Prospects lose interest in your pitch for many reasons. So before they do, use it to meet more and higher level people to generate shared interest.
Prepare Yourself
1. Your attitude has to always be, “Get to the leaders.” A prospect’s interest doesn’t mean much if you haven’t talked to the leader. Subordinates can be helpful, but don’t expect them to sell your offering to their bosses. It requires effort and risk for a questionable reward for them.
2. Whenever you approach an opportunity or prospect, ask (in your own words), “Who else will be involved and who do those people report to?” You can’t depend on your contact to generate interest in all the other people who will have a say in the purchase. If your contact is interested, get him or her to introduce you to the other people.
3. Always think and always say in your own words, “It's important that I know who the leaders are and I get to them.” It’s important that you do. Believe it and think it. If you do, you’ll ask those contacts to introduce you because you want to make the sale. You can not be reluctant to ask. What’s the worse that can happen? If they say, “No,” ask, “How come?”
4. Believe that you can and believe that you will get to the leaders. Then it will happen and you’ll have the opportunity to interview the ultimate decision makers. You know you can get to the top. Consider when you were losing a sale and you got to the leader person to plead your case. Well, get there early and you’ll become the winner, and no one will be able to change that.
Tak’n It to the Streets
5. When the prospect shows signs of interest, ask immediately, “Who else would also have to be interested?” You want him to divulge info while he’s still anxious for more of your presentation, and before he shuts you out with, “I’ll get back to you.” If he refuses to tell, ask him what his concerns are. Obviously he’s not sold yet and wants to keep you back until he is. His answer to the concerns question will tell you what else you’ve got to do to win him over.
6. When the prospect wants the pricing or a presentation, always say to yourself or your associates, “This decision will be made at a higher level and if I give all the information to this subordinate, I’ll never get a chance to make a case to the real decision makers.”
7. Now practice with a real person. Practice is what makes people great. What will you say when s/he shows interest? What will you’ll say to that contact to side step giving the price? “Before I quote or present, I’d like to talk with these people to understand their expectations to make sure I’ve got everything included.” For a presentation say, “Before I present, I’d like to talk with these people so I can be sure to cover what they’re interested in.” And after either say, “Will you arrange that?”
Practice these before every sales call so that you’re conditioned and ready to respond when they come up.
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Sam Manfer is the leading expert on selling to CEO’s and other influential people – doctors, gov’t officials, etc. Sam is a sales strategist, entertaining key note speaker and author of TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADER$, The Complete Guide to C-Level Selling. That is, getting to and influencing top level decision-makers. Sam makes it easy for any sales person to generate quality leads, and become a 70% closer. Grab your FREE E-Books, Videos, Articles and other Advanced Sales Training Tips at www.sammanfer.com
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