As Alec Baldwin famously told us in Glengarry Glen Ross, a salesperson's mantra is "Always be closing." The flaw in this concept is that it puts the emphasis on a customer's behavior rather than their thinking. Because of this, salespeople mistakenly think that a significant feature like the price is critical to making the sale.

In reality, buying decisions are based on thoughts, not behavior. Customers don't care how great your company is or how well your product sells for other people. They want to know if your product or service is going to solve any of their personal pain points.

Be a consultant, not a salesperson

Does your organization's sales training focus on tips for closing the sale? Here's why a change to a customer-focused approach will result in a more effective staff.

Successful salespeople today recognize that their role is more than just pushing products. They serve as consultants who focus on helping customers grow their business instead of a more narrow goal of selling goods or services.

Since buying decisions are influenced by thoughts, customer-focused selling calls on you to put yourself in your customer's shoes so you can understand what's important to them. Once you develop that empathy, you can determine how your product or service can help solve your customer's concerns.

What are your customer's buying triggers?

Whole Brain Thinking identifies the four different ways in which people process information. Using a cut-and-dried sales approach misses the mark with at least 75 percent of your customers and prospects by failing to appeal to their dominant quadrant.

Here's a typical comment made in the old-school selling approach: "XYZ is the hottest product in the market."

• Pete, using his analytical Blue quadrant, responds, "But what's my return on investment?"
  
  
• Dawn, who is a practical Green quadrant thinker, is concerned with order fills and timely delivery.
  
  
• Steve is in the Red quadrant, so he values personal connections. He wants to know if he will ever see you again once the sale is made.
  
  
• Brian is a forward-thinking Yellow quadrant buyer, so he's already thinking ahead to what happens when XYZ sales cool off.

Clearly the original statement does nothing to address the problems our buyers are hoping to solve. After integrating the Whole Brain Thinking approach in your sales training, here are some more efficient ways to address each buyer's needs:

• Pete: "Selling XYZ at Price A gives you a healthy margin of B percent."
  
  
• Dawn: "We deliver at a 99 percent fill rate, so your inventory is quickly replenished."
  
  
• Steve: "My company and I consider ourselves partners in your success."
  
  
• Brian: "Our research and development team is already at work planning to expand the product line."

These statements have little to do with the product itself and more to do with how you will help the buyers solve their problems. You'll find it's easier to establish a dialog this way than by merely reciting features and numbers.

Buyers are inundated with salespeople on a daily basis. Using a customer focus helps you stand out from the competition. Shift your sales training to a customer-centric approach and watch your staff become more productive with greater success in less time.