Think about the prospect. Don’t sell to them, they want to buy!
As Jeffrey Gitomer said way, way back in Episode 1 of The Sales Evangelist,
“People love to buy but they hate to be sold.”
And we all know this to be TRUE. We hate to be sold. You don’t say you got sold, right? Rather, you say you bought this car. You bought this and bought that. You were not sold. It is therefore important that we do not put this on the prospect with a mindset of selling to them.
Again, remember the Platinum Rule:
“Treat others the way that they would like to be treated.”
So you see, it’s not all about you. It’s not just about making the sale and getting your commission. Change that mindset.
- Can you get your client what they want?
- What can you do to get your client this solution that’s going to solve this big headache in their organization?
- What can you do to help this individual get the right apparel for this business meeting?
Think like your prospects.
If you can think like them and you could offer something a prospect according to what they want, NOT what you desire to give them then you will reap greater results in the end.
As Maya Angelou says,
“People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Strategies for successfully engaging with your customers:
- Listen.
This is one of the greatest ways to show that you’re listening to them. What do they need? What do they want? Can you help them with? Bring up something they’ve mentioned before. This shows them that you really indeed listened to what they said and that you’re genuine about helping them.
- Make eye contact.
This makes you genuinely connect with your prospects and it shows you’re paying attention to them and that you care.
- Set the rules before you play the game.
Many customers already have their guards up thinking that you’re selling them something. Therefore, find a way to let them know that you’re not there to sell them something if they’re not into it.
Shatter this barrier and ask your prospects to tell you that you’re not a good fit if they feel so. And vice versa, respectfully ask them if you could do the same if you deem that it’s not a good fit.
This way, you’re framing this conversation in a way that you’re giving them an opportunity to get out of this right away if it’s not a good fit. There is still this window of opportunity here since they could either refer you to somebody else or you could refer them to someone else who could solve their problem. This then shows your clients how genuine you are and that you care for them.
Bottom line: Make sure they know you’re there for their best interest.
Episode Resources:
Go back and listen to TSE 001 interview with Jeffrey Gitomer
The Sales Evangelist Interview with Patricia Fripp
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