The Buyer Isn't Always Right

Send us Fan Mail (https://www.buzzsprout.com/2378857/fa...) "The customer is always right." It's one of the most familiar phrases in business. But is it actually good advice for salespeople? What happens when a customer tells you exactly what they want — but your experience tells you that what they're asking for won't actually solve their problem? Do you simply agree and take the order? Or do you have the confidence to challenge them? In this episode, Graham Elliott explores the idea of trusted-adviser selling and why great salespeople shouldn't simply be order-takers. Your role isn't always to give the buyer what they've asked for. Sometimes, it's to help them see the problem differently and make a better decision. You'll discover: • Why salespeople can become too agreeable • The difference between listening to a customer and agreeing with them • Why the customer's description of their problem isn't necessarily the real diagnosis • Four situations where you should consider challenging the buyer • How to challenge assumptions without damaging the relationship • The Acknowledge → Challenge → Explain → Explore framework • Practical language you can use when you disagree with a customer • Why being willing to risk a sale can actually increase your credibility • How to become a trusted adviser rather than simply an order-taker The goal isn't to prove that you're smarter than your customer. Your customer knows their business. You bring your experience, expertise and perspective. Great selling happens when those two things come together. Before you simply agree with your next customer, ask yourself: Am I agreeing because it's right for them — or because I want the sale? Because the customer doesn't always need a salesperson who tells them what they want to hear. They need someone they trust to tell them what they need to hear. About Graham Elliott Graham Elliott is a sales trainer and coach who helps salespeople and sales teams improve their sales performance by having better conversations, asking better questions and becoming more effective communicators. For more practical sales insights, subscribe to the SalesCraft podcast. Welcome to the podcast! Support the show (https://www.buzzsprout.com/2378857/su...) If you have a sales problem you'd like to hear covered in a podcast, please contact me directly. Or, my sales training programme might help! If you'd like help to improve your sales confidence, please jump onto my free (45 minute) on-demand webinar (https://www.salescraft.training/webinar) . I'll teach you three things you can apply immediately, including handling objections and closing a sale. Graham Elliott You can contact me at graham@salescraft.training My website is www.salescraft.training (https://www.salescraft.training/) Please join my mailing list. (https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/form...) You'll get all the news and latest offers. Or... if you've found this helpful, please buy me a coffee! (https://buymeacoffee.com/salescraft.t...)