By Jeffrey Pease
Director of Distributor Programs, The Ashkin Group

The term "consultative selling" was first coined by New York Times bestselling author, Linda Richardson. This sales approach emphasizes customer needs and meeting those needs with solutions combining products, services and knowledge.

Today, the term is a household word that distribution management is regularly touting as a type of selling they desire their sales force to adopt. While this is by no means a revolutionary approach, it is especially meaningful in our industry today as most organizations strive to implement sustainable practices – one of which is Green-Cleaning.

There are four primary differentiators that mark a so-called Consultative Salesperson:
    • They ask more questions.
    • They listen more than talk.
    • They provide customized vs. generic solutions.
    • Their calls are more interactive.

A high percentage of distributor sales representatives (DSR’s) remain product and price focused sellers vs. need focused. They have a new widget and they try to force that product into their accounts regardless of the fit. The other popular approach is asking for an opportunity to quote a lower price. This approach is absolutely old school and as we all know, there’s always someone out there with a lower price, especially in the current economic climate.

Consultative Selling is all about dialogue (the word dialogue comes from the Greek and means "to learn") and in order to have dialogue, one must listen more so than talk. The goal is to learn about customer needs before introducing product; and, as the demand for Green-Cleaning continues to accelerate, so must your knowledge. And, as your knowledge grows, so will your confidence and your sales.

What strategy do you employ to improve your knowledge in the areas of sustainability and Green?

First and foremost, you must make time to learn. Often, I hear DSR’s make the comment that they just don’t have enough time, which leads me to a quote from John Lubbock: "In truth, people can generally make time for what they choose to do; it is not really the time but the will that is lacking"

Everyone is busy and there is only 24 hours in the day for both successful and unsuccessful people. So… life is all about setting priorities and making better choices. Successful people simply prioritize better and do the things that help them succeed.

Here are some easy internet strategies that will assist you in improving your Green knowledge:
1) Make Time: Devote 30 minutes a week toward improving your knowledge. Select a day and time to research information on sustainability and green. By simply utilizing an internet search engine and typing in a few key words, you will be amazed at the current and archived information you can extract - everything from local, state and federal Green legislation to segment specific testimonials on Green-Cleaning success. In that 30 minutes, make it a goal to come up with one interesting piece of information that can be shared with your current and prospective customers… information that indicates you are connected to the subject.

2) Get Connected Automatically: Take just a few minutes to sign up and receive automatic e-mail blasts from organizations that do nothing but focus on sustainability and Green issues. As an example, the Ashkin Group’s "Destination Green" is an easy way to gain current information on what’s happening in the world of green as it relates to the JanSan industry. This information gathering strategy is quick and easy - all you do is read your e-mail to stay informed and increase your knowledge base – no research required. Here are 3 additional sites which will help you stay current:
- Education Focus: www.HealthySchoolsCampaign.org
- Health Care Focus: www.PracticeGreenHealth.org
- General Information: www.GreenBiz.com

3) Peruse Key Industry Sites: There is a tremendous amount of information out there that will enrich your knowledge base and separate you from competitors – competitors who rely on others for answers and fall in the category of product and price focused sellers. Identify those subjects that resonate with you and the type of customers you call on and consistently gather added value information. Again, there are numerous sites that will assist you and it’s essential to vary your sources in order to expand your knowledge. Here are some examples:
- International Sanitary Supply Association: www.issa.com
- United States Green Building Council: www.usgbc.org
- Environmental Protection Agency: www.epa.gov
- Third Party Certification Company: Green Seal: www.greenseal.org
- Third Party Certification Company: Ecologo: www.ecologo.org

Important Next Steps
As a consultative seller, your differentiator is your knowledge and more importantly, how your knowledge influences end-users in resolving problems. Now that you are on a consistent regime of collecting data, there are two things you must do in order to leverage your efforts:

1) Sort and file your information so it is easily found. If you can’t find it, then it does you no good. As you find articles and documents that are interesting and impactful, make sure you file them in a logical manner for future use – you are basically creating a personal library. For example, you can setup the following filing system:
    • Scientific & other studies on performance, productivity, cost of LEED, etc.
    • Products
    • Segment Specific – healthcare, schools, commercial, etc.
    • Environment & Health
    • Other

2) Gain a reputation for having useful information and solutions to problems. As you’re calling on end-users, the subject of sustainability and Green-Cleaning is discussed frequently – it’s one of the hottest subjects out there. If you want to impress a current or prospective customer, follow-up a sales call with an e-mail which contains information which applies to their industry and issues.

As an example, I was meeting with a facility manager at an Ivy League University. She was recently appointed a member of the sustainability committee and was having difficulty in articulating the benefits of a Green-Cleaning program. More importantly, she was looking for validation and documentation that Green-Cleaning was impactful in an education environment. She felt that such documentation would assist in shedding greater light on cleaning for health and maintaining her current budget. I discussed the subject as best I could and followed up via e-mail with two documents - case studies of the impact of Green-Cleaning in schools. Needless to say, she was impressed. I had given her the documentation she needed to successfully position her department and potentially save her budget. She was delighted and confirmed this with a phone call where she also stated she was ready to move forward with launching a microfiber pilot program.

In closing, if you’re serious about becoming a consultative seller in the hottest subject to hit our industry, then become a sponge and soak up as much knowledge as possible. By making this a priority and consistently devoting a small amount of time each week to the subject, you will not only develop your mind, but a personal library of information that you can leverage with current and prospective customers.

Be proactive. As you discover pertinent information, launch it to key customer in an effort to assist them in their business. Your efforts will pay dividends in that you will gain a reputation for providing more than a product pitch. You will be viewed as an integrated resource and a go-to for solving problems.

Good selling.

Jeff

P.S. If you have any questions or stories to share, please drop me an email at JeffPease@AshkinGroup.com.

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