2. The seller does not know, and/or does not communicate to buyer benefits that answer needs of buyer. Unless buyer clearly understands benefits of service or product he is purchasing will solve need, there will always be doubt about sale. Many times seller knows feature of their product or service, but not benefit. For instance if I were selling a fireman's charity ticket to a friend I would not say "Buy this ticket because fire department needs your money." I would use a benefit like this; "The money you invest in this ticket will support your fire department. What this means to you is better and faster response times with better paid, more qualified fireman coming to save your house or your life."

See how I convert a feature (help fire department) into a benefit (save your house or life)? Practice this concept every time you want to sell.

Take time to find out needs of anyone you are trying to sell anything whether it is an idea, a product, or a service. Using your knowledge, match your benefits to needs, communicate it properly and you have a sale!

Your Coach and online friend, Miami

Miami Phillips Helping others find their path - and stay on it. www.creativemasterminds.com

Quotation of Week When one teaches, two learn. Robert Half

Then live by them:

I wanted a relationship. I went on a date with a man who had what I thought to be an unhealthy relationship with his mother. Sitting across table from him I thought, “I can fix him and show him what it’s like to be free!” As soon as that thought entered my mind, voice of reason within me asked, “Do you WANT to?” My answer was “No!” and I ended evening.

Upon hiring me, a client had identified three focus areas for his business. During a following session, he excitedly told me about a new business opportunity that could make him lots of money. I asked him to share his three focus areas with me again and then asked where this opportunity fit within them. When he admitted that it didn’t, I asked him which of those three areas he was willing to give up for this new one. “None” he replied. His decision to pass on that opportunity was not because he couldn’t do it, but because he didn’t want to give up other things that were more important to him.

Sitting in a committee meeting for a volunteer organization I belong to, I became frustrated at size of group, irrelevance of discussion to half participants, and organizational confusion. My first thought was, “I can fix it!” Then I thought about what it would take to do that. Did I care enough to make room for that project in my life? Was I willing to give up any other activities to make it happen? Did I really want that commitment? The old me would have said, “I’ll do it. Somehow I’ll make it all work.” The new me simply said, “No.”

Flooded with relief, I politely excused myself from meeting to tackle what was really important to me that day. I pointed my car toward dog park and spent next hour playing Frisbee with my puppy. Ah, life on my terms.