Do you have a phone phobia? Are you fond of making excuses just so that you can’t get on the phone? Why are you afraid?
I used to be so scared of picking up the phone primarily for the fear that they’re going to reject me or they’re not going to like what I have. Lo and behold, what do I get every time I got on a call? Rejection. That got me depressed. I had gone to work still but that didn’t make me want to pick up the phone and had all these kinds of excuses just so I can’t make calls.
Right now, I still realized I have these distractions that I tend to put in place that prevent me from being a really effective seller. The problem is we tend to put so much pressure on ourselves to get a yes that prevents us from doing well that’s why we really don’t know how to handle the no.
How much time do you spend prospecting?
One of the main reasons people are afraid of prospecting is the fear of rejection. It’s that anticipation that limits you from doing it.
Key Questions to Help You Create an Effective Prospecting System:
- What do you do avoid prospecting?
You’re actually going to be able to find a trigger. There’s something in this process that triggers you.
- When do you avoid prospecting the most?
Let’s say you get distracted in the morning and don’t get started. Adjust that and replace it with a workout for instance to get your endorphin excited and make you ready to get started in the morning.
- What do you feel you’ve missed out on because you’re not prospecting as much?
And what are you missing out on? It could be a lot of different things – money, key opportunities, promotion, etc.
- What are the things you’ve done to resolve it?
Then identify the things you’ve done to solve it. Too often. Sellers know the problem but they don’t do anything to fix it. It’s not only evident in sales but in all aspects of life as well. Therefore, you need to be able to identify what are the things you need to do to solve them.
Check out these stats from a survey conducted to salespeople:
- 51% of salespeople said they’re afraid customers will reject them and then say no
- 22% said they’re afraid of upsetting the customer by coming across as pushy or aggressive
- 18% said they’re not making the sale and reaching their goals
- 9% said they’re concerned their product was not right for the customers
What are the qualities of great salespeople?
- 30% – willingness to face rejection
- 22% – the ability to close sales
- 18% – communication and negotiation
- 5% – product knowledge
When it comes to dealing with prospecting in sales, which is most difficult?
- 27% – making the initial contact/call
- 37% – following up afterwards
Key Points:
Give the prospect the opportunity to say no.
Keep going until they say no because you need to get to the core of what the clients want. The reason we stop is first, we feel inferior.
Never make the decision for the prospect.
We often think prospects think the way we do. We think the price is too high so we end up making the decision for the prospect. Again, never make the decision for them. Let them make the decision for themselves.
Episode Resources:
Go for No! by Andrea Waltz and Richard Fenton
Create interactive presentations that customers will enjoy and remember. Get a full demonstration of Prezi Business and see the power it has in action. Just go to www.prezi.com/TSE to help you tell more compelling, value-driven stories to your prospects.
Get a free audiobook download and a 30-day free trial at audibletrial.com/tse with over 180,000 titles to choose from for your iPhone, Android, Kindle or mp3 player.
Register Today
Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS