Imagine you’re in a meeting with a prospect, conversation is flowing and you’re successfully building good connection with them. Everything is going smoothly until the client asks you a question that seems to test your technical sales skills.  

Persuading skills are not just limited to your ability to speak clearly, they also include your knowledge of the product, industry regulations that relate to your solution, and any competitive products out there. In other words, technical knowledge is a must! 

To gain trust and make good recommendations, you need to understand your prospect’s industry, market segment and specific situation. On top of that, you need to be able to integrate your offerings into the equation. You are the expert, and it is important to share that knowledge with your clients.  

4 Topics You Should Cover When Demonstrating Your Technical Sales Skills 

Before your next meeting, it’s important to concentrate on specific topics when utilizing your technical sales abilities. Let’s explore some of them. 

1. Product Features

An absolute must in the world of sales is knowing the ins and outs of the product you are trying to sell. Be the product expert: how is it manufactured? What materials are used? What does it do well? And while it may seem counterproductive, get to know the potential downfalls of your product. 

Put yourself in your prospect’s shoes: they’re going to want to know about any shortcomings so that they can make a decision that is in their company’s best interests. If you’ve assessed your product with a critical eye, then you’ll be in a better position to reassure your prospect if they have any concerns, and you’ll also appear more credible. 

2. Industry Trends

Make sure you are familiar with industry regulations and standards that relate to your product or service and keep up to date with any changes in this space. It’s important to know how your solution fits into wider industry trends. And if you don’t know, then be proactive and seek out information: attend conferences, read trade publications, discover professional development opportunities.  

Be open to learning new things; you can always look to expand your knowledge about the industry and the way your solution fits into it.  

3. Customer Needs

While it’s great to demonstrate the knowledge you have of your solution, have you been paying attention to what your prospect needs? An intricate understanding of your prospect and their work will enable you to integrate your solution into the buyer’s equation. Have you looked at the projects they have worked on in the past or the projects they’re currently working on? What about the products or services they were using before your solution came to the table? Take the time to do the research, and if I doubt, bertanya soalan! 

1. 4. The Competition 

Your technical knowledge should also extend to what the competition is up to. Ask yourself, what can you offer your client that your competition can’t? And vice versa! Make sure you are familiar with what your competitors are working on so that you’re ready to position your solution as the winning choice in your prospect’s eyes. 

To find sales success, make sure that you make yourself an expert in your field. Be curious and get to know the ins and outs of the solution you are trying to sell, what your competitors are up to, what the industry is asking for, and most importantly, what your prospect needs. Technical knowledge will instil confidence in your prospect that you are a credible, trustworthy partner in business, and fuel your sales success.