uct or service? You don’t have five years to prepare them – they need to take action now. And you certainly aren’t going to buy them something of equal value once they commit. Well, here’s an idea: lead with their need if you want to succeed. When you’re asking for a big com- mitment, it can’t be all about the mon- ey or the deadline. It must be about doing something very good for them that is worth paying a lot to acquire. What do they need? The simple answer is a solution to something – that’s where you should focus if you want the sale.
Become their partner in problem solving – not just some expensive salesperson. Show them you un- derstand their situation. Let them see how you have weighed other alternatives before suggesting this solution. (Don’t just say you have; show them.) Provide evidence that assures them that cheaper ways to fix things will not provide the out- come they can rely upon. Above all, listen to them and show them that you are listening.
As a child once wisely said, “Lis- tening is wanting to hear.” If they can’t see that you are truly trying to understand their problem and their financial challenge, they won’t trust that you are acting in their best in- terest. So show them you care. And help them consider the options as to how to solve things.
For example: “Jason, I know it’s a shock when an unexpected expense like this comes up. It’s almost never an expense you had planned for and your first reaction is usually to say, ‘Surely there’s a cheaper quick fix for this!’ Unfortunately, today, that’s not the case. But let me show you spe- cifically why this is the right solution for you.” (Then walk him through the diagnosis and prescription – plus the guarantee that it will work.) Once customers are comfortable that they are in better hands with you than with a competitor, they will be more likely to accept your
proposal. But they need to see and hear some of the details in order to rely on you. Don’t focus on the money. Instead, focus on what they need: a quick and complete solution that will not come back later to cost even more.
The next time someone gives you
that breathless look of shock and the deer-in-the-headlights reaction at a large quote, just repeat this mantra in your mind: lead with their need if you want to succeed.
Jim Cathcart is a hall of fame professional speaker and the original author of Rela- tionship Selling. See his video lessons daily on
Thrive15.com/acorn.
SELLING TIP Questions, Questions
When prospects balk, some reps react by rattling off more information or counter-arguments. But, when dealing with objections, often a simple question can spark a useful dialogue. Here are some common objections and questions to crack them.
• Objection: “I’m not interested.” Question: “May I ask why?”
• Objection: “I need more incentive.” Question: “What kind of incentive are you looking for?”
• Objection: “I want to shop around.” Question: “Is price your main concern?”
• Objection: “The software we currently use suits us fine.” Question: “Are your customer complaints ever related to your software?”
• Objection: “Your competitor’s product is better.” Question: “Better in what way?”
• Objection: “It’s too big of a risk.”
Question: “What could our company do to make you feel more secure?”
Adapted from Sales Scripts That Close Every Deal: 420 Tested Re- sponses to 30 of the Most Difficult Customer Objections, part of The Selling Power Success Library (McGraw-Hill, 2007).
– LISA GSCHWANDTNER SELLING POWER APRIL 2016 | 13 © 2016 SELLING POWER. CALL 1-800-752-7355 FOR REPRINT PERMISSION.
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Good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision,
passionately own the vision, and relentlessly drive it to completion. JACK WELCH
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