Resistance Training

What was the quickest rejection you ever got? 2 minutes into your call? 1 minute? 15 seconds?

Resistance comes in many forms in sales. Buyers may resist from the beginning of the presentation to the very end. And yet by using some simple steps we can reduce this resistance to increase our sales performance.

Many people make sure their gym workouts and exercise regimes include using resistance training. It's good for you. Encountering resistance during the sales process can also be good for you. It lets you work your sales muscles, enabling you to become a stronger sales person.  Too much resistance may not help you achieve your goals, though. Plan for resistance in advance and you can help eliminate or reduce it.  Create a planned presentation that takes into account, step by step, all concerns and objectives your prospects may have. Look at every point in the sales process. Examine them and look for ways to make it easy for a prospect to say "yes" to you. Here, then, are 12 steps to decrease resistance and increase sales:

Sound confident

Your voice gives you away.

Rehearse names beforehand

Nothing says I don't know you faster than a fumbled name.

Do your homework

The number one complaint buyers have about sales people is that they don't know enough about the targeted buyer or even their own products

  

Phase your words positively.

There's a big difference between saying "If you order an additional 25 I can drop the price to ___" and "You don't need another 25, do you?"

   

Listen

People will tell you everything and more if you let them.

Ask questions to discern needs

 Use open ended questions to generate information. Open ended questions start with words like who, what, where, when, which, why, and how.  Use closed ended questions when you need to get "yes" or "no". Closed ended questions start with word such as: is, are, can, may, have, and do.

  

Listen

Go back and re-read it what I wrote two steps back. It's that important

Propose solutions based on buyer needs

If you've listened, this should be easy. If it's not easy, there may not be a good fit between your product and your prospect. If you're looking for a long term relationship, sell only to needs. You'll make more sales in the long run.

 Listen some more

I see a pattern here. Remember, the seller should always talk less than 50% of the conversation.

Ask for agreement

Don't forget to ask for the order. When you ask for agreement, the "yes" from the buyer closes your sale. A "no" says you've more work to do.

  

Follow up

You'll close as many sales on the 8th try as on the 1st.

A positive attitude

If you think you can, you will. It's a simple tool but it works.

If you think in terms of decreasing resistance, if you build it right into your presentation, you'll find it easier to get "yes's". You increase your sales when you decrease resistance.