How to Turn Customer Problems into Opportunities

A buying signal?

Have you ever come across a situation where your customer is stating an issue or problem? And you suddenly think…

Aha!… This is a buying signal …It’s time to start selling!

Think again….

Quantify the problem first

Step back. You need to determine which factors are affecting your customer regarding this issue.

The first step is to get your customer to articulate the costs of the problem. For example, you could ask:

“What is this problem costing you in time?”
“What is this problem costing you in opportunities?”
“What is this problem costing you in resources?”
“What is this problem costing you in overhead?”
“What is this problem costing you in customers?”

Determine the magnitude

When you ask about costs, you are able to QUANTIFY the problem.

It now becomes much clearer what the magnitude of the problem really is — and you’ll be able to find out what your customer really needs.

A true closing opportunity

Because you now know, what the customer really needs, you can present a value-based solution that is truly meaningful.

Your customer, literally, has no choice but to buy!

Now you can say it…… Aha!