Consultative selling is a customer-centric sales approach that focuses on understanding customer needs and collaborating to find the best solution, rather than simply trying to make a sale. It involves taking responsibility to ensure the solution works for the customer through implementation support. The consultative selling process involves understanding the customer's business and problems, designing a customized solution, presenting the solution, and building a long-term relationship through ensuring product/service performance and quality after-sales service. Consultative selling requires thorough preparation, strong communication and problem-solving skills from salespeople.

1. Consultative Selling, should end up in customer prompting the “close”
Evolution
At the end of the production era, manufacturers found that they could produce more than what market
needs and there were many producers who could enter into the market with the same or similar kind of
products. As a result, in order to sustain in the market, the focus shifted to sales, retaining customers and
finding new customers. Just producing goods and services was not enough but understanding what
consumers need became more important. As such, consumer oriented approach had to be used and that
was one of the major reasons which paved the way to have a formal discipline called “marketing” in an
organisation.
Complex requirements of customers
Needs of the consumers were very simple in the past such as basic food, clothing and shelter.
However, with the expansion of human civilization, their needs and wants became very complex.
Sometimes, they themselves did not know what type of product or service they should buy in
order to satisfy their needs or to find a solution to their problems. Therefore, they had to seek
external help to fine tune what they really need. This was more evident in the process of buying
durable and expensive goods and services. When it comes to industrial buying, the complexity
became more. The customers are wary about getting into traps of sales gimmicks. They are much
worried about whether the product they buy would really solve their problem or put them into
further trouble. Hence, a regular sales presentation made to sell simple products were not
effective, as marketer had to provide more information and support to consumer to make an
informative decision. Further, there were many marketers to offer products and services to
consumers. As such, effective sales approaches had to be used to close a sale to beat the
competition. Management experts began talking about the need for organizations to focus on
exceeding customer expectations. Marketing and sales theories were re-written and gradually, all
organizations turned to consider customer as the king. This orientation was further supported by
the quality systems and the value systems adopted by the organizations to define their business
processes and operations. In the area of sales, the customer centric approach led to the growth of
the concept called “Consultative Selling”. (CS)
Big responsibility on seller
An assurance had to be made that the sellers would take the responsibility of making the solution work
through the product or service that they offer. Many marketers adopted the CS approach to overcome this
situation. However, although the name “Consultative Selling “ is rather new, there has been similar
selling approaches even in the early industrial revolution era when high value machinery and plants were
sold. Today, the power of consultative selling has been realized by every organization and even
the traditional product selling organizations too are adapting this method and training their sales
force to develop the consultative mode and attitude.

2. CS refers to a sales approach and an attitude of the salesmen who do not try to sell their
company’s product or service to the customers as in the traditional format. There is no hurry to
close a sale in the first go. Instead, they sit with customers and discuss to understand all about
customer’s business, their competitors, identify their problems, needs as well as expectations,
forecast their future needs and requirements and build a solution using their products or service.
If the seller does not have the total solution, he brought in his partner organisations into the
picture to fill the gaps. The most important aspect here is that the customer and the salesman
collaborate in arriving at the exact need, specification of the requirements wherein the salesman
can get his product development team to build customized solutions if needed. The best
advantage of this system is that the customer not only gets the solution but the salesman
and the selling organization takes on the responsibility for implementation and making the
solution work for the customer. As such, the seller has a high degree of responsibility in
finding a proper product or service to the customer need. Seller should go into more details of the
proper operation of the product or service he provides even if the customer has not foreseen a
problem that would occur in the operation. As a person who is dealing in such products or
services as his usual business, an obligation is cast upon him to provide the best solution. Even in
the Sale of Goods Ordinance way back as 1896, has an implied condition called “Goods should
be in merchantable quality”. Where goods are purchased from a seller who deals in goods in that
description (whether he is a manufacturer or not) there is an implied condition that the goods should be of
merchantable quality. In other words, goods must fit for the purpose for which goods of that kind
are commonly purchased and it must be free from any defect that is not apparent on the
reasonable examination of the goods. Consultative Selling is not law as the implied conditions.
However in real essence of the Consultative Selling, one could argue that implied condition in
Sales of Goods Ordinance which was in favour of the buyer has broadened by practice very
much in the interest of the seller himself as he intends developing a long term business
relationship with the buyer.
Buyer expects a lot from seller
In the above scenario, one can now understand that there is a huge expectation on the part of the
salesmen who are in the profession of selling. Besides professional skills, they need to develop
technical capabilities, unique individual strength to engage customer as well as the parent
organizational teams at various levels, control, manages the consultative selling process, and
direct the outcome to develop sales and a long-term relationship with the customer. For those
aspiring to become super performers in selling should develop the capability to play the role of
consultative selling.
Make the Buyer a part of the team
Most of the marketing experts have missed to highlight one vital aspect of CS that is the
responsibility of the buyer in the process. If CS is a two way process of finding the correct
solution to the customers problem, customer also has to come up with all his problems and
expectations of buying the product or service that he is searching. The doctors and lawyers have

3. been using this CS process for a long period. If you do not tell the exact truth to the lawyer, he
may not be able to devise a good defense in your case and similarly, if the doctor is not told all
the symptoms and ailments, he may not be able to find the correct plan treatment. As such, the
buyers also should come out with their real problem well. If not the seller will have to finding the
expectation of the buyer by asking probing questions which may not be easy at times.
Consultative Selling in practice.
Although CS could be used generally for selling of any product or service, it is more applicable
for situations where the requirement of the customer is complex and needs to understand well
before a product or service is offered. It could be for Business to Business ( B 2 B) or Business
to Consumer ( B 2 C) situations. There could be a long list of areas that CS could be used.
However, especially CS approach could be highlighted when products like machinery and plant,
Office equipment, computers systems, IT solutions, supply chain and logistics, insurance plans,
security systems and plans, travel plans, wealth planning and retirement plans etc are sold.
Traditional selling process applies here too but the emphasis is different and the process may not be
simple as selling a day-to-day consumer item. CS is not easy. It calls for thorough study, preparation
and planning by the sales and marketing teams. The amount of time that is spent by the sales and
marketing managers in preparing the groundwork is significantly higher in CS. Fundamental
selling skills such as positive attitudes, planning, promptness, proper grooming, honesty,
cheerfulness, listening skills, good communication skills, enthusiasm and self confidence are pre
requisites for CS too.
Consultative selling process
Step 1 -First and foremost, it is important for the sales and marketing personnel to study and
understand all about their product or service, its features, characteristics as well as advantages
and usage etc.
Step 2- Study about the customer well. The size of the company, their capacity, buying process,
decision-making unit, their attitudes, their consultants etc. are very important aspects to study
before you meet the customer.
Step 3- Study competition and prepare a detailed chart comparing the competition product visa
vise the product that is being proposed
Step 4 – Engage the customer. In a consultative mode of selling, you always engage with the
customer and try to speak his language. You need to understand the customer’s business, identify
his needs and problem areas, get into his shoes and look at a solution using your product or
service to suit the customer’s needs. If he is not clear, what his real problem is then you have to
adopt a clinical approach as a doctor.
Step 5- Develop a good relationship and genuinely show interest in helping the customer in
finding a solution to his needs. If you cannot give an answer to a technical problem, get your
technical experts to come and talk to the customer. Develop confidence in customer about you.

4. Step 6- Design an initial solution that you hope to provide for the customer. Once the initial
solution has been designed, the most important aspect of the pre sales process is to make a
presentation to your own teammates and have a role-play. Then you will be able to make your
real presentation to customer.
Step 7- Offer the solution . Use multimedia well. Use demonstrations and videos to enhance the
effect. Use credentials of your current customers to drive your point through the eyes of the
customer. Let customer talk, welcome his comments, clarifications. If customer is silent, but you
still need to talk on behalf of the customer, raise questions that the customer ought to have asked
and explain your answer to them. Always have a technical expert if the need arises to make a
clarification.
Step 8 – Redo the presentation if needed. Go back again, come out with the required
information, and re do a presentation if needed to show the customer that you have the best
possible solution. Give different scenarios and what if positions. This will let customer know that
you have gone into all the aspects and also would help you to sort out a problem in the process of
operation of the product or service.
Further, it is always better to have your after service team also to make friends with your
customer as they would be taking over from you once the product or service is sold. They will
know well what you discussed and what the real expectation of the customer was.
Step 9 - Finally, the most importantly in CS is the salesman who should be able to take charge of
the customer and manage him through providing information and solutions until the close is
made. The end of the sales process should lead a to a close and if the salesman does his job
well, a customer may prompt a close. That is the dream of the Consultative Salesperson.
Step 10 – Long-term relationship building- The success of getting the order in consultative
selling process lies on the shoulders of the sales clerk and his capabilities. But developing the
relationship lies on the performance of the product or services you have sold and the efficiency
of your after sales services, how your accounting and other departments deal with the customer
etc. Therefore, in order to see that CS works for the best of your organisation, your whole
organisation should have a marketing orientation where customer is central.
Did you learn anything new other than ABC of selling ? No absolutely nothing. What matters
here is, how you adopt you own fundamental selling knowledge and skill to suit a specific
situation of a customer interaction.