Sometimes we can all use a friendly reminder to keep us from
backsliding into old ways of thinking about selling that lead
us down the wrong path with potential clients.
I was inspired to write this article after a few coaching
sessions with a client named Michael, who sells a technology
solution. Michael had been struggling with a mental block about
how to detach from the traditional sales thinking he had learned
from old-school sales "gurus".
You know who they are. You may even have some of their books
or tapes. And you know their sales messages too: "Always be
closing," "Think positive, and you'll overcome all your cold
calling fears," "All you need to boost your sales is a few new
sales techniques."
But all these outdated sales messages fail to address the core
issue of how we think about selling. And unless we get to that
core, and change it once and for all, we'll go on struggling
with the same counterproductive sales behaviors. We'll go on
experiencing the same difficulties and frustrations. And we'll
continue to believe that we're always just one new sales
technique away from the breakthrough we're looking for.
New Thinking = New Results
Maybe it's time to take a different approach. Maybe we need to
seriously analyze our sales thinking so we can identify why
we're not making more sales. Take a look at the table below and
thinkabout your current selling mindset. How would your selling
behaviors change if you changed your sales thinking?
Traditional Sales Mindset: Always deliver a strong sales
pitch.
New Sales Mindset: Stop the sales pitch -- and start a
conversation.
Traditional Sales Mindset: Your central objective is always
to close the sale.
New Sales Mindset: Your central goal is always to discover
whether you and your potential client are a good fit.
Traditional Sales Mindset: When you lose a sale, it's
usually at the end of the sales process.
New Sales Mindset: When you lose a sale, it's usually
right at the beginning of the sales process.
Traditional Sales Mindset: Rejection is a normal part of
selling.
New Sales Mindset: Sales pressure is the only cause of
rejection. Rejection should never happen.
Traditional Sales Mindset: Keep chasing every potential
client until you get a yes or a no.
New Sales Mindset: Never chase a potential client -- you'll
only trigger more sales pressure.
Traditional Sales Mindset: When a prospect offers
objections,challenge and/or counter them.
New Sales Mindset: When a potential client offers objections,
uncover the truth behind them.
Traditional Sales Mindset: If a potential client challenges
the value of your product or service, you must defend
yourself and explain the value.
New Sales Mindset: Never defend yourself or what you have
to offer -- it only creates more sales pressure.
Let's take a closer look at these central Unlock The Game™
concepts so you can begin to open up your current sales thinking
and become more effective in your selling activities:
1) Stop the sales pitch -- and start a conversation.
When you call someone, avoid making a mini-presentation about
yourself, your company, and what you have to offer. Start with an
opening conversational phrase that focuses on a specific problem
that your product or service solves. If you don't know what this
is, ask your current customers why they purchased your solution.
One example of an opening phrase might be, "I'm just calling to
see if you'd be open to some different ideas related to lowering
the risk of any computer downtime you may be having in your
company?" Notice that you are not pitching your solution with
this opening phrase.
2) Your central goal is always to discover whether you and your
potential client are a good fit.
Let go of trying to "close the sale" or "get the appointment" --
and you will discover that you don't have to take responsibility
for moving the sales process forward. If you simply focus your
conversation on problems that you can help potential clients
solve, and if you don't jump the gun by trying to move the
sales process forward, you will find that potential clients
will actually bring you into their buying process.
3) When you lose a sale, it's usually right at the beginning of
the sales process.
If you believe that you lose sales because you make a mistake
at the end of the process, take a look back at how you began
the relationship. Did you start with a presentation? Did you
use traditional sales language like, "We have a solution that
I believe you really need" or "Others in your industry have
bought our solution, so you should consider it as well"?
When you use traditional sales language, potential clients can't
help but label you with the negative stereotype of "salesperson."
This makes it almost impossible for them to relate to you from a
position of trust. And if trust isn't established at the outset,
honest communication about the problems they're trying to solve,
and how you might be able to help them, becomes impossible too.
4) Sales pressure is the only cause of rejection. Rejection
should never happen.
Rejection happens for only one reason: Something you said, as
subtle as it might have been, triggered a defensive reaction from
your potential client. Yes, something you said. To eliminate
rejection, simply shift your mindset so that you give up the
hidden agenda of hoping to make a sale. Instead, everything you
say and do should stem from the basic mindset that you are there
to help potential clients. This makes you able to ask, "Would you
be open to talking about issues you might be having affecting
your business?"
5) Never chase a potential client--you'll only trigger more
sales pressure.
"Chasing" potential clients has always been considered normal
and necessary, but it's rooted in the macho selling image that,
"If you don't keep chasing, it means you're giving up -- and
that means you're a failure." This is dead wrong! Instead of
chasing potential clients, tell them that you would like to
avoid anything that resembles the old cat-and-mouse chasing
game by scheduling a time for your next chat.
6) When a potential client offers objections, uncover the truth
behind them.
Most traditional sales programs spend a lot of time focusing
on "overcoming objections." These tactics only put more sales
pressure on potential clients and also fail to explore or
understand the truth behind what the potential client is saying.
When you hear, "We don't have the budget," "Send me information,"
or "Call me in a few months," do you think you're hearing the
truth, or do you suspect that these are polite evasions designed
to end the conversation?
Rather than trying to counter objections, you can uncover the
truth by replying, "That's not a problem" -- no matter what
clients are "objecting" to -- and then using gentle, dignified
language that invites them to reveal the truth about their
situation.
7) Never defend yourself or what you have to offer -- it only
creates more sales pressure.
When a potential client says, "Why should I choose you over your
competition?," your first, instinctive reaction is probably to
start defending your product or service because you want to
convince them to buy. But what do you think goes through your
potential client's mind at that point?
Something like, "This 'salesperson' is trying to sell me on why
what they have to offer is better, but I hate feeling as if I'm
being sold." Rather than defending yourself, try suggesting that
you aren't going to try to convince them of anything because
that would only create sales pressure. Instead, ask them about
the key problems that they are trying to solve, and then explore
how your product or service might solve those problems --without
ever trying to persuade.. Let potential clients feel that they
can choose you without feeling "sold."
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