In relationship selling, you take the time to foster meaningful relationships with your leads, which benefits both of you in the long term. Instead of selling your product and never contacting the customer again, you stay in touch, giving them personalized recommendations that help them improve the bottom line of their business.<\/p>\n
They get to extract value, while you get to exceed quota. In other words, relationship selling is all about being helpful, with the ultimate goal of providing value and retaining the customer.<\/p>\n
Recently, I spoke with Chelsea Curtis<\/a>, Director of Customer Success at Terra Dotta, to glean some tips on how to incorporate relationship selling into your everyday sales processes. With Chelsea\u2019s advice and my tips, you can become a sales pro in no time. Read on.<\/p>\n Table of Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n In his book Relationship Selling<\/em>, Jim Cathcart writes, \u201cRelationship selling is a form of selling, not merely a type of relationship. The purpose of it is to help other people at a profit for you. When you are truly helping, you deserve to be well compensated for your product or service.\u201d<\/p>\n I\u2019ve found relationship selling to be an art, but it\u2019s also a skill you can replicate by implementing tips from experts. Recently, I spoke with Chelsea Curtis<\/a>, Director of Customer Success for Terra Dotta<\/a>, to talk about best practices for relationship selling. She\u2019s worked in sales for 20 years and has fine-tuned the art of building relationships.<\/p>\n However, she explicitly told me you don\u2019t need 20 years of experience to become a pro at these kinds of sales. Instead, follow these best practices.<\/p>\n When I talked with Curtis, she pointed out that everyone could be a potential lead for your business \u2014 even the people you might not consider as decision makers for a brand. Some people might not be decision makers, but they can introduce you to those who are.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery single conversation has value,\u201d she said. \u201cThe person you don\u2018t think is a decision maker? They might help you close a giant deal three years from now at a different company. The person at the front desk who isn\u2019t worth talking to? Talk to them. You\u2018d be surprised at who they\u2019d be willing to introduce you to \u2014 and which desk they may be sitting behind in six months.\u201d<\/p>\n As a former teacher, one of my key classroom skills was building rapport with my students. I\u2019d make a point of spending the first few days of the new school year worrying less about starting the curriculum and instead focusing more on getting to know my students. This helped create deep, meaningful relationships because once I understood where my students were coming from, I could tailor my lessons to meet their needs.<\/p>\n Building rapport is also an essential step in relationship building. Creating connections between the rep and the buyer is emphasized more than the features or price of the offering. To build rapport, sales reps typically practice active listening to uncover prospects\u2019 needs and form a successful relationship. They need to help meet these needs so they can provide value to the customer.<\/p>\n Considering that 72%<\/a> of sales come from existing customers, it\u2019s best to nurture these relationships for long-term success.<\/p>\n P.S. Looking for data-driven ways to build rapport with prospects and clients? Check out this blog<\/a> post.<\/p>\n To me, it shouldn\u2019t be surprising to learn that 73% of consumers<\/a> expect in-depth personalization. Personalization is an important facet of relationship-building. If they feel like the experience isn\u2019t personalized, prospects are unlikely to purchase an expensive product. They\u2019ll feel like they\u2019re only part of a transaction and not part of a mutually beneficial relationship.<\/p>\n Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n That\u2019s why you\u2019ll want to steer clear of transactional selling. It\u2019s often quick and not personalized, which is why it\u2019s fallen out of favor at most B2B organizations.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t get me wrong, transactional selling works well for low-cost, commoditized products, where it doesn\u2019t make sense for the rep to invest in getting to know their buyers. For example, the clothing and car industries partake in transactional selling.<\/p>\n Relationship selling is better for businesses where there\u2019s a long sales cycle<\/a>, and prospects need more touch points before making a purchasing decision. Overall, it\u2019s good for high-cost situations and\/or customized solutions, but those aren\u2019t the only scenarios where it applies.<\/p>\n When I talked with Curtis, she compared sales to dating. Dating is much easier when you take a laid back approach and create genuine connections before jumping into a serious long-term relationship.<\/p>\n Sales is the same way. She told me,\u201d Like dating, if you approach every date as a potential husband or wife, the date then becomes something filled with pressure, anxiety, and, often, disappointment. Instead, approach the \u201csale\u201d as you would an interesting person sitting next to you on the bus or at a bar. Find out what motivates them, what challenges they\u2018re having, and why. It\u2019s a conversation \u2014 and usually an interesting one at that. In doing so, you’ll learn a lot more and close much faster.\u201d<\/p>\n Just like it was important to check in regularly with my students, checking in frequently with your prospects is key to a relationship staying alive. Staying in touch with future and past customers ensures you\u2019ll be the first person they think of when they need to buy or recommend your product.<\/p>\n Following up is an art<\/a>, and the frequency you\u2019ll want to check in may vary. I take pride in being nosey because polite nosiness lends well to building relationships. It\u2019s okay to be politely nosey when you check in with your prospects. Ask about what\u2019s happening in their life and share what\u2019s going on in yours.<\/p>\n Connecting on a human level<\/a> will lead to better communication in the future. Curtis agreed with me on this and said, \u201cBe human. Go see people. It\u2019s so much more fun and so much more effective.\u201d<\/p>\n Curtis is on to something with getting out and meeting in person. 56% of sales<\/a> reps say in-person meetings are effective. And, for strengthening relationships with your customers, that could mean a simple lunch meeting to check in. By checking in regularly without striking up a conversation about sales, you\u2019re showing that you care about the person (and not just their wallets).<\/p>\n If you\u2019re running a promotion, have a new product, or are hosting a webinar, don\u2019t wait for your prospects and customers to contact you. Proactively let them know of exciting developments at your organization.<\/p>\n In my experience, a little teaser of a new promotion or product release update can create just enough curiosity to draw your prospects to you. Just make sure the news is relevant and meets the needs of your prospects.<\/p>\n If you know their concerns, you can also work with product and marketing to develop solutions that will help them and other customers. Communicate across teams using Hubspot\u2019s Account Based Marketing (ABM) software<\/a>, so you can track and measure these customer relationships.<\/p>\n One of my favorite books is Dale Carnegie\u2019s How to Win Friends and Influence People. <\/em>I\u2019m convinced this should be required reading for everyone in business. The principles in his book outline how to make genuine connections, including looking for common ground to connect with your prospect.<\/p>\n That means you might need to do some research to ensure your customers and prospects feel cared for. Before a call or email, be sure to check out their social media accounts to learn more about them. This can help open up meaningful conversations or give you ideas on how to show genuine interest and appreciation for their business.<\/p>\n Take it from me: If you want a relationship with your customers to last, you need to put in genuine effort. Being consistent with your actions and following through with your promises helps build your integrity.<\/p>\n When it comes to sales and a prospect trusting a brand with their money, integrity is essential \u2014 especially when you consider 28% of prospects<\/a> back out of a deal because reps haven\u2019t established enough trust.<\/p>\n Curtis gave a valuable piece of advice to protect integrity and gaining trust with your prospects. She said, \u201cIntegrity is everything. Guard it and protect it. Follow through when you say you will. Communicate consistently and clearly. Hold yourself accountable. Admit when you\u2018ve made a mistake. Be generous with your time with those you aren\u2019t selling to.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n You might think of relationship selling as an enterprise B2B strategy, and that\u2019s certainly not wrong. I think it\u2019s a safe bet to think that any rep working a $50,000+ deal is probably using relationship selling techniques \u2014 think a salesperson for sales automation software<\/a> or a customized HR app.<\/p>\n But, relationship selling also applies to consumer products. How well do you know your tailor? If they\u2019re smart, they\u2019ll develop a personal relationship with you so your loyalty extends beyond their abilities. What about your favorite hairdresser? Mine keeps track of my favorite curly hair products and recommends new ones to try when she finds new products designed for my hair type.<\/p>\n Here are a few more examples where businesses use relationship selling.<\/p>\n Enterprise SaaS providers (like us!) use relationship selling to sell their suite of products. In the first outreach email, the sales rep typically asks for a quick call, and as the nurturing process progresses, they send links to helpful materials and provide free demos.<\/p>\n These companies use a CRM<\/a> to keep their prospects\u2019 information on hand. That way, sales reps don\u2019t need to recall customer details from memory, and the relationship develops seamlessly week after week.<\/p>\n Healthcare providers use relationship selling, albeit in a different way than B2B businesses. My endocrinologist keeps notes on my likes, interests, and work history and then finds a way to work it into the conversation before jumping into why I\u2019m visiting his office.<\/p>\n Plus, by keeping your medical information on hand, they can tailor your treatments depending on your needs. Even if you\u2019re serviced by a different staff member, your experience remains consistent during each visit.<\/p>\n In the B2C space, subscription services such as Spotify and Amazon Prime use deep algorithmic personalization to form a relationship with users. Spotify\u2019s DJ X knows exactly what I need to hear and when I need to hear it. Even if you don\u2019t speak to a salesperson, the platform examines your habits and serves you what you need so that you stay subscribed.<\/p>\n Another example would be Google. Raise your hand if you use Google for the seamless integration between each of its apps and services? My hand is fully in the air. The search engine examines your behavior to deliver personalized content and search results across all of its products.<\/p>\n Local businesses such as nail salons, coffee shops, bakeries, and tailors (as mentioned above) use relationship selling to keep you coming back. For instance, if you\u2019re a creature of habit like me, your nail tech might automatically reach for your favorite nail polish without thinking about it. They might also remember your name and details of your life to forge a personal connection.<\/p>\n The relationship selling process may look different depending on the industry, but no matter what, it\u2019s composed of similar steps. Let\u2019s take a look below.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n To quickly gain credibility and establish yourself as a trusted advisor, the very first thing you should do is provide value and insight to your prospect. That might mean reaching out with some helpful suggestions, sending them links to relevant content, making a valuable introduction, or anything else that benefits them.<\/p>\n I like this approach because instead of waiting to extract a sale, you can be helpful right out of the gate.<\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve gotten their attention and proved you\u2019re worth their time, it\u2019s time to get a nosey. Remember how I mentioned polite nosiness? Dig into their business challenges, objectives, metrics, and qualifying characteristics, along with their personal and professional goals. This information helps you answer two critical questions:<\/p>\n These two questions cover the basics of sales qualification<\/a>. Aside from ensuring the prospect is a good fit, it also helps you understand whether you can actually create a mutually beneficial relationship with them.<\/p>\n As much as I wish this was the case, not every prospect is your <\/em>customer. Don\u2019t force the sale with anyone who\u2019s not a good fit. You might be able to convince them to buy, but remember: Relationship selling is about the long term. Your customers will be unhappy once they learn they\u2019ve been misled, and you\u2019ll face cancellations and\/or returns rather than glowing reviews, referrals, upgrades, and cross-sales<\/a>. And I don\u2019t have to tell you what a massive blow that is to your reputation (and revenue!).<\/p>\n Going back to my teaching experience and building relationships in the classroom, I\u2019ve found it is helpful to pay close attention to your prospects\u2019 needs. Combining your new knowledge of the buyer with your subject-matter expertise will help you deliver better, more appropriate suggestions. For example, you might prescribe a strategy that\u2019ll address one of their core pain points<\/a> (and happens to align with your product).<\/p>\n I\u2019ve also found it helpful to back up your recommendations with examples of customers who have been in similar situations. To give you an idea, you might say,<\/p>\n \u201cCustomer Y, another company with around [number] of employees in [X space], was facing a similar problem. I advised them to do [such and such]. In [period of time], they saw [quantified results].\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Surfacing and solving your prospect\u2019s blocking points is a necessary part of any sales process. I like to think of it as finding those hidden and not-so-hidden barriers and removing them. There are tons of reasons a buyer might be hesitant to make a purchase.<\/p>\n For example, 34% of buyers<\/a> just aren\u2019t ready, but that doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t convince them.<\/p>\n Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n However, relationship selling calls for a careful approach. You never want to steamroll your clients \u2014 that\u2019s guaranteed to turn them against you. Instead, give them ample time to explain themselves. Trust me when I say this: being patient and answering their questions honestly are critical aspects of relationship selling.<\/p>\n If your prospects have a genuine reason to be concerned, don\u2019t ignore that. I guarantee your truthfulness will be more reassuring than a glib response (and will hold up after they get their hands on the product).<\/p>\n To identify the buyer\u2019s worries, I suggest asking questions like:<\/p>\n Once they\u2019ve answered, say:<\/p>\n \u201cTo make sure we\u2019re on the same page, here\u2019s what I got from that: [Paraphrase their objection]. Is that right? Did I miss anything?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n This proves you\u2019re paying attention and truly care. Then show empathy with something along the lines of, \u201cI hear what you\u2019re saying, and that completely makes sense. Can I ask a few follow-up questions?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Dig into the prospect\u2019s objection to make sure you fully understand.<\/p>\n Finally, it\u2019s time to respond. Don\u2019t be combative \u2014 you and your prospect are on the same team.<\/p>\n Many salespeople treat the negotiation like a zero-sum game. In other words, if the buyer wins, they lose, and vice versa. This mentality erodes trust and forces your negotiation partner to act selfishly. Plus, if they walk away feeling like you\u2019ve taken advantage of them, your long-term relationship is doomed.<\/p>\n My solution? Change your thinking and act like a win for your prospect is a win for you. Together, you\u2019re trying to find the best possible outcome.<\/p>\n To successfully respond to the prospect\u2019s objections, here are my tips:<\/p>\n Personally, I\u2019ve never been a fan of a salesperson who disappears after the deal is done, especially if the purchase is a big one. For relationship selling to work, don\u2019t disappear from the customer\u2019s life as soon as they sign the contract \u2014 unless you want them to assume you\u2019re only interested in their checkbook and not their success.<\/p>\n Instead, look for reasons to reach out every few months or every quarter, such as:<\/p>\n Staying on their radar deepens the relationship and increases the likelihood they\u2019ll stay a customer. And if they\u2019re a big account and you have the budget, you may want to go even further:<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Truthfully, I think the main principle of relationship selling is simple: Always think about the long-term impact of your actions. Here are several ways you can incorporate relationship-selling techniques into your sales process.<\/p>\n I have always said honesty is the best policy \u2014 and that goes for business and sales, too. Dishonesty is kryptonite to business relationships. Make sure you\u2019re never misleading your customers, either by giving them false information or withholding crucial details. You\u2019ll earn their respect by telling them something isn\u2019t right before they find out for themselves.<\/p>\n Be a continued presence for your clients. Interact with them on social media, send them value-added emails, and pay attention to the details of their personal lives so you can ask about their kids, past times, goals, etc.<\/p>\n If you want to secure someone\u2019s loyalty, blow past their expectations. To give you an idea, perhaps you told your contact you\u2019d get them tickets to your annual industry event. And you do \u2014 but in addition to the tickets, you also arrange a private meet-and-greet with a speaker you know they look up to.<\/p>\n This extra surprise will exceed their expectations, and I guarantee this small act will bring them back to your brand time and time again.<\/p>\n I know it sounds simple, but do your best to meet every due date and commitment. Maybe you said you\u2019d send an email connecting them to your contact by Friday. It\u2019s 6 p.m., and you know they\u2019re not checking their inbox until Sunday morning \u2014 but that doesn\u2019t mean you can wait. Every time you keep your word, you bolster your trustworthiness.<\/p>\n Make your customers feel good. Tell them you\u2019re grateful for their business, ask what you can do to make them happy, give them discounts, and, if possible, send them swag. Everyone loves being treated like they\u2019re special.<\/p>\n![\"Free](\"https:\/\/no-cache.hubspot.com\/cta\/default\/53\/b91f6ffc-9ab7-4b84-ba51-e70672d7796e.png\")
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Best Practices for Relationship<\/strong> Selling<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\n1. Embrace your network.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
2. Build rapport.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
3. Include custom personalization.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\n4. Don\u2019t sell (kind of).<\/strong><\/h3>\n
5. Check in often.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
6. Be proactive.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
7. Do your research.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
8. Follow through.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Relationship Selling by Business Type<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Enterprise SaaS Companies<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Healthcare Providers<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Subscription Services<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Local Businesses<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Six Examples of Impactful Relationship Selling<\/strong><\/h2>\n
1. Provide value and insight in every email and phone call.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
2. Learn about your prospect\u2019s challenges, objectives, and professional goals.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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3. Give advice that\u2019s tailored to their business objectives.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
4. Solve for and empathize with your prospect\u2019s objections.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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5. Find a win-win solution to the prospect\u2019s objections.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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6. Keep providing value after the closed-won deal.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Incorporate Relationship Selling into Your Sales Process<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\n1. Be honest with your customers at all times.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
2. Consistently check in with your contacts and customers.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
3. Exceed your contact’s expectations.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
4. Follow through on your commitments.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
5. Provide exclusive perks.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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