Filling the value vacuum

22nd April 2017 |   Bob Apollo

The precise proportions vary a little depending on which researcher you listen to, but the general conclusion is remarkably consistent: the majority of meetings with salespeople generate little meaningful value for the potential customer. They often turn out to be a complete waste of their time.

A big part of the explanation can be found in studies which conclude that customers value business expertise four times more highly than product knowledge1 but that the average salesperson is four times more comfortable discussing product details than having a business issue–focused conversation2.

Given this imbalance, perhaps it’s no wonder that it has become so difficult to persuade a prospect to accept an initial phone call or a meeting, or to get them to agree to advance beyond the initial stages of a sales interaction. They simply don’t see the value in spending any more of their precious time.

Of course, top sales performers stand out as the exceptions but, if the sales profession is going to fill this “value vacuum”, we’re going to have to do it by equipping all of our salespeople to create some meaningful value for the customer before we expect to get any in return.

Bob Appollo

Founder of UK-based Inflexion-Point Strategy Partners | + posts

Bob Apollo is the founder of UK-based Inflexion-Point Strategy Partners, the B2B sales effectiveness experts. Following a successful career spanning start-ups, scale-ups and corporates, Bob now spends his time as a coach and advisor to growth-phase technology-based businesses, equipping them to adopt the principles of Outcome-Centric Selling.