What is consultative selling?

If you are wondering how to define consultative selling, it is simply an approach in sales. This sales method focuses on understanding your customer’s challenges and recommending solutions to fix them. As 84% of buyers prefer to make purchases from salespeople who understand their goals, it comes as no surprise that consultative selling is gaining in popularity.

As a sales professional, learning how to ask key questions and how to listen attentively is key. As opposed to pushing a product, you should focus on creating a connection with a client.

This connection should be based on advice and empathy. Do not push products — offer the kind of advice you would appreciate if you were the buyer.

Difference between consultative selling vs traditional selling?

As the times are changing, so is consultative selling. No longer do we buy every product that we are being pushed to buy.

In the age of digitalisation, comparing different products and reading reviews is just a click away. A modern-day customer knows what their wants are.

This is why traditional selling is not enough. But what is traditional selling? Traditional selling can be characterised by:

• The salesperson talking about the product’s features and benefits.
• The goal is to convince customers to buy.
• It is about closing the deal quickly.
• The same pitch is often used for many – if not all – customers.

So how does consultative selling stack up in comparison?

The focus of consultative selling is solving a problem for the customer. It differs from traditional selling in these ways:

• The salesperson asks questions to understand the customer’s needs.
• They recommend a solution, not just a product.
• It is about building a relationship and trust.
• The approach is personalised for every customer.

A traditional seller can be perceived as pushy and predatory. This can have a negative impact on the buyers. According to Invespcro, 57% of people prefer buying from salespeople who do not pressure or hassle them.

As opposed to this, a consultative seller can be described as a caring adviser, with your best interest always in their heart.

Difference between consultative selling vs solution selling

Consultative selling is focused on understanding the customer. The goal of interacting with a client is to build a relationship, and tackle challenges together.

It is all about asking questions, listening carefully, and recommending something that fits. All in all, the focus is on the relationship and the sales conversation. Statistics do not lie – 86% of buyers are happy to pay more for great customer service. The goal of consultative selling is to provide the best service possible.

In contrast, solution selling focuses on solving a specific problem. It starts when a customer has a clear problem or pain point. The salesperson tries to match that problem with a specific solution. It is more about fitting the right solution to the right issue.

How to become better at consultative selling?

Getting better at consultative selling is all about shifting from “selling a product” to “solving a problem”. You can improve your consultative selling skills in a few easy, practical steps:

• Ask better questions.
• Improve your active listening skills.
• Understand their business.
• Focus on the problem, not the product.
• Build trust.
• Add value, even before the sale.
• Keep improving your skills.

Want to become great at consultative selling? Read our guide to the best consultative selling practices to boost your skills.

What are the best questions to ask as a consultative seller?

Asking the right questions is the secret weapon in consultative selling. The goal is to understand the customer deeply, uncover their needs and build trust.

Here is the list of the types of questions you should ask as a consultative seller:

• Discovery questions, for example, what are your current goals?
• Problem-focused questions, for example, what is your biggest challenge right now?
• Goal-oriented questions, for example, what would success look like for you?
• Impact questions, for example, how is this (issue) affecting your business?
• Fit & solution questions, for example, what have you tried so far?
• Decision questions, for example, when are you hoping to make a decision?
• Relationship-building questions, for example, how can I be most helpful to you?

The key is to start with open-ended questions. Then, you should go deeper based on the customer’s answers.

For more in-depth questions you should know to ask as a consultative seller, read our guide to the best consultative selling questions.