It never ceases to amaze that typical sales Reps still believe they can preach & pitch to win business. They don’t get the new paradigm shift – research, study, write, practice and then make the call. In fact, one of the biggest fallacies is that the more a Sales Rep continues about their solution, they distance themselves further from the mind of an Executive, especially a Sr. Executive decision maker. Hey, it’s not about your or the product! Let the prospect be in control and they will make the deal happen 2-3X faster.
Why the Executive Decision maker or any prospect isn’t listening.
It’s because you are talking and talking and forget to not just listen but to actively listen. Putting your heart into it. There is not a prospect on the earth that does not want their Sales Reps to listen and to listen better. After all, they are buying and you are selling. Let’s have you do this from the inception in the cold call on the phone to the end of the cycle at the close. It’s the old adage, “listen and the prospect will close themselves.”
I listen from the very beginning of saying “hello”. It sets the tone for a meaningful and constructive conversation, not forbid, a pitch. It’s the best and only way to diagnose pain and begin a strategy to deliver a solution with value to that pain. It is essential so you can ascertain if they are being truthful to you and have the ability to use and implement your solution. Also, listening from the beginning sets your stage for your end-to-end sales cycle, no matter how long it will be; whether in weeks or years.
Once you listen and learn the Decision Makers true business strengths and weaknesses(free “gifts of Knowledge”), both from them working at the company and for them personally. If you don’t listen, it will be very hard to sell to their strengths or close the gap from their weakness or shortcoming. This is the foundation to STOPPING Objections before they surface because you understand the prospect’s landscape and bring up the obstacle before they do. This gives you a significant advantage.
If your prospect’s gone dark, there’s a good reason.
Let’s face it, we were off message and they distanced themselves from us. WHY would they want to be sold and be sold the wrong solution? If they are confused about your ability to listen, diagnose and prescribe, then they can go dark on you. That means no communication. Not a good thing. It’s possible you started talking about something completely irrelevant to their environment or condition? Maybe you’re just not leaving them any opportunity to respond or ask questions; let alone in a meaningful way?
The best way to correct this is to take on a new habit! Try pausing every few minutes to ask your decision makers if they understand you and what you’re conveying? Get then involved and engaged! Just give them the chance to express their fears, concerns, anxieties…after all they work in a company not in a void.
Are you still telling them what to think and not listening how you have to think?
It’s in the quality not the quantity. That’s what my daughter has been saying since she was 8. She is now 24! It’s critical to get your decision maker (prospects are good, decision makers are better), talking as much as possible so you’re familiar with their beliefs, issues, even personalities. Eventually you will need to talk more, but once you get a clear sense of the pains of your decision maker, you will be on your way. But before that point, be careful and remember to give and not to speak to soon and take their information you have not earned to right to have.
Do your research and be ready to LIISTEN and when you speak, make kit meaningful and purposeful. It will make a huge difference in your pipeline and closes. Count on it!
What do you do next? Send us an email and we’ll arrange for you to speak with Ed to chat about how these learnings can help build more sales just for your business