Techniques for Understanding Client Needs Better

CSMs are borrowing techniques from psychotherapy to save renewals. And it's working. The OARS framework comes from therapeutic counseling, but it's perfect for discovery calls. It builds trust faster than any sales technique because it makes prospects feel heard instead of sold to. Here's how it breaks down: - Open Questions. Stop asking "Do you like our product?" Start asking "What's the #1 thing being discussed in your boardroom right now?" Open questions force prospects to think and share real information. Closed questions get you yes/no answers that lead nowhere. - Affirmations. When customers hit milestones, acknowledge it. "You increased automation by 30% ahead of schedule" builds momentum better than moving straight to the next agenda item. - Reflections. This is the secret weapon. Repeat back what they said in your own words: Prospect: "We're drowning in support tickets and need better analysis." You: "So it sounds like you want to extract more insights from your current support system, and you're looking for solutions to do that. Did I get that right?" Reflections prove you're listening and give them a chance to clarify. Even when you're wrong, they'll correct you - which gives you better information. - Summary. End calls by pulling together everything they said, then ask: "What's the next step you think we should take?" When THEY suggest the next step instead of you telling them what to do, they're more likely to follow through. The framework works because it changes us the traditional sales approach that your clients might be used to. Instead of pitching and pushing, you're reflecting and guiding. Most reps ask a question, then immediately ask three more questions because they panic in silence. That turns discovery into an interrogation. OARS teaches you to ask one question, shut up, and let them talk. Then reflect what you heard before moving forward. Chad shared how he used this to save a six-figure renewal during a Sales Assembly session on Customer Discovery last week. The customer had been ghosting emails for weeks. Instead of pitching harder, he asked: "Is there something I should have asked you that maybe I didn't?" The response was a novel about losing faith in the product roadmap and feeling left behind by competitors. That one reflective question uncovered the real issue and saved the deal. Therapists know that people need to feel understood before they'll change their behavior. Customers need to feel understood before they'll renew their contracts.

Effective client management begins with proactive engagement, anticipating needs and potential hurdles. Mastering the art of listening plays a crucial role in this approach, allowing us to gain deep insights into our clients' operations and strategic objectives. Imagine setting the stage at the beginning of a project by discussing with your client: Dependency Exploration: 'Can we discuss any dependencies your team has on this project’s milestones? Understanding these can help us ensure alignment and timely delivery.' Impact Assessment Question: 'Should unforeseen delays occur, what impacts would be most critical to your operations? This will help us prioritize our project management and contingency strategies.' Preventive Planning Query: 'What preemptive steps can we take together to minimize potential disruptions to critical milestones?' Success Criteria Definition: 'How do you define success for this project? Understanding your criteria for success will guide our efforts and help us focus on achieving the specific outcomes you expect.' These discussions are essential for building a roadmap that not only aligns with the client’s expectations but also prepares both sides for potential challenges, reinforcing trust through transparency and commitment. By adopting a listening approach that seeks comprehensive understanding from the onset, we can better manage projects and enhance client satisfaction. Let’s encourage our teams to integrate these listening strategies into their initial client engagements. How have proactive discussions influenced your project outcomes? Share your experiences and insights. #ClientRelationships #AdvancedListening #BusinessStrategy #ProfessionalGrowth

To succeed in enterprise sales, you must engage directly with power and align your solution to a key initiative or a problem your client is trying to solve. The challenge, however, is that the moment Executives share their goals or problems, many AE's get "happy ears" and jump right to the solution. As the client is talking, our brains are thinking of how best to respond and what we can say to show the client that we can help. The problem is that this prevents us from actively listening, understanding, and getting to the true reason why a client is likely to buy. The key to running successful meetings is to practice active listening, and seek to deeply understand before jumping to your solution. This takes patience, empathy, and practice. Instead of jumping to your solution, next time a client shares a top goal or priority, take a pause and try asking these questions: 1. Why is this important to you and your company? 2. Why do you need to change now? What happens if you do nothing? 3. When do you need to do this by? And what's driving that timeline? 4. What can't you accomplish because of the way things are today? 5. How will you measure success? #sales #enterprisesales

An account manager recently shared how they flipped a "We don't see the need" objection into a major upsell in just 4 days. Here's how it unfolded: Existing client: "We're happy with our current package. We don't see the need for an upgrade." AM: "I'm glad you're satisfied. Quick question - what's your biggest business challenge right now, even if it's unrelated to our service?" Client: "We're struggling to reduce customer churn." AM: "Interesting. Would you be open to a 20-minute session where I show you how our premium features could potentially impact your churn rate?" Client: "Sure, why not." 20-minute demo conducted AM: "Based on what you've seen, how do you think these features could affect your churn rate?" Client: "Wow, I hadn't considered that. This could be a game-changer for us." Upsell closed within 4 days. Key lessons: Look beyond your immediate offering Connect your solution to their pressing issues Let them visualize the impact Turn "no need" into "I need this now" Remember: Sometimes the need exists, but they haven't connected the dots yet. How do you uncover hidden needs in your client conversations? #sales #b2b