If the Client Doesn’t Need It Then You Don't Want It Bad Enough, by Alan Weiss

If the Client Doesn’t Need It Then You Don't Want It Bad Enough

By Alan Weiss

Of all the objections that we hear, three primary ones make zero sense to me: We have no money; we have no time; and we don’t need what you have.

Everyone has money, and everyone has time. The real issue here is that they are choosing not to give you the money or provide you with the time. (Anyone who says “I don’t have the time to see my kid’s soccer game” is really saying “I choose not to see my kid’s soccer game.”)

Objections involving “no time” and “no money” are not really about scarcity, they’re about priorities. You haven’t provided enough value to gain status on the priority list. Believe me, if your value proposition was powerful enough for that buyer (and this only applies to buyers, not gatekeepers trying to preserve their budgets) both time and money would flow.

The question remains, “What if the buyer really doesn’t need what I’m offering? In that case, I can’t climb the priority list.”

As rainmakers, it’s our job to create need (or unearth it, or identify it, or dust it off). All buyers know what they want, but very few know what they need. If that weren’t the case, no one would ever sell an insurance policy or a time share (I jest, but not by much).

The difference between want and need is what I call the “value distance.” That is, the more profound the need you demonstrate, moving away from merely the “want,” the more valuable you are and the more you can charge, because the ROI is so dramatically higher. (This is why hourly billing is moronic as well as unethical. It’s a set rate irrespective of value, and it only pays well if you act counter to the best interests of the client—taking longer to resolve the issue rather than doing it quickly.)

If the need you demonstrate is merely an inch or two away from the “want,” then there isn’t much value distance. The trouble is that most consultants never even try to establish the need.

The best and fastest way to discover true need is to ask a very difficult question which you may want to make a note of: “Why?”

If the buyer says, “We want a sales training program,” don’t dash to your PowerPoint slides to demonstrate your six-step program. Instead, ask, “Why do you think you need one?” Buyers are apt to reply that they have to replace high client attrition, or morale is down, or competitive technology seems superior, none of which is exactly a clarion call to initiate better sales training. There may be a much larger and more efficacious project here, aimed not at the “want” of sales training (an arbitrary alternative), but rather at the “need” to improve competitiveness or reduce attrition or gain market share.

This is entirely within our power to control in the sale process. But that requires the confidence to believe that you have value to offer and the diagnostic skills to determine what the actual issues are. Too often we act as order takers, obsequious beggars with our hat in our hand, hoping we’ll be chosen. We should, of course, position ourselves as independent and objective experts, peers of the buyer, who can provide ideas, provocation, and new perspectives on the spot.

Underlying, legitimate needs such as safety, repute, and comfort can often only be identified through this process. Someone who merely “wants” his house painted may seek the lowest bidder—commodity shopping. But someone who realizes that properly painted, the house will require less maintenance, have a higher resale value, and impress visitors more may not be interested in lowest bid but rather in best fit for those needs.

No one needs a Mercedes-Benz merely for transportation from point A to point B. But they certainly need a car which is safe, reliable, and represents their idea of their station in life. (An automobile is the largest “life style” purchase that most people make.)

If you’re not adept at helping prospects determine the real needs behind their wants, you’ll never be successful in creating large projects, high fees, and enduring relationships. Satisfying a “want” is non-differentiated; satisfying a “need” is an emotional triumph.

You might “want” clients who pay you decent fees and the ability to pay your bills. But what you “need” is a sustainable, branded, high-repute consulting business which enables you to realize or exceed your goals and aspirations for family, community, and personal growth. Think about that the next time you question whether a developmental activity makes sense for you. You’ll tend to work hard to attain, and pay more to secure, help which satisfies true needs. The exact same dynamic applies to your prospects and clients.

You may not want to believe it, but you really need to listen to me!

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Alan Weiss, Ph.D. is the author of twenty-five books, including Million Dollar Consulting, which appears in seven languages. He runs the unique Million Dollar Consulting™ Colleges three times a year. You can reach him at www.summitconsulting.com, where you can also download hundreds of free articles.