“People love to buy, but hate to be sold to.” We’ve all heard this phrase before, but as salespeople, it presents us with a conundrum. How do we sell to prospects without making them feel like they’re being sold to? The answer lies in the Sandler pain funnel, a method that establishes need and urgency in a consultative and non-pushy manner.
The Sandler Pain Funnel: A Brief Introduction
The Sandler pain funnel is a systematic approach to sales that emphasizes the customer’s pain points through a series of open-ended questions. Developed by David Sandler, it is part of the Sandler Selling System, which focuses on building relationships and adopting a buyer-centric approach.
Why is the Sandler Pain Funnel Important?
Unlike traditional sales tactics, the Sandler pain funnel aims to position sales representatives as trusted advisors. By focusing on the customer’s challenges and uncovering their true pain points, it creates a more consultative and long-lasting sales process. It also compels customers to confront their deepest pain points, providing invaluable insights for guiding the rest of the sales journey.
How the Sandler Pain Funnel Works
The Sandler pain funnel consists of a series of open-ended questions, gradually progressing from broad to specific. Let’s take a closer look:
Starting with Broad Questions
To initiate the pain conversation, begin by asking questions that prompt the buyer to indicate their pain points. For example:
- What is your goal for [Operational area] this [Year/Quarter/Month]?
- How are you currently tracking against [Business goal]?
- What are you focused on as a business right now?
These questions are designed to uncover the underlying reason for connecting with the prospect.
Digging Deeper into Pain Points
Once a specific pain point is identified, it’s essential to delve deeper. Ask questions that push the prospect to provide more detailed information:
- Can you walk me through your [Operational area] process from [first step] to [business outcome]?
- Can you be more specific? Maybe give me an example.
- Why do you suppose this problem is happening?
- How long has this been a problem?
By asking these questions, you can uncover the root causes of the pain points.
Examining Business Impacts
Next, explore the impacts of the identified problem on the prospect’s company:
- What is the impact of this problem on your company?
- What does that look like in monetary terms?
- What have you already tried to solve this problem, and how effective was it?
- How effective is your current solution, on a scale of 1-5?
These questions help you understand the consequences of the pain points on the prospect’s business.
Uncovering Emotional Ramifications
Finally, address the emotional side of the pain point:
- Does your current solution produce any bottlenecks? Who is impacted?
- What happens if we don’t address this [Pain/challenge] now?
- Have you given up trying to deal with this problem?
These questions allow you to empathize with the prospect and understand the personal toll the pain points have taken.
Sandler Pain Funnel Example
Sales rep: Brian, do you mind if I confirm a few items about your organization before we get started?
Buyer: Sure.
Sales rep: Great. How big is your team? How many employees are you looking to provision with NumberOneSalesCRM?
Buyer: We’re currently a team of 14. 7 SDRs, 4 Account Executives, and myself, the Sales Manager. But we have plans to double that headcount in the next 12 months.
Sales rep: Wow, that’s an ambitious goal, I love it. So what prompted you to evaluate a solution like NumberOneSalesCRM? When are you looking to start using the new CRM for your sales efforts?
Buyer: Because of those growth plans, we really need a better way to manage the sales pipeline. So we’re looking for a solution more or less immediately.
The example above showcases how the Sandler pain funnel can be adapted to suit each prospect’s specific situation and needs.
Conclusion: Elevate Your Sales Conversations with the Sandler Pain Funnel
The Sandler pain funnel offers a powerful approach to building trust, rapport, and uncovering customers’ true pain points. By adopting a consultative, question-based method, you’ll not only close more effectively but also build stronger relationships with your prospects.
Thinking of implementing the Sandler pain funnel in your sales process? Zenith City News recommends Gong’s revenue intelligence platform. With AI capabilities, Gong helps identify high-value deals and provides insights into conversations between reps and prospects. It’s the perfect tool to ensure your team follows through on the Sandler methods you teach them.
To learn more about the Sandler pain funnel and access a comprehensive list of pain questions, click here: Zenith City News
