Selling AID to Enhance Desire 

Buying often involves more emotions than logic. Especially at the closing stage, when all the logical assessment has been done and all that is required is the final buying decision. The impetus to act will fall back to the emotions.

If you have successfully transit from the interest stage to the closing stage, all which is required at this point is to nurture your prospect’s desire to “own” your products and services. The closing stage is recognised by some typical signs of buying interest. Example when the prospect starts to ask question relating to the products and services presented.

The key is therefore to identify these signals and develop on the prospect desire by targeting the benefits that they will be receiving, or enjoying upon implementing the purchase. These benefit statements have also been known as “What’s in it for me” (WIIFM). And unless the prospect feels that he will benefit from the purchase, he will not part with his cash. Interest alone is therefore not enough to see the sale through.

What constitute a benefit statement?

The benefit statement is closely associated with the Interest stage of the selling process. It is simply the reasons or desires behind the need or interest. It is therefore important to follow-up with asking the reasons ‘why’, after identifying prospect’s special interest or needs. (See ‘Selling A.I.D. for Prospecting Success: Interest)

Here is an example to illustrate the point. “Mr Prospect, thank you for sharing with me your most important priorities. May I ask why this priority is important for you?”

In short, if the prospect’s reasons are compelling enough, and he is reminded enough of it through your probing, he will buy!