia. If not, they won't.

3. Again, it depends on what you are selling. Examples, cases, former and actual clients, promise to give the money back, proof of trust, samples, are among many. This 'fear' is not associated with change, is a declaration of 'I am starting to trust you but not fully yet'. This fear of change is always associated on the size of what the client is buying, how what he is buying is going to change which part of his life and if it is his money or not.

There are a lot of assumptions in the question.

Ramon -salesconsciousness

Of course customers know what they want. However they may not know how to go about solving whatever problem they have. -TonyB

The following quote seemed appropriate: -Community Mailbox

Good Point!thmbp2;

We do sometimes find ourselves is a position where the prospect already "wants" a widget (which our company, ACME widgets, produces). In these situations, indeed, our skills as the discoverer of need and the "convincer" of solution are not needed.

But we still have skills, yet to be utilized in this scenario, that will amount to numbers on the board. With 50-75 other manufactures of widgets out there we must use sales skills to help the prospect see why OUR widget is their best choice to fulfill their needs or "wants" -rgp3man

Hi, I'm new to this forum but I'd like to propose (and it may be down to definitions) that to differentiate ourselves, we have to lead thought to uncover 'hidden' needs. Thats how we get ahead of the competition, determine our own battle ground and shape the statement of requirement if it ever goes to tender. Call it 'creating the need' or 'shaping the need' or just 'consultative selling' but it makes a massive difference to the value and speed of sale if conducted at the right level. -eungblut

@eungblut - How do you suggest salespeople go about helping: -Community Mailbox

Here is my take on a few of the things said here (all of which are nothing but absolute basics, but I always go back to basics when in doubt):

1. If your company has done its homework well, and identified a market (say a niche) with specific WANTS, and has developed products/ services that satisfy those WANTS, these are low hanging fruits (PULL products/ services), and your sales force will find it relatively (substantially) easier to sell. Sales force with average competence and adequate training would be adequate. Sales will be higher in such cases for the same sales effort.

2. If your company has to sell based on NEEDS (not yet become WANTS in the minds of the prospects), these are high hanging fruits (PUSH products/ services), and sales force will find it relatively (substantially) difficult to sell. If the needs are hidden, it's even more difficult to sell. PUSH products require more competent sales force.

3. PUSH products are fine as long as margins are very high or they are high value products, per se.

4. PUSH products can often be converted to PULL products by heavy advertising and marketing efforts, which only companies with deep pockets can afford.

5. Relevance & Difference (R&D, if you will,... USP that is) will make it easier to sell any product (than without them). It's not very difficult to build these into any product/ service, with some research and creativity by marketers.

6. Since (or where) it's becoming difficult to get good sales force, investing in marketing will make up for deficiency in sales force. Sometimes, the additional investment could be huge, and there are times where it could be small.

7. On balance, the more you pre-sell through marketing, the job of selling is made easier.

Ganesan. -ezynes