In this season of gift giving, we are often faced with the decision of buying a gift for someone based on their “want” vs. “need.” What is the difference? A “want” is a nice to have. This usually fulfills an emotional desire. A “need” is a must have. This usually deals with the practical desire. Sometimes the two may overlap. This concept is what drives economics and is something that business owners and sales professionals must navigate every day with their customers.

Any sales professional will tell you that the key to an effective sales presentation is to identify a customer’s wants, needs, and pain points. The challenge in today’s competitive and information driven marketplace is that many salespeople assume that the customer is aware of the available options, that they know what they “want” and so they simply give them what they want.

“If I’d asked customers what they wanted,
they would have said ‘a faster horse’.” – Henry Ford

As the expert, it’s your job to educate the customer and show them what will best fit their needs. This is achieved by asking questions, drilling down and discovering what pain point they want to go away, and showing them the best possible solutions based on your expertise. Some of these solutions may be something the customer was not even thinking about or didn’t know existed.

By simply asking what the customer wants and giving it to them, you are not positioning yourself as an expert in your industry, you’re acting as order taker and demonstrating that you know little more than the customer when it comes to your industry. By sharing your expertise and educating the about the best decision for their need, you are adding value to your customer’s experience and to your reputation in the industry.

As this holiday season comes to a close, start the new year with a goal of investing time in asking the right questions, providing your customer with the best fit for their need, and positioning yourself as the trusted expert in your industry.