Boost your sales with the CAB method

Definition

The CAB method is a sales technique allowing effectively structure sales speeches, by quickly and clearly identifying the elements that will convince your prospect. It follows a specific framework based on three concepts that form its acronym:

• specifications
• Benefits
• Benefits

Of course, be careful not to forget the basis of the sale: Ask questions. This method is a classic taught on Akimbo Bootcamp to become a Business Developer.

Acronym: Characteristics, Benefits, Benefits

The CAB method is based on three terms: characteristics, advantages and benefits. Each of them represents a lever that will make it possible to identify the customer's motivations and building the sales pitch.

The characteristics

The CAB method will use product characteristics to convince potential buyers.

By “characteristics” we mean everything that goes allow you to define your product and therefore what can facilitate the identification of your offer by the customer. To do this, it is imperative that you know your offer perfectly. You can present a feature or an attribute of your product/service, which you will always describe in a factual way (its size, weight, duration, taste, a specific service or even a manufacturing material).

In this part, it is necessary not to get emotional and to stay within an objective framework. Be careful to stay clear and not overuse jargon.

The advantages

Thanks to the characteristics that have been specified in advance, the seller will be able to highlight the benefits that will be provided to customers, if they accept the offer. By advantages, you should ideally integrate the unique added value of your product, which will distinguish it from the competition and thereby convince your interlocutor.

The benefits

It's hard to tell the difference between benefits and benefits. However, there is indeed a subtle nuance whose meaning is important to grasp. By benefits, we mean the return on investment (ROI) that the offer will provide to prospects or customers. It could be counted in temporal terms as numeric, and then related to a pecuniary value.

It will then be a question of relying, in a way, on the emotional aspect of the sale, in order to have a more powerful argument. The salesperson must imagine and present the benefits that the customer can derive from the offer.

These three terms are placed at the heart of salespeople's arguments in order to transport the customer or the prospect in comfort and security, promoting adherence to the offer. Making connections between each of these axes will strengthen the arguments and make the sales speech more fluid.

Note that some also use CAP instead of CAB, replacing “Benefits” with “Proofs”: Namedropping, social proof with satisfaction figures, etc.

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Apply the CAB method

The daily method

The CAB method can be applied in commercial negotiations but also during the prospecting phase, or even in marketing. It can also be used to establish product sheets or even to optimize SEO sites on the web. The advantage of this method is that it arouses the customer's desire thanks to strong levers and specific arguments. To be truly effective in using this method, perfect knowledge of the offer as well as the identification of customers are required. Collecting information in advance on the expectations of potential buyers can be a real asset to discuss the good advantages and the benefits corresponding to expectations.

Forces

The strengths of this method are numerous and should not be overlooked. Indeed, this technique is concise, simple and particularly complete, because it is based on reliable and factual levers. Objectivity counterbalances emotion, creating a balance in discourse, thereby solidifying the sales strategy. Hence the value of pre-pitch qualification.

In addition, the CAB method is also intuitive and quick to implement since it is based on logic and common sense. The salesperson organizes his arguments in such a way as to make his speech more fluid. Thus, the preparation is less and the execution is efficient and often successful.

Weaknesses

The CAB method is risky. You need to understand your prospect precisely in order to deduce solid benefits that really make a difference for your interlocutor. If the benefits are stated incorrectly, the contract may not be concluded. Indeed, the prospect can say to himself: “I do not want “benefit 1”, so this product is not for me”. Hence the value of pre-pitch qualification.

In addition, the method requires training and time to apply it correctly.

At first, salespeople may have a tendency to confuse advantage with benefit. It is therefore necessary to concentrate well to distinguish these two axes of the CAB method.

Finally, many salespeople absolutely want to use their CAB method using their favorite arguments. However, they often end up getting lost and missing out on the real added value for the prospect.

Selling with the CAB method

Application example

To guide you in carrying out this method, here is a practical example:

specifications : “Our product is a web marketing data management platform, combined with a 24-hour follow-up service.”

Benefits : “It will make it possible to digitize all your administration and to centralize it, making it accessible to all operators in your company, from the marketing team to the sales team. In addition, it guarantees considerable security concerning your data storage.”

Benefits : “Thanks to our solution, you will save your HR team 10 hours of work per month. And €5K per year to your business.”

Exercises

To practice using the CAB method, you can participate in workshops or even take an object at random and try to identify the characteristics, advantages and benefits that may result from it during an acquisition. Likewise, during meetings or interviews, have fun using the CAB method by first presenting the main characteristic of your idea, then what it can allow (benefit) and what will be the positive effects of your action.

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Tips

We often see the same mistakes made when it comes to the CAB method. Here are a few that you can easily avoid:

• Adopting overly technical vocabulary

The most common mistake is using overly technical vocabulary. Instead of providing relevant information to your target audience about the characteristics, advantages and benefits of your product or service, you are losing their attention. The ideal is to adopt a simple and accessible vocabulary, while providing useful information.

• Oversell a product or service

Do not use more arguments than necessary. “Overselling” has never improved your results. Indeed, excess information, overvaluation or justification will not have any effect on your target. The objective is to remain simple and relevant in your explanations.

• Not taking into account the needs of the target

Taking into account the needs and buying motivations of the target is an essential element in building a sales pitch. In practice, they allow your prospect or customer to project themselves into your solution and to feel listened to and understood. Otherwise, the speech is ineffective. Presenting the benefits, and evidence will have no impact and the sale may not be successful.

• Do not update your sales pitch

The needs and expectations of your target are likely to evolve, as is the context of your offer. Therefore, it is essential to update your sales pitch regularly. The objective is to adapt your speech to maximize your chances of convincing the customer or prospect and boost your sales results.

In general, try to truly understand the challenges of the offer and what it could bring to the customer. This method requires some mastery, do not hesitate to train or follow a training course. Chez Akimbo, we offer negotiation and prospecting learning sessions to become familiar with this technique and understand how to use it correctly.

CAB or not CAB: What are the best sales techniques?

The CAB method provides a basis for building a sales pitch. Sometimes the method itself may be lacking in detail. Initially, it is advisable to master the Spin Selling investigation method in order to clearly identify prospects. In addition, a product or service can have several advantages. Using the SONCAS method to identify customer motivations can be very useful. In this way, define the benefits and advantages of your offer that best correspond to their needs and motivations.

Sales techniques are often complementary, so don't hesitate to use them simultaneously.

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