Giving your customers what they want is the most basic principle of selling. Still, everybody at one time or another has dealt with a salesperson who simply didn't listen to their needs. Taking time to truly understand the customer will not only help you close the deal today, it'll keep them coming back in the future.

Sell Benefits, Not Features
The biggest mistake salespeople make is in focusing on what their product or service is. Rather, it's what it does that's important. A health-food product contains nutrients that are good for the body. That's what it is. What the product does is make the customer thinner, more energetic, and able to accomplish more with less sleep. Always concentrate on how your product will benefit the customer.

Focus On The Second Sale
Nearly 85 percent of all sales are produced by word of mouth. They're the result of someone telling a friend or associate to buy a product or service because the customer was satisfied. Therefore, concentrate on developing future and referral business with each customer. Everything you do must be aimed at the second sale. Ask yourself: Will this be such a satisfactory experience that my customer will buy from me again or tell his friends?

Ask A Broad Range Of Questions
Ask questions that require more than a "yes" or "no" response, and that deal with more than just costs, price, procedures and the technical aspects of the vehicle. Most importantly, ask questions that will reveal the prospect's motivation to purchase, his problems and needs, and his decision-making processes. Don't be afraid to ask a client why he or she feels a certain way. That's how you'll get to understand your customers.

Probe Deeper To Better Understand Your Customers
If a prospect tells you, "We're looking for low price and fuel efficiency," will you immediately tell him how your product meets his need for cost-savings and efficiency? A really smart salesperson won’t - he or she will ask more questions and probe deeper: "I understand why that is important. Can you give me a specific example?" Ask for more information so you can better position your product and show you understand the client's needs.