| You have asked great questions, you've | | | | products that you stock with the unique needs of |
| uncovered at least three important customer | | | | each region." |
| needs that your offerings can address, and you're | | | | F - Feature: Describe a product feature that |
| ready to begin your product presentation. Know | | | | meets that need: |
| what you're going to do now? If you're like most | | | | "Our regional purchases history reporting will show |
| salespeople, you're going to lose all of the | | | | you exactly what the most popular products are |
| momentum you've built-and maybe the sale, as | | | | in each region." |
| well-by launching a long, boring, and standardized | | | | B - Benefit: Explain how that feature will serve |
| recitation of product features. Your sales | | | | this customer's specific need: |
| presentation won't even focus directly on the key | | | | "What this means to you is that you will improve |
| needs you took such pains to identify. | | | | service to your customers while minimizing the |
| People don't buy product features. They buy | | | | inventory needed at each location." |
| solutions to their own needs. | | | | R - Reaction: Ask for the customer's own view |
| Customers don't care about your product | | | | of how the benefit would serve the need. This |
| features or even about the benefits those | | | | confirms that you correctly understand the need. |
| features offer to the world at large. Customers | | | | Also, importantly, it turns the product presentation |
| care about one thing only: How can you help me | | | | into a dialogue with the customer instead of a |
| solve problems or seize opportunities that matter | | | | monologue by you: |
| to me? | | | | "How will this information help you improve your |
| What you need is a simple, structured method for | | | | business?" |
| product presentations that lets you stop rambling | | | | Cast each product feature or capability you |
| about features that may be irrelevant to this | | | | present in the TFBR format. And present only |
| customer and start presenting solutions to specific | | | | features that represent solutions to needs you |
| needs instead-solutions that are crisp, clear, brief, | | | | have already uncovered and agreed upon. |
| and to the point. | | | | The TFBR method will shorten your product |
| There is such a method. It's called TFBR. Here is | | | | presentations dramatically and make them far |
| how it works. | | | | more powerful. Why put your customers to sleep |
| T - Tie-Back: Tie the conversation back to a need | | | | when you can instead engage them in a |
| you identified with your earlier questions: | | | | problem-solving dialogue that makes them very |
| "You told me earlier that you want to match the | | | | happy they agreed to meet with you? |