{"id":146173,"date":"2023-04-19T09:06:15","date_gmt":"2023-04-19T09:06:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.similarweb.com\/blog\/?p=146173"},"modified":"2025-01-23T14:21:13","modified_gmt":"2025-01-23T14:21:13","slug":"consultative-selling-donts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.similarweb.com\/blog\/sales\/consultative-selling\/consultative-selling-donts\/","title":{"rendered":"The Do’s and (Definitely) Don’ts of Consultative Selling"},"content":{"rendered":"

It always used to be \u201cif you can’t talk the talk, don\u2019t walk the walk\u201d, but these days it\u2019s more like \u201cif you don\u2019t listen, you can\u2019t position [your product as the stand-out solution for your prospect<\/em>]\u201d.<\/p>\n

Okay, we tried.<\/p>\n

While it might not be as catchy, we stand by the fact that listening is the oldest, yet most underrated, sales technique<\/a> on the block.<\/p>\n

Sales was having a moment<\/em> with the introduction of email automation, generalistic sales email<\/a> templates, and strict call scripts, rounded off nicely with some classic gift of the gab. This got boring real quick. Why? Because everyone was doing and saying the same thing.<\/p>\n

The stereotype of a traditional salesperson (along with all those repetitive email templates and list of buzzwords to include) is \u2013 or should be \u2013 a distant memory. It\u2019s a stereotype that has become problematic to the world of sales and its engagement with prospects.<\/p>\n

No one wants to pick up a cold call, everyone\u2019s inboxes are flooded with the same-old emails on a daily basis, and a lot of people feel they can\u2019t trust anyone that has \u201csales” on their LinkedIn profile. With that salesperson stereotype of telling others what they want and why they should pay them for it right now, it\u2019s easy to see why.<\/p>\n

\"define:<\/p>\n

So, let\u2019s talk about redefining that stereotype.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why we\u2019re all about value selling<\/strong> these days. Moving away from \u2018salesperson who only cares about selling their product to hit their target so they can get into President\u2019s Club or go on a good holiday in summer<\/em>\u2019 and into the realms of going above and beyond to help your prospective customer. That\u2019s where you, as a salesperson, want to use your deep understanding of your prospects to build credibility and help them achieve their goals.<\/p>\n

If you go beyond selling your own product, guiding your prospects in other areas of their business too, you\u2019ll win more as a result.<\/p>\n

Sounds good, doesn\u2019t it? So here\u2019s our guide on what-to-absolutely-not-do VS what-you-should-be-doing (hint: it\u2019s all about nailing your consultative selling approach).<\/p>\n

1) The salesperson monologue<\/h2>\n

❌ What you shouldn’t be doing:<\/h3>\n

When your prospect sees an unknown number calling or an unfamiliar name come through to their inbox, a strong feeling of dread can quickly kick in.<\/p>\n

\u201cWill this just be another salesperson talking 123mph about a product I\u2019ve never heard of, quote stats that just aren\u2019t relevant to me and my business, and not even give me a breath to explain what my business actually <\/em>does?\u201d<\/p>\n

✅ What you should be doing:<\/h3>\n

In short: listen<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Asking the right questions and listening to what your prospect has to say is a whole lot better than a one-sided conversation. Not just for your prospect, for you too.<\/p>\n

With the perfect combination of automation<\/strong> (like sales intelligence platforms) and conversation<\/strong>, you can fuel your consultative selling<\/a> approach with all the industry, company and competitor analysis<\/a> you need.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s the difference between irrelevant, surface level questions and questions that really peel back the layers of your prospect. With that you can find out what they are really<\/em> about and work with that to move them down the sales funnel<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Researching your prospect ahead of the call is key, but let\u2019s be real: most of us aren\u2019t putting in the time we should. In as little as 10 minutes, Similarweb can give you a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities – so you can ask the right questions and power up your conversation with valuable insights about the clients you\u2019re speaking to.<\/p>\n

2) The armchair critic<\/h2>\n

❌ What you shouldn’t be doing:<\/h3>\n

There\u2019s nothing worse than someone telling you how to do your job, and it\u2019s no exception when it comes to SDRs speaking to someone that\u2019s been in the game a long time. You know, \u201cthis is what you want, this is why you should speak to me, this is the right way to do it, and this is why you need to buy the snake oil I\u2019m selling<\/em>\u201d.<\/p>\n

✅ What you should be doing:<\/h3>\n

Watch yourself, and remember to have some perspective.<\/p>\n

Firstly, you need to know exactly who you are speaking to. Whether it\u2019s all in the CRM already or requires a cheeky LinkedIn stalk, know your audience. Secondly, more often than not, the decision-makers you\u2019ll be speaking to will be in more senior positions – learn from them, hear what they are saying.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ve got to earn the right<\/b> to ask the more intrusive questions – and the more senior they are, the more impressive you\u2019ll need to be. You need context to your contacts.<\/a><\/p>\n

3) The (not-so-trusty) sales template<\/h2>\n

❌ What you shouldn’t be doing:<\/h3>\n

BRB while I copy and paste one of Neil Patel\u2019s outreach email templates and fill in the gaps. Let\u2019s ignore the times when I accidentally forget to edit the [insert random blog post here] or change the name I\u2019m addressing it to.<\/p>\n

☝️ That there, is a thing of your prospects\u2019 nightmares when it comes to your sales activities.<\/p>\n

It seems lazy, it seems impersonal, it seems like you just want to hit that quota and be done with it. As Black Eyed Peas famously said: \u201cWhere is the love?<\/em>\u201d.<\/p>\n

✅ What you should be doing:<\/h3>\n

We totally get it. Templates do save time. However, the number of sales emails you send out is not the aim of the game. It\u2019s the number of prospects that bite – and that\u2019s exactly where you\u2019re letting yourself down.<\/p>\n

That all-important touch of personalization<\/strong> will set you apart from the rest, and capture your prospect\u2019s attention and interest – because it shows you have put work into your outreach. And yes, this does need to go a lot further than their first name.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re talking data, we\u2019re talking insights, we\u2019re talking pain points – and we\u2019re talking things that maybe they weren\u2019t even aware of before you started speaking to them.<\/p>\n

Enter<\/strong>: Similarweb Sales Intelligence<\/a> with our trusty Insights Generator, ready to give you all the goods.<\/p>\n

\"Sales<\/p>\n

Take this as an example. With Similarweb, you can get a list of the top ecommerce companies in the world (or whatever industry or wherever you want). You can then dig into your chosen companies\u2019 overviews, where you\u2019ll find core digital metrics. These metrics are guaranteed to get your prospects listening, and your clients trusting your advice and consultation to boost their digital presence and performance, and rise above the competition.<\/p>\n

Oh, and don\u2019t forget about follow-up questions – make observations using your intel, and ask how they feel those occurred.<\/p>\n

4) The \u201cit\u2019s a numbers game\u201d pipeline<\/h2>\n

❌ What you shouldn’t be doing:<\/h3>\n

On top of using average-to-below-average templates to save time, there are a bunch of other \u2018shortcuts\u2019 we know you guys come up with. Because you\u2019ve got that simple equation in your head: the more emails and calls you push out, the more signed contracts you\u2019ll get back. You know, that whole \u2018throwing at a wall and seeing what sticks\u2019 vibe.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s how it works, right?<\/p>\n

Wrong. So, so wrong.<\/p>\n

✅ What you should be doing:<\/h3>\n

Quality > quantity. That should be your focus – trust us on that one.<\/p>\n

No one wants to feel like \u2018just a number\u2019 or the same as everybody else. These days, your prospects will spot those red flags a mile off, and swiftly reject your advances or\u2026 ghost you. (Sound familiar?).<\/p>\n

How\u2019s all that going to leave your pipeline looking?<\/p>\n

It\u2019s all about the quality of your leads, making sure they are properly qualified to fit with your ideal customer profile (ICP<\/a>) and are ready to buy. The others? You can archive and avoid wasting your time.<\/p>\n

Generate leads ➡️ enrich your data<\/a> ➡️ score those leads ➡️ qualify to find the right match.<\/p>\n

(Ahem\u2026 you can actually get all that with Similarweb Sales Intelligence. Open <\/em>our free trial<\/em><\/a> in a new tab – because we know you\u2019ve got 20+ open already).<\/em><\/p>\n

5) The killing-multiple-birds-with-one-stone sales call<\/h2>\n

❌ What you shouldn’t be doing:<\/h3>\n

If your initial call is anything like that headline and hardly gives you (or your prospect) room to breathe, you\u2019re saying too much. We\u2019ve said you need to hold back on the salesperson monologue, but we also need to tell you: watch what you\u2019re saying too.<\/p>\n

It can be tempting to go from 0 – 100 in sales calls and communication to save yourself time, but that just ain\u2019t gonna cut it anymore.<\/p>\n

✅ What you should be doing:<\/h3>\n

Take a breath and take your time. Don\u2019t rush the process, because the reality is that pitching is just the start. The majority of your time will be spent closing.<\/p>\n

To get to the finish line, your prospect needs to trust you – and to earn that trust, your time should be spent:<\/p>\n