You will know if you are falling into the product trap if:

* When you are having a sales conversation, you are passionate about your products and services.

* Your sales conversations are focused around telling people about your products and services. You think that the more they know about your products and services, the more they will see how great they are and want to buy them.

* Your marketing materials and website are all about your products and services.

* You define yourself and what you do by your products and services.

If you are selling for a company, it is highly likely that the company has fallen into the product trap too. Take a fresh look at all their marketing materials to see if the focus is on their products and services. Another sign is that they focus on giving you product training so you know all about the features and benefits of all their products.

So what is wrong with the product trap you may ask? Well if you, or the company you work for, have fallen into the product trap, there will be a direct negative impact on your sales results. Also, selling will be a lot harder than it needs to be. This is because, if you have fallen into the product trap, you will consequently be selling the wrong thing. You will be selling your products and services and your products and services are not what people buy.

People do not buy your products and services. They buy an outcome that they want and your products and services simply play a part in delivering that outcome. You don't buy a drill because you want a drill. You buy a drill because you want the outcome, the hole, which the drill delivers. Similarly people want to buy an outcome from you. Hence to make it easy for them to buy an outcome from you, the first thing you can do is to stop falling into the product trap.

So if you are falling into the product trap (and you are definitely with the majority if you are) here are some tips for getting out of it:

* Get passionate about the outcomes and end results you achieve for your clients. To do this, brainstorm the outcomes and end results your products and services produce. Also ask your clients about the outcomes and results your products and services have produced and the difference they have made. Spend the time to get really connected to these outcomes as the more you get connected, the more passionate you will become.

* Find and learn a simple sales process that is focused on selling an outcome versus products and services. If you have such a sales process you will automatically avoid falling into the product trap.

* Change your marketing materials and website so that they are focused on the outcomes you produce versus your products and services.

* Define yourself and what you do by the outcomes you produce.

If you are selling for a company that has fallen into the product trap, ask for outcome focused marketing materials. In the meantime avoid giving your prospects any product focused marketing materials. Also, when your company is giving you product feature training ask what outcomes and end results these features produce.

In summary, first recognize if you are in this product trap and then if you are, commit today to taking immediate action using the tips above to get out of it. My promise to you is that you will see an immediate impact on your sales results and you will close more sales. It really is that simple.

(c) 2008, Tessa Stowe, Sales Conversation. WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEBSITE? Yes, you can, provided you include the copyright statement and the byline below. All links must be made live.