Kelly’s Korner – Fearless Selling
Q: What is the biggest hindrance to making a sale?
A: Most of the time, a customer’s or presenter’s fear will stop the sale in progress.
A customer may fear being taken advantage of, or he may be afraid of losing status within a peer group, or fear losing money or time. As a presenter, it is in your best interest to identify the customer’s motivating fear before you begin your presentation. The time you take to build the customer’s trust during the building rapport / greeting phase of the sale will help you allay the customer’s fear that may surface during the presentation.
You can build trust with good FORM – finding out about the customer’s Family, Occupation, Recreation, and Motivation.
F – Family. Find out about the customer’s family. How many people travel with the customer? Where do they live? Who will be driving the vehicle? Will the vehicle be used for business or family transportation?
O – Occupation. Where do they work? How long have they been employed there? What do they like about their chosen field of endeavor?
R – Recreation. What do they like to do when they are on vacation? What gear do they haul with them? What activities do they enjoy?
M – Motivation. What is the customer’s buying motivation? Can you flag the fear that could stop the sale? Are you prepared to address the fear in your presentation?
Some people fear failure. They will not place themselves in any position where their loved ones will think they made a poor choice about anything. No decision is as good as any decision; in fact, no choice is better. In this situation, the customer’s fear of deciding will stop the sale unless the presenter can use proof statements to verify the value of the product or service the customer is considering and thus reassure the customer that their buying decision has merit.
For those who must be the star of every gathering, fear of losing status within their peer group can impede the progress of a sale. The presenter can overcome this fear by convincing the customer that the widget the customer wants to buy is a “must have” item that will make them the envy of their peers.
For customers who have little personal time, time becomes their most valuable commodity and cannot be replaced. When this customer believes their time is being wasted, they take the path of least resistance, ask for the bottom line, sign, and leave the property — often without the very plan that in the end could give them more personal time.
Presenters can also experience fear that hinders a sale in progress. Fear of failure, fear of appearing foolish when trying a new sales approach, or even fear of success (!) can be deal stoppers. FEAR along the road to a sale is nothing more than False Evidence Appearing Real. Failure isn’t fatal. Foolish doesn’t factor in genuine effort. Success brings opportunity. So stash your fears in a special box in your desk drawer and leave them there. Then set about improving all the facets of your FORM. Identify the customer’s motivation prior to presenting. Try a new approach and ask for the business.
Good Luck and Good Presenting.
“Kelly’s Korner” Column, OIADA Squeaky Wheel Newsletter, April 2006