The Contradictions of Consultative Selling

When Mahatma Gandhi was asked his opinion of Western Civilization, he famously quipped, "I think it would be a good idea."

That is how I feel about Consultative Selling, most of which is just traditional selling in drag.

Conceptually, Consultative Selling is attractive, because in this model the salesperson acts as a consultant instead of a peddler. This enhances the self-esteem of folks who have qualms about selling for a living, and creates less resistance in buyers than traditional sales techniques.

In reality, though, it is tough to be a consultative salesperson if you are not self-employed. So difficult, in fact, that I am tempted to regard the term "consultative selling" as an oxymoron.

Consider what real consultants do: They give impartial advice, and are paid for their time and expertise.

Sales reps, by contrast, spend the bulk of their time identifying opportunities and harvesting sales, and are compensated accordingly. In addition, few sellers are impartial because they are not free to fully disclose the detriments of their offerings and recommend the best solution, when that solution is somebody else's. Thus constrained, they are not true advisors.

Such are the contradictions of Consultative Selling, which is only consultative if you are:

• An expert in your field or industry.
  
  
• As familiar with competitive products and services as you are with your own.
  
  
• Free (have unconditional support from management) to enumerate all the drawbacks of your offering, and recommend any provider whose solution is the best fit for a prospective customer.
  
  
• Willing and able to "bet on the come,” i.e. forgo sales today, in favor of business over the long term from referrals.
  
  
• Paid in whole or in part, for dispensing advice.
  

Otherwise, consulting is just a sham, faint camouflage for your goal to sell something.

As if there was something wrong, with that.

© Bradley P. Simpson 2009. All rights reserved.