BASELINE SELLING WEEKLY TIPS

The Enemy in Sales

Most salespeople do not properly identify the real enemy they face each day.  They mistakenly believe that they are fighting their competition, themselves, their prospects, the economy, their pricing, and a myriad of other issues.  In reality, there is only a single enemy, which often masquerades as one of those other issues I just named.  The enemy is....resistance.

Once you know who/what the enemy is, it is much easier to combat the enemy.  So what should you do?  The opposite of what most salespeople do most of the time.  In most cases, when faced with resistance, most salespeople fight it by offering reasons, logic, features, benefits, explanations, counter points, arguments, proof, facts, figures, references, demos and corrections.  What's wrong with that?  It makes your enemy - resistance - stronger!  And besides, people don't buy logic - it's intellectual - they buy emotionally!

So if you can't come back with all of the arguments you have always responded with, what can you come back with?

Agreement.  Just say, you're right. It lowers the resistance.  It defeats the enemy.  It sets the stage for selling.  And as long as you understand that the most effective method of selling is asking questions, then after you agree, simply ask a question, like, "why did you say that?"

Then you'll be on the right track and your prospect soon be more receptive to what you are selling.