SWSWSWN
Jerry L. Kennedy | TLT Selling Points February 2012
Learn it. Love it. Live it.
Watch your frame of mind. Don’t get so caught up in what you’re saying that you neglect the client.
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THIS IS THE LAST IN OUR SERIES OF ARTICLES ABOUT GETTING TO “YES.” By now all your preparation is done, and you’re ready to present your solution by converting your prospect into a client.
I know you’re probably used to referring to this part in the sales process as “closing the deal,” but I’m really going to encourage you to change that to “convert” in your mind.
Closing conjures up images of hard-selling and manipulation. You’ve invested far too much time and effort to revert to those tired old methods now. The second a prospect feels like he or she is being closed, your chances of getting a “yes” are seriously diminished. Normally at that point the prospect drops back into
maybe mode. You don’t want to drive them there when you’re almost to the finish line.
Closing also has a note of finality that shouldn’t exist in a selling situation. In very few instances will this be the only time a prospect has a need for your product or service. If you close the deal and quickly move on to your next prospect, you
might miss out on future opportunities. Make sure to form a relationship by converting your prospect into a client, though, and you’ll be the one they call next time.
When presenting your solution, make the atmosphere comfortable for your prospect. Remember, uncomfortable prospects don’t buy. The more relaxed you are, the more relaxed your prospect will be. You’ve got all the information you need, and you’ve created a perfect solution, right? There’s nothing to be nervous about!
Make the presentation a conversation. Don’t be so caught up in what you’re saying that you neglect the prospect. Ask questions, engage the prospect and make it a two-way interaction. Asking questions during the presentation is a sure-fire way to uncover anything that might have been overlooked during your discovery phase.
Now comes the easy part—conversion.
Yes, that’s right, conversion is the easy part—once you’ve gathered all the necessary information, created a perfect solution and presented it to the prospect. In fact, I really believe there is only one question you need to ask after your presentation: Does this make sense to you? If you’ve done all your homework properly, there’s a pretty good chance the answer will be “yes,” at which point all that remains is to complete the paperwork.
If the answer is “no,” chances are pretty good that you’ve missed something critical along the way. It may have been a question that you didn’t ask or you may have misread the prospect’s decision-making modality. Don’t panic! Simply start asking questions again. The whole point is to (1.) re-engage in a conversation, (2.) discover what you missed, (3.) make any necessary adjustments and (4.) set up a time to present again.
What about those times when you haven’t missed anything and the prospect still says “no?” It happens. Sometimes, for whatever reason, the answer is going to be no. Maybe the prospect has a brother-in-law in the business and getting your input was just a formality. Or maybe something in your personality rubbed him or her the wrong way. Whatever the reason, “no” happens. Would you rather have a
maybe? I didn’t think so!
What you should do is pick yourself up, dust yourself off, have a good cry if you need to and move on! I love the phrase SWSWSWN, and I repeat it to myself often. It means Some Will, Some Won’t, So What, Next! Adopt that philosophy, learn to love “no,” and you’re guaranteed to succeed.
Jerry Kennedy is owner of Inside Out Business Solutions, a sales and customer service training organization. To learn more sales strategies, visit Jerry’s blog at http://jerrykennedy.com or you can reach him at jerry@jerrykennedy.com.