So I have a crack in my shower (as some of you may remember). The first person who came by looked, dismissed the issue and without hesitation, and told me I needed to replace the shower

He may very well be right.

He’s also unlikely to get my business.

I don’t at all mean to imply I thought he was overpriced (he may have been, but he’s the first quote I got) or that he doesn’t know his stuff. But what I do know is that he didn’t educate me at all about why I should replace the shower, why it would make my life easier or why I should go with him.

Education is an important factor in sales. It may seem like a minor thing or like it’s beside the point. Perhaps he assumed the sale was already done – because as an expert, he knows I need a new shower, therefore the sale is made.

However, I am not an expert. I need to be educated as to why this is the best course of action. This is the same reason why it’s important to talk about the benefits as well as the features of your products and services. Helping your customers to understand why they need or can use your product or service is a key component of your sales process.

Lucky for you, with the advent of the internet, you can do some of this selling up front. Your website and services pages can explain your products and why they’re great. You can create blog posts educating your audience on issues and topics that are specific to your industry. You can use Facebook and Twitter to explain some of the nuances of what you do.

There are any number of ways to educate users on your products and services. Just be sure that you are educating them during your sales pitch, otherwise they’re likely to go looking for a second opinion.