Overcome the Customer’s Misperceptions

Theory of mind reminds us that others can suffer from misperceptions.

Sales professionals must be aware of differing perceptions. Customers are performing more solution research independent of the sales professional.

As a result, it’s easy for the customer to develop a false understanding of the challenge and the best path forward. Therefore, sales professionals must first know what the customer knows, then help the customer align with the real nature of the business challenge.

Outward conversations express only part of what the stakeholders discuss behind closed doors. Effective sales professionals seek inclusion in these conversations. They do so by becoming an active participant in the problem-solving process.

They focus less on product features and more on und...