The SEC method is a simplification of the SONCAS or SONCASE sales method. The aim is to simplify salespeople’s work so that they can concentrate on persuading the customer. Of all sales techniques, the SONCAS method is the basic one, used in combination with the others.
A reminder of the SONCAS and SONCASE methods
- Safety
- Pride
- New
- Convenience – Comfort
- Silver
- Sympathy for the product, service or salesperson
- Ecology – Environment
The SEC sales method
Many salespeople find it difficult to identify 7 different motivations, so it’s possible to simplify the method by grouping them into three groups of motivations.
Safety
Safety can be one of several motivations
- Safety itself
- Money for customers who want to save for security
Ego
By ego, of course, we mean the Pride motivation in SONCAS, so it can cover the following motivations:
- Pride
- Money: for the customer who wants to buy expensive to stand out from the crowd
- Ecology: many people put their ego first when using green products
Convenience
Convenience can include the following motivations:
- Convenience
- Comfort
- Sympathy for the product: the customer likes the product because it is easy to use or, quite simply, comfortable.
How to use the SEC method
As a seller, you must take the following steps:
- Identifier la motivation principale du client. Pour cela il est possible d’utiliser trois moyens.
- Identifier le type d’interlocuteur : souvent un directeur d’entreprise a pour motivation l’Ego, un utilisateur de produit préférera la commodité et un acheteur la sécurité. Mais il s’agit ici de généralités, il est bon d’aller plus loin pour identifier plus finement les motivations du client.
- Listening to what the customer wants is often enough to identify the right motivation.
- Ask a general question about the customer’s expectations, such as: “What’s important to you?
- Argue the main motivation identified
- Better still, structure your sales pitch using the SOS sales method or the SPIN technique.
In conclusion
Any novice salesperson knows that you don’t sell technical specifications, you sell benefits. But these benefits must be aligned with what the customer is looking for. A benefit that’s not aligned with the customer’s expectations can be seen as a disadvantage, so you need to show that your solution will enable them to achieve their dreams.
Jean-Pierre Mercier
