You Don’t Know What The Customer Really Wants

It’s easy to pitch what you want to sell. It’s harder to pitch what the customer actually wants to buy.

It’s easy to pitch what you want to sell. It’s harder to pitch what the customer actually wants to buy.

Sometimes you get caught up in what you’re trying to sell — the product, the service or the solution that you believe so passionately in. You think it’s the best thing the customer could buy. You know that it will solve all of their problems.

Too bad you’re likely to be wrong. You don’t know all the details of their work, the politics involved, and what they actually want and need in order to excel in their jobs.

When you’re pitching to a potential client go in knowing that you don’t know everything. This understanding will force you to:

  1. Think Critically about the product you’re trying to get them to buy,
  2. Listen Attentively when they try tell you or hint at what they actually want,
  3. Observe Aggressively for clues on things they agree with or not, and
  4. most importantly it will help you remember to Talk Less.

If the customer wants blue racing stripes on their new bike, don’t try make them buy the one with green polka dots.