Martyn R. Lewis, Author, How Customers Buy…& Why They Don’t.

As Peter Drucker so notably stated, “The purpose of business is to create a customer”. Drucker went on to tackle the notion that to provide a return to shareholders is akin to breathing for the human body. Just as you must breathe to live, so must a business make a profit and a return to its shareholders. But just as the purpose of life is more than breathing, the purpose of business he argues, is more than making money. The purpose is to create a customer, because what do you have without a customer? You might have a fine research center or a noble philanthropic organization, but you don’t have a business.

John Asher, CEO, Asher Strategies

When most elite salespeople meet a new buyer in person, they will follow a simple three-step process:

1. Build rapport by getting the buyer to talk about what they want to talk about.
2. Perform a robust, disciplined needs analysis to understand the buyer’s needs.
3. Offer a solution that is a perfect fit.