When we confirm someone’s commitment to buy, we
don’t close anything. In fact, we open the relationship and the flow of goods and services. They move from prospect to customer, and we move from seller to provider. The relationship opens and grows. Stop asking, “Did you close that guy?” and start asking, “Did you confirm the sale?” Try it; you’ll get used to it. We can also rephrase our approach to “overcoming objections.” When people resist buying, it doesn’t mean that they object to
buying...yet. It simply means that they aren’t ready or convinced at this time. If they feel the price is too high, that isn’t an objection; it’s a concern that we can address. In buying, there are several legitimate concerns one might have: price, value, reliability, service, delivery, etc. These concerns are common to all buyers. They become objections only when we push so hard that we become an adversary. Selling should never degrade to that point. We need to cultivate a partnership right from the start, which will allow us to collaborate with our prospects to help identify the best buying decisions. We can address all their concerns while they are simply concerns and long before they could become “objections.” Call it “eliminating resis- tance to buying” if you wish, but please don’t call address- ing a client’s concerns “overcoming objections.” You may be thinking that this is much ado about noth- ing, but consider that sales decisions are influenced by words and images. If we give the impression, even non- verbally, that we are the aggressor, then we will generate resistance. If we think of new calls as being cold, then we will dread them. If we decide to close our sales, then follow through will be overlooked.
It is time we cleaned up our sales language. Let’s start making new calls, confirming sales, and resolving concerns instead of falling back into the ways of selling in the Indus- trial Era. There is a much happier and more profitable way to sell: relationship selling.
CHECK OUT The Sales Closing Book
VIDEO: WHAT CEOS SHOULD EXPECT FROM THE SALES TEAM, WITH JEFFREY FLAMM
SELLING TIP
Friendly, Not Forceful, Gets the Sale In “Gaining Rapport, the Key to Friendly Bargain- ing,” an article by David Richardson, the motivational speaker, consultant, and author shares these tips on gaining your client’s confidence before you make a presentation.
If you can get your client comfortably yet firmly within the “buyer’s box” during your opening discussions, you will both be in the best frame of mind for friendly bar- gaining and a successful sale. The buyer’s box consists of four sides: 1) Attitude: show lots of enthusiasm and focus your mind on achievement, not money.
12 | MAY 2015 SELLING POWER © 2015 SELLING POWER. CALL 1-800-752-7355 FOR REPRINT PERMISSION.
2) Sincerity: warm up the selling relationship by creat- ing an atmosphere of mutual help, and listen to how the customer answers your questions.
3) Competence: prove through your statements and questions that you’re a consultant and an educator, not just a product pusher.
4) Establishment of needs and goals: pinpoint exactly what clients need, want, and expect, so you can tailor your presentations to them personally. If you have matched your tone and tempo to your
prospects’ voice and mirrored their posture during these steps, your clients will be at ease and ready for a friendly bargaining session.
– SELLING POWER EDITORS
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