If the internet is the great equalizer with regard to sales, then what is the role of sales and the salesperson? The role—and the real value of the salesperson—is to disrupt conventional thinking. 

The salesperson who merely shares with the customer information the customer can gather on her own from the web is no better than a newspaper in today’s world. A newspaper contains information, not unlike the type of information the reader could find on the internet. But unlike the internet, the newspaper contains only static (non-changing) information.

If “static information” describes what your salespeople offer, then you have to question their ability to influence the customer. The number of customers relying upon salespeople is decreasing, due to how many are now buying from the internet. In light of this, it is vital that salespeople bring greater value to the equation.

The real power of sales emerges when a salesperson is a disruptive thinker—and uses this to impact the customer. It’s your objective to be the one to disrupt the customer’s thinking. At the core of disruptive thinking are questions and your level of confidence to challenge the status quo.

Business is cyclical, and each time a business cycles, processes change, new markets emerge, and existing ones fade away. Our role as salespeople is to be the one to help customers understand this, regardless if we sell in a B2B or B2C environment.

Our ability to disrupt a customer’s thinking begins when we create a level of confidence in the customer’s mind. To do this, we have to demonstrate sales leadership. Again, this is done best by being able to communicate with the customer in a manner that gets them thinking.

Customers have options. The level of competition has never been greater, and the only thing certain is the number of options and the level of competition is only going to increase. If this is the case, then all the more reason you need to be seen as a “disruptive.”   

When you challenge conventional thinking, you now have the ability to earn a seat at the customer’s table. If the customer doesn’t want you because of the way you challenge and practice disruptive thinking, then they are most likely a customer you don’t want. Why? Because the customer who is not willing to be challenged and explore new levels of thinking is a price-focused customer.

Someone who is price-focused is only going to buy from you based on price, and as soon as someone else comes along with a better price, they will leave you. 

This makes disruptive thinking such a valuable process to you as a salesperson, because it allows you to not be sucked into the world of price-oriented customers. They will reject you before you reject them. To me, that alone makes disruptive thinking worth it. There is nothing more valuable than your own time, so not having to spend it on price-oriented customers is a real gift.

At the core of disruptive thinking is asking questions that challenge the norm. If you’re a salesperson, what are the 5 questions you can ask a customer that will get the two of you thinking about broader possibilities? If you’re a sales manager, what are the 5 questions your salespeople should be asking?  

Your goal with disruptive thinking is to first be seen by the customer as an irreplaceable source of knowledge and insight. Second, you need to uncover new business opportunities the customer has yet to realize. 

Mark Hunter, “The Sales Hunter,” is author of High-Profit Selling: Win the Sale Without Compromising on Price. He is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability. He was named one of the Top 50 Influencers in Sales by Top Sales World.  To receive a free weekly sales tip and read his Sales Motivation Blog, visit www.TheSalesHunter.com. You can also follow him on Twitter, on Facebook and on LinkedIn.

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