{sales·plai·ning} [noun] English:

The act of a salesperson explaining something, typically to a prospect, in a condescending or patronizing manner, often assuming that the prospect is less knowledgeable or intelligent than they are.

 

Let’s set the scene. 

The average tenure for an account executive at a SaaS company is around 1.5 to 2 years*. After working at the company for between 6 and 24 months, the rep in question needs to assert their knowledge to an experienced Chief Technology Officer or VP of Marketing and persuade them that their methods have been incorrect for a long time and convince them to buy.

Often by Salesplaining. 

But there’s a better way. 

By using consultative selling and no longer salesplaining, salespeople can:

  • Boost conversion rates by up to 50%**
  • Increase deal sizes — companies that use consultative selling have an average deal size that is 69% larger than those that don’t***
  • Provide ongoing value to prospects — a consultative approach can help identify a prospect’s pain points and address them with the appropriate solution, resulting in a lower churn rate.**** 

Get your hands on our 🔥 playbook to see how → 

* Based on a survey conducted by The Bridge Group.
** (Gartner, “5 Ways to Increase Sales Effectiveness with Consultative Selling,” August 2020)
*** (CSO Insights, “The Art and Science of Consultative Selling,” 2018)
***(“What is Consultative Selling? Definition, Examples, and Strategies,” August 2020)