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7 Ways to Stop "Selling" & Start Building Relationships |
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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But all these outdated sales messages fail to address the core issue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 think about 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 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."
------------------------------------------------------------
With a Masters Degree in Instructional Design and over a decade of
experience creating breakthrough sales strategies for global
companies such
as UPS and QUALCOMM, Ari Galper discovered the missing link that
people who
sell have been seeking for years.
His profound discovery of shifting one's mindset to a place of
complete
integrity, based on new words and phrases grounded in sincerity, has
earned
him distinction as the world's leading authority on how to build
trust in
the world of selling.
Leading companies such as Gateway, Clear Channel Communications,
Brother
International and Fidelity National Mortgage have called on Ari to
keep
them on the leading edge of sales performance. Visit
http://www.unlockthegame.com to get his free sales training lessons.
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