{"id":44451,"date":"2020-10-01T14:09:12","date_gmt":"2020-10-01T14:09:12","guid":{"rendered":"\/us\/en\/blog\/?p=44451"},"modified":"2025-04-02T00:50:41","modified_gmt":"2025-04-02T07:50:41","slug":"consultative-selling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/us\/en\/blog\/consultative-selling\/","title":{"rendered":"Consultative selling: the key to being a better salesperson?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite popular belief (and what popular movies often show us), being a \u201cgood\u201d salesperson doesn\u2019t mean you have to be aggressive.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Proactive and persistent? Absolutely.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But the high-pressure, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wolf of Wall Street <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">or <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Glengarry Glen Ross <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">approach to sales?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thankfully, it\u2019s going the way of the dinosaur.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But don\u2019t just take our word for it. 61% of consumers<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> say that working with a non-pushy salesperson goes hand in hand with a positive experience.<sup>1<\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The same study notes that what buyers want the most is a salesperson that actually listens to them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Perhaps this explains the popularity of consultative selling.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this guide, we\u2019ll highlight how you can close more deals by acting as a helpful advisor to customers rather than someone chasing a sale:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#what\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is consultative selling?<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#benefits\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What are the benefits of consultative selling?\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#challenge\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What about the challenges with consultative selling?<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#eight\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">8 ways to adopt consultative selling<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#fifteen\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">15 examples of consultative selling questions\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<p class=\"p1\">Up your sales game and close more deals with this free cold outreach playbook. \u260e\ufe0f<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"download-form-widget standart-download-form\" data-url=\"http:\/\/netstorage.ringcentral.com\/ebook\/cold_calling_scripts_playbook.pdf\" data-id=\"69d11d4cb7c7f\" id=\"69d11d4cb7c7f\">\n\t\t<button tabindex=\"on\"  on=\"tap:69d11d4cb7c7f.toggleClass(class='open')\" class=\"open-modal-download-action download-form-button\" type=\"submit\">\ud83d\ude80 Get them now<\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"download-form-modal\">\n<div class=\"download-form-modal-body\">\n<div class=\"download-form-modal-content\">\n<div class=\"download-form-modal-title\">Need fresh ideas for how to connect with prospects while setting up your deals for success? Download this sales playbook now! <\/div>\n<form class=\"download-form SMB\" method=\"post\">\n<div class=\"download-form-part\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input class=\"download-form-input\" aria-label=\"Full Name\" aria-required=\"true\" aria-invalid=\"false\" type=\"text\" name=\"fullname\" placeholder=\"Full Name\" data-dl-events-hover=\"true\" data-dl-element=\"text\" data-dl-additional-info=\"download form\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"download-form-part\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input class=\"download-form-input\" aria-label=\"Email (please enter a work email address)\" aria-required=\"true\" aria-invalid=\"false\" type=\"email\" autocomplete=\"on\" name=\"email\" placeholder=\"Email (please enter a work email address)\" data-dl-events-hover=\"true\" data-dl-element=\"email\" data-dl-additional-info=\"download form\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"popup_form\" value=\"1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"Asset_ID__c\" value=\"ODAM-01477\" class=\"download-form-input\"><\/div>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"Lead_Entry_Source__c\" value=\"RC Blog\" class=\"download-form-input\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"download-form-part\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"download-form-submit\" type=\"submit\" data-dl-element=\"button\" data-no-auto-dl=\"true\" data-dl-additional-info=\"download form\" data-dl-name=\"Get it now\">Get it now<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<button on=\"tap:69d11d4cb7c7f.toggleClass(class='open')\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\"  class=\"download-form-modal-close\"><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"download-form-modal-thank\">Happy selling!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a id=\"what\"><\/a><br \/>\nWhat is consultative selling, anyway?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Essentially, consultative selling is a sales strategy that involves acting as a consultant to your prospects, focusing on <em>their<\/em> individual problems and needs<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The concept behind consultative selling is simple: by serving as a helping hand and advisor to your customers, they\u2019ll be more inclined to trust you and what you\u2019re selling.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rather than try to \u201cpush\u201d your product on people, your conversations will naturally lead them to the conclusion that they need to make a purchase.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"tip\">\n<div class=\"tip-heading\"><b>\ud83d\udca1 Pro-tip:\u00a0<\/b><\/div>\n<p>An alternative to consultative sales is value selling, which emphasizes features, benefits, and savings. Although value-based selling can be effective, it can often feel like you\u2019re putting your product first and your customer second. On the flip side, consultative selling encourages reps to establish a relationship with their customers to understand their specific needs before recommending a solution.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a id=\"benefits\"><\/a><br \/>\nWhat are the benefits of consultative selling?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let\u2019s look at some of the key benefits of consultative selling versus value selling below.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A consultative selling mindset naturally makes you seem less pushy<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We can\u2019t say it enough: pushy salespeople are a massive turnoff for the average consumer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Studies show that way fewer salespeople (17%) <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">think<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that they\u2019re pushy<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> compared to <em>50% of prospects<\/em> who feel that those same salespeople are far too aggressive.<sup>2<\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The relationship between a salesperson and a prospect doesn\u2019t have to be hostile.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With consultative selling, there\u2019s less pressure on prospects to act immediately or rush into a decision. This gives you ample time to personalize <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/us\/en\/blog\/sales-pitch\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">your pitch<\/a> and get to know their prospects before making a recommendation.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consultative selling teaches you more about your target customer<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chances are you\u2019re already familiar with the general struggles and pain points facing your prospects.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, consultative selling encourages you to take a deeper dive into the specifics of their problems.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is your customer so stressed out? <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How much<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> time or money are they wasting with your help?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whereas value selling requires you to highlight the benefits of your product, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">empathetic selling<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> puts your prospects\u2019 needs front and center. Based on individual feedback, you can better learn how to position your product or service\u2014and close the deal.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consultative selling encourages you to be more proactive and focused<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Winning sales shouldn\u2019t be a matter of \u201cspray and pray.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consultative selling requires reps to organize and personalize each pitch rather than hit their prospects with brute force cold calls and follow-ups.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your prospects don\u2019t want to feel like they\u2019re just a number or a name on your list. Often, they don&#8217;t even want to be pitched. But if you are lucky enough to get them in a conversation, then you should do it right. Build a consultative relationship, and focus on tailoring the pitch to their needs rather than doing a one-size-fits-all pitch.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a id=\"challenge\"><\/a><br \/>\nOkay, but what are the challenges of consultative selling?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The benefits and principles of consultative selling might seem straightforward.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, why doesn\u2019t every sales team adopt a consultative selling model? Consider some of the challenges below.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consultative selling is inherently time-consuming<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is the big one. Tailoring each individual <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/us\/en\/blog\/sales-pitch-examples\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">sales pitch<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> means doing your homework. There\u2019s a certain investment of time required to research prospects, craft messages, and actually conduct outreach.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But time is money. If you dedicate your time to researching and pitching prospects who never end up even responding, you\u2019re less likely to hit your quotas.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For consultative selling to actually work, you have to find a balance between research and actually getting on a call.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Don\u2019t worry: we\u2019ll cover those steps soon enough.)<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consultative selling demands highly skilled salespeople<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not just anyone can play the role of trusted advisor or consultant from the word \u201cgo.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If your sales team is new to the concept of consultative selling or consider themselves more comfortable with value-based or product-oriented selling, making the switch can be a difficult transition given the legwork involved.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consultative selling takes time to master<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Piggybacking on the last point, it takes time to really understand the ins and outs of your customer base. And beyond just understanding their general needs, to be truly great at consultative selling, you need to be able to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/us\/en\/blog\/empathy-exercises\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">practice real empathy<\/a> and know how to guide a conversation beyond a list of talking points.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The good news? Consultative selling <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">can<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> be taught, which leads us to our next section.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a id=\"eight\"><\/a><br \/>\n8 ways to master the art of consultative selling<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let\u2019s say you want to learn, or train your reps, to take a more consultative approach to sales.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nice! The good news is, this can be done without completely overhauling your sales team\u2014granted you equip your reps with the right <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/us\/en\/blog\/sales-software\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">sales tools<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/us\/en\/blog\/sales-techniques\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">tactics<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Below are a few fundamentals for adopting a<\/span> more strategic consultative selling model<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> over time.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1. Deepen your team\u2019s customer and product knowledge<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Perhaps one of the biggest benefits of consultative selling is that it offers a ton of freedom. No rigid scripts or mass canned messages required.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But! To take advantage of that freedom, you first need a deep understanding of what you\u2019re selling\u2014and who you\u2019re selling it to.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First thing\u2019s first: you need to give your reps a crash course in your product and competitive advantages.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ideally, you already have some sort of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/us\/en\/blog\/create-knowledge-base\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">knowledge base<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or educational resources available for your team to review (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/us\/en\/blog\/webinars\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">webinars<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, for example). You can also have new reps shadow more experienced ones or share examples of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/us\/en\/blog\/sales-call-planning\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">successful sales calls<\/a> to \u201csee how it\u2019s done.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Beyond that, consider putting together a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/us\/en\/blog\/user-persona\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">customer persona<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that highlights your audience\u2019s wants, needs, and desires. The more familiar your reps are with your business\u2019s typical <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/us\/en\/blog\/customer-journeys\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">customer journey<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the easier it is to truly help them as consultants.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2. Equip your team with resources to share with customers<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Food for thought: B2B buyers spend the majority of their time<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> conducting independent research <em>before<\/em> making any sort of purchasing decision.<sup>3<\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So much of consultative selling centers around educating your prospects and leads. Considering that it\u2019s a given that your leads are going to do their homework before making a decision, it\u2019s crucial that <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">you<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> provide them that much-needed education yourself.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, consider the following types of resources that people can review on their own time to familiarize themselves with what you\u2019re selling:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Product demo videos<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Webinars<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Blog posts<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Slideshow presentations<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ebooks<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Beyond the resources themselves, consider how <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/us\/en\/blog\/communication-tools\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">communication tools can make it easier<\/a> to share your materials. For example, a company selling software might want to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/us\/en\/blog\/sales-demo-best-practices\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">run their prospects through a quick demo<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or screen-sharing session. You can do so in just a few clicks with a good video conferencing platform.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, RingCentral\u2019s desktop and mobile app lets you share your screen with a prospect while on a video conference:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-43675\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/screen-share-1024x658.png\" alt=\"screen sharing in RingCentral Video\" width=\"1024\" height=\"658\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Oh, and they don\u2019t have to download anything either. They can join your meeting from a web browser too, just by using the meeting link you send them:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-43957\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/joining-ringcentral-video-meeting-via-link-1024x452.png\" alt=\"joining ringcentral video meeting via link\" width=\"1024\" height=\"452\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3. Log each and every customer concern, question, and interaction<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consultative selling is a learning process.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Each conversation, objection, and question can clue you in on how to better serve your future customers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Logging your calls not only helps you organize your thoughts when dealing with multiple leads but also allows you to prioritize your follow-ups. It\u2019s easy to lose track of past conversations otherwise.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is where a CRM (customer relationship management platform) comes in handy, allowing you to automatically log your interactions and make notes about each and every person you talk to. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With a CRM, you can easily pick up wherever you left off in a conversation without missing a beat. Here\u2019s an example of a customer profile in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/apps\/agile-crm-ringcentral\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Agile CRM<\/span><\/a>\u2014notice how it integrates with tools like LinkedIn (to pull work information about your prospects from their LinkedIn profile) and RingCentral (to let you dial that prospect or take calls from them, directly in your CRM dashboard):<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/apps\/agile-crm-ringcentral\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-43852\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/agile-crm-RingCentral-integration-1-1024x562.png\" alt=\"agile crm RingCentral integration\" width=\"1024\" height=\"562\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Not only that, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/outbound-contact-center.html\">RingCentral&#8217;s Outbound Contact Center platform<\/a> also makes your job easier by logging scripts that you can pull up at a moment&#8217;s notice to riff off of, and even has a live coaching option if a new sales rep needs a little extra help:<\/p>\n<div class=\"rc_custom_video\"><a class=\"rc_custom_video__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtu.be\/bAaEj0aBBPA\">\n\t\t            <picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi_webp\/bAaEj0aBBPA\/maxresdefault.webp\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"rc_custom_video__media\" src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/bAaEj0aBBPA\/maxresdefault.jpg\" alt=\"\">\n\t\t            <\/picture>\n\t\t        <\/a><br \/>\n\t\t        <button class=\"rc_custom_video__button\" aria-label=\"Play video\"><svg width=\"68\" height=\"48\" viewBox=\"0 0 68 48\"><path class=\"rc_custom_video__button-shape\" d=\"M66.52,7.74c-0.78-2.93-2.49-5.41-5.42-6.19C55.79,.13,34,0,34,0S12.21,.13,6.9,1.55 C3.97,2.33,2.27,4.81,1.48,7.74C0.06,13.05,0,24,0,24s0.06,10.95,1.48,16.26c0.78,2.93,2.49,5.41,5.42,6.19 C12.21,47.87,34,48,34,48s21.79-0.13,27.1-1.55c2.93-0.78,4.64-3.26,5.42-6.19C67.94,34.95,68,24,68,24S67.94,13.05,66.52,7.74z\"><\/path><path class=\"rc_custom_video__button-icon\" d=\"M 45,24 27,14 27,34\"><\/path><\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t        <\/button>\n\t\t    <\/div>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4. Know when to hold off when it comes to talking about price<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It might be tempting to start throwing numbers around early on during a sales call, but resist doing so upfront\u2014unless, of course, your prospect is absolutely dead-set on talking about it first.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Remember: in general, your priority as a consultant should be to pick your prospects\u2019 brains first.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once they\u2019re legitimately interested in your product and ask about pricing, that means you\u2019ve done your job. Pushing pricing or offers too early could actually scare people away, especially if they feel like they\u2019re still in the \u201cjust browsing\u201d phase.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5. Make sure you\u2019re communicating on your customers\u2019 terms<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Any sort of modern <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/us\/en\/blog\/sales-strategy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">sales strategy<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, consultative or otherwise, requires meeting your prospects on their own terms.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether they want to talk exclusively over email or prefer <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/us\/en\/blog\/virtual-meetings\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">video meetings<\/a>, you should follow their lead when it comes time to get in touch. With tools like RingCentral, you can centralize all of your sales calls and communication regardless of whether you\u2019re touching base via phone, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/us\/en\/blog\/group-video-chat-apps\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">video chat<\/a>, or email.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>You can even switch from a phone call to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/video-call.html\">video call<\/a> (or vice versa) with just a click:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-43036\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/541703413-Call-to-Video-Blog-Post-Images_mobile.gif\" alt=\"flipping a call between devices\" width=\"375\" height=\"812\" \/><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\ud83d\udd79\ufe0f<\/span> Get a hands-on look at how RingCentral works by booking a product tour:<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><button data-href=\"#leadform-popup\" class=\"js-open-popup-activator btn primary\" >Choose a time<\/button><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">6. Eliminate your customers\u2019 fears and doubts as they arise<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Think about sales objections and leads that you\u2019ve lost in the past.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chances are those same issues are going to pop up again, right?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By anticipating peoples\u2019 fears and doubts, you can start brainstorming ways to ease their minds.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, maybe you offer a premium solution with a price tag that freaks people out at first glance. Perhaps you have a competitor that offers a cutting-edge feature that your customers keep asking for.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Either way, you need to have answers to these questions in the back of your mind before they come up in conversation.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">7. Be empathetic and authentic<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This might be cliche but consultative selling only really works when you show a legitimate interest in your prospects\u2019 lives.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That means going beyond being just another faceless salesperson. In addition to showing empathy, putting a face to your company is a great way to make your efforts feel more personable. If possible, explore opportunities to communicate via <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/us\/en\/blog\/the-best-video-conferencing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">video conferencing<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to build that human connection with your prospects\u2014you&#8217;re a real person offering real solutions.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">8. Streamline for your process for researching customers<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Remember what we said earlier about consultative selling taking time?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Case in point, activities like qualifying and researching leads<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are among the most time-consuming for today\u2019s sales teams.<sup>4<\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, you need to explore ways to speed up these processes in addition to your usual outreach and follow-ups. There are plenty of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/us\/en\/blog\/sales-enablement-tools\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">sales enablement tools<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> out there to help you gather instant information on your prospects to help you personalize your pitches.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Meanwhile, tools like RingCentral empower you to speed up your communication. For example, RingCentral&#8217;s many integrations allow you to click someone&#8217;s phone number to call them directly from your email inbox or CRM. This results in less wasted time since you don&#8217;t have to manually dial prospects every time:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-43002\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/RingCentral-Salesforce-1024x692.png\" alt=\"RingCentral Salesforce integration\" width=\"1024\" height=\"692\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a id=\"fifteen\"><\/a><br \/>\n15 consultative selling questions to ask prospects and leads<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>What is a consultative sales experience? <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At its core, it centers around asking and answering\u2014the right\u2014questions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That\u2019s why we put together this list of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/us\/en\/blog\/sales-conversation-starters\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">conversation-starters<\/a> and consultative questions to help you get your foot in the door. Each of these questions can help you to not only get to the root of your prospects\u2019 problems faster, but also inject some empathy into your discussion.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These lines can be for anything from your outreach emails and follow-ups, to your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/us\/en\/blog\/cold-calling-scripts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">discovery calls<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and beyond.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1. What unique challenges have you [or your company] come across when it comes to [pain point]?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This question acknowledges that your prospect\u2019s problems aren\u2019t one-size-fits-all. This not only showcases your attention to detail but also sets up the specific issues plaguing your prospect.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2. \u201cWhat values matter most to you [or your company]?\u201d<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here you\u2019re essentially getting to know your prospect. Asking about values proves that you\u2019re interested in more than just dollars and cents.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3. \u201cHow have you struggled with [competing solution] in the past? What led you to them?\u201d<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The purpose of this question isn\u2019t to trash your competitors, but rather highlight what you can do differently for your prospects if they choose your solution. Understanding what led someone to a competitor can further clue you in on their priorities.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4. \u201cHow might you envision using a solution like ours?\u201d<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This question helps make your product seem more tangible. Based on their needs, you can drive home how your product would be the perfect fit.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5. \u201cWhat are your (personal or professional) goals? What\u2019s holding you back from those goals?\u201d<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s another question that lets you take a stake in your prospects\u2019 well-being beyond a sale. Based on their answer(s), you can likewise share examples of how you\u2019ve helped others reach similar goals.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">6. \u201cWhat does the picture-perfect onboarding process look like to you?\u201d<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is another subtle tactic to encourage your prospect to see themselves as an actual customer. The smoother you can make the onboarding process, the better.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">7. \u201cWhat can I do to make our next meeting\/conversation successful?\u201d<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your goal here is to prove that you want to go the extra mile to make your next meeting work and not waste your prospects\u2019 time. Even if they don\u2019t have an answer for this, simply asking shows that you\u2019re acting in good faith.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">8. \u201cHow do you feel about everything we\u2019ve discussed so far?\u201d<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A quick gut-check never hurts. Open-ended questions like this can help lead to potential doubts or concerns that haven\u2019t yet been brought up.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">9. \u201cWhat have you tried in the past to solve [pain point]?\u201d<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This sort of diagnostic question highlights your prospects\u2019 level of sophistication when it comes to your product or solution. For example, if they\u2019ve been working with a direct competitor for three years, they\u2019re probably aware of what they\u2019re looking for from you.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">10. \u201cOur clients have historically struggled with [pain point X, Y and Z]. Does that sound familiar to you?\u201d<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This \u201cyes\u201d or \u201cno\u201d question not only helps you understand what your customers are struggling with, but also that you\u2019re a problem-solver that\u2019s familiar with the right solutions for them.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">11. \u201cWhat will happen if you don\u2019t resolve [pain point]?\u201d<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another question to show that you\u2019re invested in your prospects\u2019 problems. Highlighting consequences can serve as a reminder as to why someone needs to work with you ASAP.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">12. \u201cHow long do you have to solve [pain point]?\u201d<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here you create a sense of urgency that encourages both parties to get moving to figure out if working together makes sense.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">13. \u201cWhat does a successful partnership look like to you?\u201d<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another open-ended question, here you\u2019re able to understand if your prospect considers themselves independent or might need some hand-holding. Either way, this allows you to better temper your expectations.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">14. \u201cWhat can I do to make you more comfortable about [sales objection]?\u201d<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Again, one of the keys to consultative selling is <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">not<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> being overly aggressive. This question can help you overcome roadblocks when it comes to your price point or a specific feature. From here, your job is to reassure them.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">15. \u201cHow has your problem changed since we last spoke?\u201d<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is a great question for opening up a follow-up or check-in, highlighting that you haven\u2019t forgotten about their concerns and are available to help.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Does consultative selling make sense for your sales team?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re looking for an approach to sales that involves less aggression and more relationship-building, consultative selling can do the trick.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With the principles and tactics above, you&#8217;re now better equipped to advise your prospects. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Meanwhile, tools like <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">RingCentral<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are crucial for streamlining communication and getting in touch with your customers through every step of the sale process.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><sup>1<\/sup><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">blog.hubspot.com\/sales\/buyers-speak-out-how-sales-needs-to-evolve<\/span><\/p>\n<p><sup>2<\/sup><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">blog.yellowstep.co.uk\/sales-insights-that-will-help-you-sell-smarter-infographic<\/span><\/p>\n<p><sup>3<\/sup><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">gartner.com\/en\/sales\/insights\/b2b-buying-journey<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><sup>4<\/sup>pipedrive.com\/en\/blog\/state-of-sales<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Despite popular belief (and what popular movies often show us), being a \u201cgood\u201d salesperson doesn\u2019t mean you have to be aggressive. Proactive and persistent? Absolutely.\u00a0 But the high-pressure, Wolf of Wall Street or Glengarry Glen Ross approach to sales?\u00a0 Thankfully, it\u2019s going the way of the dinosaur. But don\u2019t just take our word for it. &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":44251,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17901,43336],"tags":[20931,380],"class_list":["post-44451","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-leadership","category-sales","tag-consultative-selling","tag-sales"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v19.3 (Yoast SEO v27.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Consultative selling: the key to being a better salesperson? | RingCentral Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Often, being an effective salesperson means playing the role of consultant. 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