Business ideas

I’ve been experimenting with a new approach to disarm my prospect.  Seems to work well for either the prospect or the gatekeeper.  In fact, out of dozens of calls, I’ve so far had a 100% success rate of getting through to the decision maker (or voicemail at least).  And every one I connected with was a substantial conversation.

Usually in sales we feel that we need to be polished and professional.  You know, suit and tie, perfectly styled hair, a shiny new car.  But maybe, just maybe people see past that.  They intuitively know you are just another regular person.  You’re probably just showboating hoping to get the sale.

Guess what...people want to relate to people, not Enrico Suave!  So, instead of trying to impress them (especially gatekeepers), enlist them.  When you make a phone call, or even a face-to-face, don’t flash your bling, act kind of dumb.  Ignorant.  Be slow.  Take your time.  I’m not sure why this works.  But it seems that when you are struggling, people have compassion and want to help.

Here’s how a phone call goes for me when I get the gatekeeper:

Speaking very slowly  “Hi Mary. My name is Rob and I’m calling with Company.  I’m wondering, who is the person who deals with your Product?

Many times Mary doesn’t know if I’m buying or selling. The key is to be somewhat vague about who you actually are looking for.  When Mary isn’t sure who, she’ll ask, “Do you want Product or are you selling Product.”

Respond, “Yes.”  Now, she’s a bit more confused but thinks it’s because you are slow.  She’s yours.  She now is trying to solve a problem that you have.  You sound confused and unsure what you want.  You have tapped into her sympathy.  Mary will now try to help you find the answer, if only to get you off the phone!

The problem with most salesman calling is they speak quickly and abruptly.  The receptionist didn’t even catch your name or company.  She is totally on edge now.  Try beating down that iron wall!

The tempo of the call goes the same once I get to the actual prospect. I carefully restate who I am and who I’m with.  I’ll usually ask something about them, like local weather, their day, or recent news about their company.  Then I go into why I’m calling in one or two sentences.  The whole time, I speak slowly and deliberately.

This slow talk doesn’t make them disrespect you.  Sure a few people may be rushed, but human nature doesn’t allow them to hang up.  They are compelled to let you finish.  The longer you can keep them talking, the better.

And don’t answer every question!  You’ve got a whole lot of knowledge about your company and industry.  And you’ll want to spew all over them.  Don’t!  Resist the urge to flash your knowledge.

My brother is working at a company where they are laying of dozens of people every few weeks.  He knows he is safe from the cuts.  Why?  Because he created some machinery that no one else knows how to work.  And he ain’t telling anyone!

Same goes with you.  Your prospect will keep you around if you don’t know everything.  When they ask a specific question, maybe about pricing or product specifications, tell them, “Let me get a firm answer on that and get back to you.”

This does two things, 1) Tells your prospect you are resourceful.  Even if you don’t know the answer, you can find it quickly; and 2) Gives you a good reason to get back with them!

Always withhold some small piece of information they want and give it to them next meeting.  You’ll never have to call “just to check in.”

I’m sure there are some deep psychological reasons why this works.  Maybe since you are not a know it all, they can relate better.  Maybe the slow speech sounds un-salesy.  Maybe they are tired of being pitched all day and you sound like someone who will listen instead of just talk.

Whatever the reasons, it’s working.  I’ve been using it for a couple weeks now with outstanding results.  And I’m going to continue.  Tap into the sympathy of your prospects, speak slowly, and enfranchise them to help you solve a problem.

Get more great ideas to sell better at www.accidentalselling.com. Get access to my complete ebook titled, "Accidental Selling."

I’m passionate about sales, marketing, and business strategy. Nothing thrills me more than seeing people and businesses thrive. I spend a lot of time thinking, observing, and writing about my experiences in the trenches of the entrepreneurial battlefield. Hopefully, some of the stuff I've learned can help you!~Robert Schneider | http://www.AccidentalSelling.com | http://www.VisionPipeline.com

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - The Sympathy Sale - The Best Sales Technique I Bet You've Never Used