In my work helping corporations improve the effectiveness of their sales forces, I consistently run into three situations that I am beginning to believe challenge most companies.
Many sales people are unable to:
- Determine if a sale is achievable before investing too many resources.
- Stop selling and start helping their prospective customer.
- Manage objections without creating a win/lose environment.
While every sales situation is somewhat different, there are some constants that can help every sales person be more effective dealing with these challenges.
Determining if the Sale is Achievable
The only connection of prospecting to sales is that it proceeds the sales process. It is the systematic gathering of information to determine if a sale is possible. At the very least, your suspect must have a NEED that your product or service will fulfill. Secondly, your suspect must be a DECISION MAKER or at the very least a DECISION INFLUENCER. Finally, your suspect must have the RESOURCES (money, time, space, expertise, etc.) to implement your solution if it is an appropriate fit.
So, the basic mission of an effective prospector is to obtain that information in order to determine whether or not to invest more of their personal and organizational resources. If any one of those three elements is missing it is time to move on and stop chasing deals that will not close. Only when all three are present does your suspect become a qualified prospect.
Stop Selling and Start Helping
Nobody wants to be sold but almost everyone welcomes help in deciding whether or not to buy something. A professional sales person’s mission is to help prospective customers to decide whether not their product/services meet the customer’s needs or wants. So start by mentally redefining your mission. You are in the decision-getting business while your prospect is in the decision making business.
Here are four tips that will help: a.) give the customer 100% attention rather than trying to get their attention, b.) respond to the customer rather than trying to get the customer to respond to you, c.) prove that you understand the customer, do not tell them you understand d.) respect their right to a different point of view than yours during the conversation. By giving them respect you will gain their respect. A word of caution, respect does not mean you agree if you don’t. You can respect another’s point of view without compromising your integrity.
Managing Objections
For too many sales people objections have become a game of “If I can prove my point will you drop yours?” That almost always sets up a win/lose scenario and that is a game no customer wants to play. Again this requires a change of mindset. Start thinking about objections as your customer saying, “I can’t get there. This (the objection) is standing in the way. Can you help me get by this obstacle?
If the objection is apathy, your object is to find out what the customer cares about and then see if you product/service can help with that.
If the objection is a complaint, the customer is saying “help me”. Find out what would help and then demonstrate how your product or service could help resolve that problem.
If the customer is apprehensive, they need the perceived risk minimized or eliminated. Reposition your approach to do just that by adjusting quantities, time, decisions that fit into the customers definition of safe or less risky.
If the customer tells you “No”, immediately stop what you are doing, prove that you respect their current point of view and investigate the reason for resistance. Done right, a “No” in the sales interaction becomes either “No not that way” or “No for now”.
If you customer is skeptical, they need proof. The key here is determining what type of proof the customer would accept and them simply provide it.
With these types of responses to the typical objections, you’re actually creating a win-win situation for both you and your customer. You are well on your way to earning their respect and establishing a working relationship that will elevate you above simply a vendor and provide a sustainable competitive advantage for years to come.
Patrick Malone, a Senior Partner with The PAR Group, has more than 35 years experience in operations, customer service, and sales management. Before joining PAR as a senior consultant in 1989, Patrick worked in a variety of management roles including Vice President - National Sales Manager for American Greetings Corporation and The Scott Companies.
As a key member of the PAR team, Patrick has trained and consulted throughout the world with a wide range of organizations including The American Cancer Society, Banfield-The Pet Hospital, Coca-Cola, Delta Air Lines, DuPont, Ft. Dodge Animal Health, Hewlett-Packard, International Securities Exchange, Novell, Sensient Technologies, Siemens Medical, SOLAE, The United Way, and Verizon Wireless.
A frequent speaker at industry and management conferences, he has presented and spoken before the Mississippi VMA and the Delaware VMA; The Veterinary Schools at Mississippi State University, Tufts, Iowa State University, Florida, Louisiana State University, Minnesota, the Frontline Forum at American School of International Management; Argosy University; the business schools at Kennesaw State University and Georgia State University; The American Society of Training and Development; numerous Universities; Project Management Institute; Association of Information Technology Professionals; Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association.
Educated at John Carroll University, Patrick is a member of the CEO Action Group of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, Blairsville Chamber of Commerce, Legislative Subcommittee, Small Business Growth Council and the Professional Services Executive Roundtable. He has also served as the National Board President of The Compassionate Friends (TCF), Inc. an international support group for bereaved parents and is a former Trustee of the TCF Foundation. He is the President of LMMA Inc a non-profit motorcycle awareness organization. Patrick is the co-author of the new business book "Cracking the Code to Leadership" and many business articles appearing in Leadership Excellence, The New Learner, The Voice Magazine, Open to Hope just to name a few.
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