Don’t Forget the Facts — Soft Sell Sales Isn’t Just About the Customer’s Situation

Product knowledge is important, whatever style of sales or whatever marketing you do, hard sell or soft sell. When I got started in selling microcomputers in 1981, I stayed after hours to practice with the company computers so I could master word processing and spreadsheets. I also studied our other programs. Because I knew my products, I projected confidence and enthusiasm for what these products could do to improve my customers’ efficiency and their lives. And my practice of researching continues to this day. It’s essential for anyone wanting a happy and successful career in sales to develop strong product knowledge — especially about the benefits to your customers.

Then as a soft sell salesperson, you need to discipline yourself to not use your product knowledge until you earn the right, which you do by asking enough questions to understand your prospect’s situation. How long this takes depends on many factors. Typically, though, retail sales don’t take as long as business-to-business sales because the problems tend to be more straight forward and less investment. But even there, you need to ask about what is most important to them in this purchase. Then, in every case, once you have earned the right to advise your prospect, to help your customers buy, you need to know enough to give the right suggestions and to answer questions.