Consultative vs. Traditional Selling

Consultative Vs. Traditional Selling

ENT 350

June 7, 2009

Consultative Vs. Traditional Selling

A sales professional will want to have an understanding of both Consultative and Traditional selling techniques so that he/she is able to determine which process best fits the product or service being sold. All sales are not that same. Some sales require a direct, manipulative approach which allows the sales person to get to the close quickly and get the customer to commit through strategic concepts. (McPheat, 2009) This would be the traditional sales approach. Other sales require the sales person to partner with the buyer, asking questions and getting to know the wants, needs and desires of the buyer. In this approach the buyer is really selling himself/herself while the sales person simply directs the process. This is the consultative sales approach.

Jeffrey Gitemor tells us that people don’t like to be sold, but they love to buy. When referring to sales, this statement can certainly help any sales professional. Perhaps this is why sales and being a sales person has such a bad reputation. Traditional sales means that a sales person has a product that he/she must sell. (McPheat, 2009) The sales person relies heavily on the features and benefits of the product or service and spends a great deal of time convincing the buyer that he/she needs the product or service, even if the need does not exist. When questions are presented, the traditional sales person will avoid or redirect the conversation. By doing so, he/she is able to remain in control of the conversation. In traditional sales, the sales person leads the conversation and goes for a close at the end. This is a very manipulative approach that may be viewed as pushy or aggressive and will most certainly make many buyers uncomfortable. This type of sales is associated with used car sales and insurance sales. (Wagnor, 2009) The two types of sales professionals are viewed as the stereotypically pushy sales person....