Look for context of the prospect’s problem
The context of the prospect’s problem provides important details about the nature and importance of the problem. Make sure you understand the context in which the problem occurs before you move on in discussing the solution. A prospect tells you they had a flat tire this morning. Say something more than “I’m sorry to hear that.” Find out the context of the flat tire in the prospect’s life. Where did the flat tire occur? Was it on a busy street? Did they get help fixing the tire? Was it a nail or a pothole? Did they call for help? Did help arrive on time? Did it make them late for a meeting? How did it impact their day? How did it impact their goals? Did it create further problems for them? Can you imagine the opportunities that can be created by having this additional information? Maybe you can recommend a better route for the prospect to drive. Maybe you know a car repair service that could have helped. Maybe you have a solution that can help them get back on track with their goals for the day or solve problems the flat tire created. Get the context of the problem and not just the problem itself.
Don’t trade what you want the most for what you want now
Don’t trade what you want the most for what you want now. As human beings, we have two kinds of goals – short-term and long-term. In the short-term, we may want money to pay this month’s bills. In the long-term, we may want to retire to a home on the beach near our favorite golf course. Typically, short-term goals require less effort than long-term goals. We may need to close 5 new deals each month to pay our bills. However, we may need to close 15 new deals each month for several years in order to purchase that dream home. Make your focus next week your five, ten, or twenty year goals. How can you change your sales efforts today so you can achieve your long-term goals tomorrow? Don’t trade what you want the most for what you want now.
Act same way on every sales call
Act the same way on every sales call. The optimal salesperson knows the most effective process to close deals. They know they need to do sales steps A, B, C, and D, in that order, every time. Consistency. No exceptions. The moment you begin to allow exceptions is the moment your process falls apart. You don’t think you need to do step B for a particular prospect? You are likely to think you don’t need step B for the next prospect either. Or the prospect after that. Your entire sales process will break down. Therefore, it is essential that you act the same way on every sales call, regardless of the uniqueness of a particular sales opportunity. Act the same way on every sales call.
Be Curious
Be curious when the prospect says something you don’t understand. Many salespeople say “I don’t know” when they are asked why a prospect responded in a certain way. “I don’t know” doesn’t close deals. In fact, saying “I don’t know” about something a prospect has said is an excellent way to lose a deal. Your prospect has a real pain deep in their mind. Something frustrates them like nothing else does. You have to find what that real pain is. Unfortunately, the prospect isn’t going to say “Here is my real pain.” They are going to hide it from you – either deliberately or subconsciously (perhaps because they don’t know what it is themselves). You have to be curious. You have to ask questions. If a prospect says something odd, that’s an open door to explore deeper into their thought process. You explore by being curious. Ask questions. Find why on earth they just said the thing they said. Curiosity is the first step to asking the right question to get you to the real pain.
Go For a No
No is the second best word in sales. The worst is thing is a no preceded by a whole bunch of put-offs. When the prospect gets stuck or goes silent on you the best strategy is to go for a no. the video explains the wording but the strategy is to gently and respectfully suggest to the prospect that since we are not moving forward, they must have decided that it is over and therefore you are closing the file. If you are committed to getting either moving forward or getting a no at this time then you are happy either way. You have one less person who wasn’t going to buy to follow up with or you have moved the prospect forward. The side benefit is that you have a healthier more accurate pipeline. To make the technique work you have to be willing to let go of a prospect you might previously had high hopes for.
Beware of Personal Presence
Body language speaks louder than the words you utter and your beliefs affect your body language. If you want to be more persuasive, project a stronger image. If you want to project a stronger image you he to have a strong belief in yourself and what you are saying. Any self-limiting beliefs you have will detract from your belief in yourself and what you are trying to get the prospect to believe. So in order to be a more effective at persuading, you need to understand your hidden self-limiting beliefs and work to overcome them. in that way the prospect will get a stronger “pre-sense” of who they are dealing with.
Value is in the eyes of the buyer
Find out what the buyer values and then communicate how your product or service will deliver that value. Imagine you are selling cars in a land where it rains all the time. Every one of the cars you are selling has a sunroof because your marketing team determined it’s cool to have a sunroof. There isn’t a single buyer in this land that wants a sunroof. A buyer walks in the door, looking for a car that will handle well in the rain. However, you immediately show how the sunroof opens and closes. “It’s cool!” You’ve lost the buyer. He is out the door heading to the next auto dealership down the block, looking for a car that is safe to drive in the rain. Put aside what you and your marketing team have determined the buyer should value about your product and service. Go into meetings with prospects with a blank page and write down what they value!
Ask “is that alot?”
What good is a statistic if there is no context? A player scores 92 goals in a hockey season. Is that alot? Do the best players score around 120 goals in a year? Did the player have a subpar season? The player’s scoring feat only has meaning if we have the context of the goal totals of thousands of other players who have played in the league. Similarly, if a prospect says that her revenues will go up 10% this year, that statement only has context if you know how her revenues have gone up or down in the past 5-10 years. Without context, you might think – “hey, 10% sounds good. She has the money to buy!” However, if you asked her “is that alot”, she might tell you revenues typically go up 20% and she is concerned. She is hesitant to make new purchases. The Optimal Salesperson asks “is that alot” when a prospect shares a statistic. The Optimal Salesperson knows that asking for context by asking the “is that alot” question is an essential selling skillto close sales and increase business.
Convince Yourself First
Convince yourself first of the value of what you offer before trying to convince the prospect. Salespeople always communicate their confidence, whether they like it or not. Our body language, facial expressions, and tonality tell the truth about what we believe. If we believe the products and services we represent really aren’t the best value for the prospect, the prospect will pick up on that. When you go into a meeting with a prospect doubting the solution you have to offer, you are essentially begging the prospect to look at the competition. Get yourself excited about your offerings. They solve problems! They deliver solutions! They add value! They make a difference! What you have to offer is better than the competition! With that belief system firmly established, your body language, tonality, and facial expressions will sell the prospect, perhaps far better than anything you say.
Look for reasons to Disengage
Put your time and effort into prospects who are actually interested in your solution. A prospect that is truly going to buy your product or service will look for reasons to engage you in conversation about what you have to offer. They won’t miss a deadline. They won’t forget to follow through on a commitment. They won’t continuously reschedule meetings. They won’t be too busy and then fail to follow up. If you sense you are getting the brush off, you probably are. Be pessimistic. However, take charge! Ask the prospect to clarify their interest in your solution. If they demonstrate an interest, become optimistic and work to close the deal. If they affirm their lack of interest, say goodbye. Move on to the next prospect, the prospect who loves what you have to offer.