Client to Sales Rep: ‘Don’t describe your product – I already read your brochure!”

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If your customers are saying this, it’s time to 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 with your customers.

Here’s why:

🔹 𝟳𝟳% 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 say sales reps don’t understand their business. (Forrester)

🔹 𝟵𝟱% 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝘂𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 choose a vendor who helps them navigate their business challenges. (Gartner)

𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗺𝘆 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗽 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗜’𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝘀 -𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀- 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹. They’re convinced that once the features match the client’s requirements, the deal is done.

And the more complex the product, the more often this belief shows up.

𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆:

👉 Instead of explaining what your product does, focus on why it matters to your customer’s business.

This has direct consequences on how your client perceives your company, and their willingness to see you as a relevant business partner.

❌ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁𝘀

🔺Act like a 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 sales rep

Pursuing and replying to RFPs isn’t your only responsibility.

🔺Just 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀

Bring unique, business-relevant insights.

🔺𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻

You’ll miss critical insights that could shape your approach.

🔺𝗔𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆’𝗹𝗹 ‘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝘁𝘀’ between your solution and their business impact

That’s your job!

🔺𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀

Tailor your messaging to their specific needs—based on research done before the meeting.

🔺𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀

Build relationships beyond procurement and IT.

✅ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗼’𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴:

🔹 Position yourself as a 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁

Highlight trends and risks to show you understand their world.

🔹 Quantify the 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 of your solutions

Demonstrate ROI, efficiency gains and the cost of inaction.

🔹 𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸: come prepared and tailor your approach

Have you read their annual report? Do you know their strategic goals?

🔹 𝗔𝘀𝗸, 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗲

The best sales conversations feel like consulting—not pitching.

🔹 𝗖𝗼-𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 the solution

Collaborate on the implementation plan. This shows partnership and strengthens your position against competitors.

🎯 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘀—𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀.

If your team isn’t selling value, they’re losing to someone who is.

👉 How do you balance product knowledge with business relevance in sales? I’m curious to hear your thoughts.