{"id":24319,"date":"2020-04-15T09:52:44","date_gmt":"2020-04-15T15:52:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vendasta.com\/blog\/?p=24319"},"modified":"2026-01-09T22:23:14","modified_gmt":"2026-01-09T22:23:14","slug":"consultative-selling-strategy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vendasta.com\/blog\/consultative-selling-strategy\/","title":{"rendered":"Consultative Selling Strategy: How to Research a Lead and Develop the Right Questions"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Consultative selling is all about creating meaningful relationships. And every meaningful relationship is built on trust.<\/span><\/p>\n

In order to establish trust with potential customers, you have to show that you care about them and understand their problems.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You can show empathy by doing the right research and asking the right questions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In this post, we focus on the research phase of a consultative selling strategy. We\u2019ll outline the information you need to gather, where to find it, and how to put it all together to ask the right questions.<\/span><\/p>\n

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[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”What is Consultative Selling?” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

What is Consultative Selling?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Consultative selling is a sales methodology that focuses on providing solutions to a customer\u2019s needs. This approach is based on getting to know the customer and their pain points instead of simply introducing them to your products or services. The goal is to create healthy customer relationships that turn into loyal customers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In our <\/span>main guide<\/span><\/a>, we go into greater detail about the four stages of consultative selling and provide useful selling tips. In this post, we\u2019ll learn the strategy behind this sales method and how to implement it in your business.<\/span><\/p>\n

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What is a Consultative Selling Strategy?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

A consultative selling strategy is the plan behind a needs-based selling approach. At Vendasta, we have a four-stage strategy that includes demand generation, research, asking questions, and solving problems. An effective consultative selling strategy includes all of these stages plus best practices on how to accomplish each step.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We can write novels about lead generation. However, this guide focuses on the strategy that\u2019s implemented after a lead has been nurtured and is ready with their problems.<\/span><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”How to Research Before a Consultative Sales Call” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

How to Research Before a Consultative Sales Call<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Once you have a lead, it\u2019s time to prepare for the call.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This is the second stage of the method, the research phase of a consultative selling strategy.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Research is how we learn about the people and businesses behind \u201cleads.\u201d But it takes more than just learning names and mapping locations.<\/span><\/p>\n

So what is consultative selling research?<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s gathering the information and knowledge that will help you build trust with a prospect.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019ve broken down this information into four main categories:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Personal and business information<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Place in the buyer\u2019s journey<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Business and competitor insights<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Product knowledge<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Personal and Business Information<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Before you talk to a prospect, it\u2019s important to know the basics. Personal and business information you should always have before a call includes:<\/span><\/p>\n