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InaccordancewiththeU.S.CopyrightActof1976,thescanning,uploading,andelectronicsharingofanypartofthisbookwithoutthepermissionofthepublisherconstituteunlawfulpiracyandtheftoftheauthor’sintellectualproperty.Ifyouwouldliketousematerialfromthebook(otherthanforreviewpurposes),priorwrittenpermissionmustbeobtainedbycontactingthepublisheratpermissions@hbgusa.com.Thankyou

foryoursupportoftheauthor’srights.

TomHopkins

Tomybeautifulandlovingwife,Michele,whosaidyestosharingherlifewithme.

BenKatt

ToKristina,mydearwife,whofaithfullystandsbyhersalesman.

Acknowledgments

The authors would both like to acknowledge and thank Judy Slack, VicePresidentofBusinessDevelopmentforTomHopkinsInternational,Inc.forherrole in keeping the communication flowing between all parties involved,coordinatingtheworkflow,andcopyeditingtheoriginaldraftofthismanuscript.

Special thanks, also, to the legions of sales professionals around theworldwho allow us to continue to practice our craft. Thank you for constantlychallengingustocomeupwithnewwaystohelpyoudothejobofservingyourclientswell.

Introduction:

WhatYouCanExpecttoGainfromThisBook

You won’t win every potential sales opportunity. Even the highest-income-earningsalesprofessionals inyour industrywalkawayempty-handedat times.It’ssimply thenatureof thebusiness.Onceyoureadilyadmit that,you’ll stoplookingfor themagicbullet forclosingeverysale.Thenyou’llbe in the rightframe ofmind to learn strategies that can help youwinmore sales than everbefore—includingthosewherethebuyersaysno,notoncebutmultipletimes.

Sellingisagame—asport—wheretheplayersprepare,dothebestpossiblejob they know how to do in the field, and take home the trophy of a closedtransactionfrequentlyenough tosatisfy theirdrives forsuccessanddesires foraccomplishment.However,whenpeopledon’twinoftenenough,theyleavethefield of selling—some battered and broken. The truth is that selling can be abrutalsportwhenyoutakeitonwithoutknowingtherulesandnuancesof thegame.

Thegoalofthisbookistohelpyousellvictoriouslymoreoftenthanyoudonow. On the one hand, these pages will delve deeply into the nuances ofpresentingproductsand services topotential clients.On theotherhand,you’lldiscoverhowtoquicklystepawayfromthegameinordertokeepyourmentalbearingsinthesalesprocess—andthenneverlosecontrolofasellingsituationagain.

Inshort, this isabookofstrategy.You’ll learnhowtouseasalescompassthat’scalled theCircleofPersuasion.With it,atanygivenmomentduring thesalesprocess,you’llbeclearaboutthenextstepyouneedtotaketostayonthepathtoaclosedtransaction.You’llalsobeabletomaketherightchoicewhenabuyerpresentsyouwiththeinevitable—andoftenunexpected—forkintheroadtoaclosedsale.

Thisbookwillnotcoverwhereandhowtofindnewbusinessorhowtogainconfirmed meetings with buyers. It won’t provide you with any follow-upstrategies,either. It is totally focusedon theactualsalespresentation, fromthe

momentyoubegin toestablish rapport towhenyourbuyergivesyou the finalyes.

Alwaysknowthat therecanbeanynumberof reasonswhybuyers initiallysayno to your offering.What youdowhenyouhear them say itwillmake aworldofdifferenceinyourlevelofsuccess.Infact,whenyoulearnhowtousethestrategiesinthisbook,you’llactuallylookforwardtohearingthewordno,not just once but several times in the selling process, because you’ll knowexactlywhateachnomeansandwhatyoushoulddoorsaynext.

Too often, salespeople allow selling situations to become uncomfortablewhenabuyerisresistantorhesitant.Theystarttofeelrejectedordefeated.Theymentally pack away their sales materials and start thinking about the nextappointment.Unfortunately, thosedefeatist thoughtsandfeelingsshowin theirdemeanorandattitude,andtheentiresalesprocesscomes toascreechinghalt.Theaverage salespersonendsup leaving those selling situationswithhisheaddownandhistailbetweenhislegs,aftermakingafarewellrequesttothebuyerforpermissiontostayintouch.

“Keeping in touch” is certainly better than being told never to contact thebuyeragain.However,justimaginehowtheaveragesalesperson’slifewouldbedifferent if, when he heard the buyer say no, he employed tactics to build abridgestraightbackintothesaleandanotheropportunitytoaskforthebusiness—with no uncomfortable pauses, no pushy or aggressive moves, nomanipulativemaneuvers.Itcanbedone.

Theanswerlies in thesepages.It’sbeenprovensuccessfulbythousandsofsalesprofessionalswhohavealreadylearnedandemployedthestrategieshere,anditallstartswiththeCircleofPersuasion.

Infact,thesalesprocesscanandshouldcontinueafterthebuyerinitiallysaysno.Anditquiteoftenleadstoyetanotherno.However,whenproperlyhandled,evenahalf-dozennosfromapotentialclientcanberedirectedandconvertedtoayeswithoutcausingharmtotherelationshipthat’sbeingforged.

Whenyou learnhowtoproperlyreengageapotentialclientafter the initialno,you’llgainrealconfidence,andthatconfidencewillshowinyourdemeanor—winningovermoreclientsthanyouhavebeendoingthusfarinyourcareer.

Thisisnotabookabouttheory.Itisaninstructionmanual.Readthesepageswith a highlighter, notebook, and pen. Give serious thought to how you canincorporate these strategies into your daily selling scenarios. Practice thenuancescontainedhereandthenreaptherewardsofaprosperousandfulfillingsalescareer.

TomHopkinsBenKattFall2013

SECTION1

TheBuyerSaysNo

1.TheBuyerSaidNo“Well, Jim, that new equipment you showed me sure is nice, butunfortunatelyI’mjustgoingtohavetosayno.”

“Weappreciatealltheinformationyou’vesharedwithus,Mary,butwe’renotgoingtodothisrightnow.”

Thosearetypicalwordsandphrasessalespeoplehearalldaylong,everysellingday. For average salespeople those words signal defeat. The gut reactionexperiencedwhenhearing themisan immediateoneof failureandrejection—somethingsalespeoplegothroughonaregularbasis.

Infact,sincerejectionsaresocommon,it’sawonderthatsofewsalespeopleanticipate hearing them and prepare to deflect the negative feelings they cancreate.Mostsalespeoplejustacceptthosewordsandthefeelingstheygenerateaspartofthesellinggame.

How often you hear the words and phrases above will depend on yourabilitiesandskillsasasalesperson.Butwhatyoudoandsayafterhearingthemwillmakeaworldofdifferenceinyourclosingratioandinyourpersonalbottomline.

GETTINGTO“YES”

Thisisabookaboutyes.Butthestartingpointisno.Thetruthofthematterinsellingisthatveryfewbuyerswillsayyesthefirst

time they’re asked to own a product or service. Yet, the irony is that mostsalespeoplearewillingtogiveupandacceptrejectionafterhearingthatfirstno.

Think about howyou feel,what youdo, andwhat you saynowwhenyou

readthewordsatthebeginningofthischapter.

•Doyoufeelthephysicaleffectofdisappointment?It’sthatsinking,let-downfeeling.Itcanbeatiredfeelingasyourformerlypumped-upsellingemotionstrickledownthedrain.

•Doyoumentallystopclosingandsimplymoveinto“Let’skeepintouch”mode,whereyoudecidewhattoleavebehindandwhattopackaway,thenfocusonyournextmeeting?

•Doyousay,That’sokay,Iunderstand,orI’lltouchbackjustincaseyouchangeyourmind?

That’showaveragesalespeoplerespond.Sothefirstquestionis,doyouwanttobeaverage—ordoyouwanttoencourageyourselftobecomebetterthanthat?

TWOKEYPOINTSTOBEARINMIND

Thefirstpointofthisbookistoconvinceyounottogiveuponthesaletoosoon.There’sstillawholelotofsellinglefttodoafteryouhearthewordno.

The truth ismostnos arenotdeadendsbut simply forks in the road.Asasalesprofessional,yourjobistobewellpreparedtoswitchfromyourintendedpathtothesaletoanewpaththatyourbuyermaychooseforyou.Youmustbeflexibleenoughtokeeptheprocessmovingtowardyouroriginaldestination.Inshort,thegoalremainsthesameeventhoughtheroutemaychange.

Thinkofthefirstnoyouhear(andpossiblythefirstfewnos)asnothingmorethanapotentialdetour.Believethatthere’sstillawaytomakethesaleandthatyourwell-trainedmindwillquicklyseekoutalternativeroutesorapproaches—especiallyafteryoufinishstudyingthisbook.

Typicalbuyerswillsaynoasmanyasfivetimesbeforesayingyestoowninga product or service.Many salespeople, when they hear that statistic, think itmeans that tobecomea topsalesperson,onemustkeepbadgeringbuyerswiththesameinformationuntiltheyfinallycavein.

Inasupersimplifiedform, they imagineaconversation thatgoessomethinglikethis:

Salesperson:“Wouldyouliketobuy?”Buyer:“No.”

Salesperson:“Areyousure?It’sareallygooddeal.”Buyer:“No.”Salesperson:“Webothknowyouhaveaneed for it.Andyou toldmeyouhaveroominyourbudget.”

Buyer:“No.”Salesperson:“Youcancountonustodeliverwhatwepromise.Weadvertiseon all the major TV networks and have been around for one hundredyears.”

Buyer:“No.”Salesperson:“Itincludesfreeshippingandyourchoiceofcolors.”Buyer:“No.”Salesperson:“At this price, they won’t last long. Now is the best time tobuy.”

Buyer:“Well…maybeI’llgoahead.”

This perception of selling situations explains why many salespeople shyawayfrompersistingintheirpersuasioneffortswhentheyfirsthearthewordno.Theydon’twanttoberudeoraggressive,buttheyjustdon’tknowwheretogowiththeconversationoncethebuyersaysno.

The second point of this book is to help you understand that thesuccessfulpersistencedemonstratedbytopperformersdoesn’tinvolveroterepetitionsofthesameinformation.

Eachnohasadifferentmeaning.Thus,each typeofno requiresadifferentapproach.

Top-producing salespeople explore each sales scenario from all angles,testingeachpossibilityuntiltheyfindawin-wincombinationthatworksforthebuyer and their company, or… they exhaust all the possibilities and leave thesalesappointmentwith thesatisfaction that they trulyoffered thebuyerall theoptionsavailabletomeetherneeds.

Theirtypeofconversationismorelikelytosoundsomethinglikethis:

Salesperson:“Wouldyouliketobuy?”Buyer:“No.”Salesperson:“Youmentionedearlierthatyouwereconcernedabouttakingdeliverybeforeyourbusy seasonbegins. Ifwecouldguarantee that youwillreceivetheproductbeforethen,wouldthatmakeiteasierforyouto

moveforwardtoday?”Buyer:“Well,thatwouldhelp,butIthinkwe’llstillholdoff.”(No)Salesperson:“Youalsoshowedinterestincustomizingourdeluxemodeltomeetyourspecificneeds. If Iconfirminwriting thatwecandeliver thatcustomization, would you agree that added value would pay for itselfduringyourbusyseason?”

Buyer:“Um,itprobablywould,butI’mnotsureourpeoplehavetheabilitytomaximizethefeaturesonyourproduct.”(No)

Salesperson:“Iamsogladyoubroughtthatup.Withthedeluxemodel,weinclude free video tutorials plus one year of online support. And I willpersonallymeetwith your teamafterdelivery toaddressany issues thatmightarise.Doyoufeel that isadequatesupport togetyour teamup tospeed?”

Buyer:“Probablyso…wejustdon’thaveitinthebudgetthisyear.”(No)Salesperson:“Fundingisanimportantconsideration.Ifwecouldworkwithyouonaschedulefortheinvestment,wouldthatmakeadifference?Forexample, what if we were able to spread the investment out over time?Whatamountwouldyoufeelcomfortablewithasaninitialinvestment?”

Buyer:“Hmm…Idon’tknow.Letmethinkaboutit.”(No)Salesperson:“Iunderstand.An importantdecision like thisdeservessomethought.Mr.Buyer, you’ve shown interest in the benefits of this productduring our time together. You’ve mentioned how this product wouldincrease your profits during your busy season by doingmore [state thebenefit]and[statethebenefit].Whatwouldneedtohappenforyoutofeelcomfortablewithmovingaheadtowardgainingthosebenefitstoday?”

Buyer: (Extended silence) “I guess I could put a down payment on thecompanycreditcard…”

Five nos and a yes. Do you see the difference in tone between the twodialogues?Intheseconddialogue,eachnowas,infact,notadeadend.Eachnowas actually a step closer to a yes, because the salesperson explored anotherdynamicrequiredbythebuyertosayyestoday.

Thisisabookaboutyes—aboutclosingmoresaleswhenyouareconfidentyour product will fulfill the buyer’s needs.No is being explored in this firstchapter, because that is the pivotal point in the sales presentation where thesalespersoneithercontinuesontowardayes—orsimplygivesupandendsthesalesappointment.

Thewordnoisaguidepost—notastopsign!

Ifyouletyourspiritssagatthefirstno,it’llshowinyourdemeanor.Oneofthemost important truthsaboutpersuasion is thatyoukeep fewsecrets fromyourbuyers.Inotherwords,

•Ifyoudon’tlikesales,yourbuyerswillknowit.•Ifyoudon’tbelieveinthevalueofyourproductorservice,yourbuyerswillknowit.

•Ifyoudon’tlikesomethingaboutyourbuyers,theywillknowit.

Ifyouhave indeedgivenupon the sale,yourbuyerwill sense thatyou’vegivenup.Ifsomeoneaskedthebuyerlaterhowheknewyouhadgivenuponthesale,heprobablycouldn’tsaywhy.But thereasonis thatyounonverballyandsubtly communicated that message to your buyer through your facialexpressions, posture, and gestures. That—and starting to pack up yourpresentationmaterials!

Asaresultofyournonverbalcommunication,yourbuyerlosesinterest.Whywouldabuyerloseinterestwhenyougiveuponasale?Buyersliketobuyfromconfidentpeople.Confidentsalespeoplecontinueexploringalltheoptionsaftertheyhearthewordno.Thatnegativeworddoesn’tfazethematall.

Besides,ifyounolongerbelieveyoucanmakethissale,youare,inessence,sayingyourproductorserviceisnotthebestforyourbuyer.You’llsoonbeonyourwaytomeetwithotherpotentialclients,withnothingtoshowforyourtimespentwiththebuyerwhomighthavemadeapurchaseifyouhadn’tgivenup.Inotherwords,when you give up, all you’ve accomplished is to warm thesebuyers up to making a purchase from the next salesperson who comesalong.

Handlingnoisnotatestofwillswhereyouhavetosteelyourselftoacceptthenosinsellingaschallengestobeendured.Effectivelyhandlingnoisamatterofpreparation,perspective,andattitude.Topsalesprofessionalsrisetomeetthechallengesthataccompanyeachnoandkeeppotentialsalesalive.

Ifnosweren’tanaturalpartofthesellingprocess,therewouldbenoneedforsalespeople.

EXPANDTHEPOSSIBILITIES

Whydon’tmoresalespeoplefollowalineofquestioningliketheoneillustratedintheseconddialogueabove?Onereasonisthatmanysalespeoplearenotawareof the full rangeof actions they can takewhenbuyers sayno. This bookwillteachyouhowtoexpandthenumberofpossibilitiesyouhaveatyourcommand.

Whatistheresultofhavingafullboxofsalestoolstoemploywhenbuyerssayno?

1.Youwillbemorerelaxedandsatisfiedwithyoursellingcareer.2.Yourbuyerswilllikeyoumore.Andthat’svitallyimportant.

Asyouwilllearninchapter6,thedeepertherapportyoumaintainwithyourbuyers,themoretheywilltrustwhatyousayandthelongertheywillcontinuetoexplore thepossibilitiesofbuying fromyouafter they initially“pass”onyourproductorservice.

Here’sasimpleexampleofcontinuingthesaleafterhearingno thatyou’veprobablyencounteredhundredsoftimes:Imagineyou’reinarestaurant.Astheserverstartstoclearawayyourdinnerdishes,heasksifyou’vesavedroomfordessert.Reflexively,yousayNo,thankyou,don’tyou?Agoodserverwon’tletthatbeyour finalanswer.He’ll smileandgoon todescribe ingreatdetail thefreshly baked apple pie with the superflaky crust, the ice cream sundae withstrawberries that were picked just this morning, and the seven-layer Belgianchocolatecakewithcreamcheeseicing.

Whathasheaccomplished?He’skeptyourattentionandkeptyour interestalive.Thenhe’llaskwhichwouldbeyourpreferenceifyouweregoingtohavedessert.

Since his descriptions allowed you to mentally experience each of thosedesserts in yourmind’s eye (and possibly got your taste buds activated), youmight askhow large a servingof the cake is.Whenyoudo,you’vegiven theserver an opportunity to expand upon the details, clarify your interests, andprobablyincreasehistip,becauseyouwillstarttothinkaboutsharingadessertwithsomeoneelseatyourtablealthoughinitiallyyouwerethinkingthatyouhadno room for dessert at all. You just want a “taste.” You begin to rationalizedigging into that dessert.Theopportunity for the server tomake a sale is stillalive.He’smorethanreadyandwillingtopresentyouwith thedessertyou’veindicatedwouldbeyourpreferenceandtoclosethatsale.

Hardtobelieve,buttheconceptsinthisbookreallyarethatsimple.When youmaster the strategies ofwhat to do andwhat to saywhen your

buyersaysno,you’llkeepmoreofyouropportunities tosellalive.Andyou’llcomplete the sale with a strong percentage of those opportunities while theaveragesalespeopleoftheworldwillhavegivenupandheadedoutthedoor.

CHAPTER1KEYPOINTS

•Whatyoudoandsayafterhearingnowillmakeaworldofdifferenceinyourclosingratioandinyourpersonalbottomline.

•Fewbuyerswillsayyesthefirsttimethey’reaskedtoownaproductorservice.

•Mostnosarenotdeadendsbutsimplyforksintheroad.•Typicalbuyerswillsaynoasmanyasfivetimesbeforesayingyestoowningaproductorservice.

•Eachnohasadifferentmeaning.Thus,eachrequiresadifferentapproach.

•Ifyouletyourspiritssagatthefirstno,it’llshowinyourdemeanor.•Whenyougiveup,allyou’veaccomplishedistowarmthebuyeruptomakingapurchasefromthenextsalespersonwhocomesalong.

2.WhatNoReallyMeans

Noisoneofthemostpowerfulwordsinallthelanguagesontheplanet.Itisthecatalyst for hundreds of emotional reactions. It canmake or break not only asale,butaperson’sday,month,oryear,aswellashavingamajorimpactonherlifeasawhole.

Here are just a few examples of the emotions people might experiencedependingonthemeaningofthewordno.

Relief:No,youdonothavecancer.Exhilaration:No,youdidnotfailthelicensingexamthistime.Sadness:No,wewon’tbetogetherfortheholidays.Happiness:No,wedon’thavetomoveawayfromthefamilyinorderformetotakethatbetterjob.

Dependingon the situation, somepeople experience tremendous fearwhenhearing it. In fact, the anticipationofhearing thewordno cancreate somuchanxietyinpeoplethatitcanbeharmfultotheirphysicalandmentalhealth.

Fearisanespeciallystrongreactionforthosewhoarerelativelynewtothefieldofsales.Notknowinghowtohandleno inasellingsituationkeepsmanysalespeoplefromeverachievinggreatnessintheircareers.Forthatreasonalone,it’scriticallyimportanttolearntoanticipatehearingitasearlyinyourcareeraspossible.Then,youcanprepareforwhathappensaftertheno.

Through education and preparation, you will learn how to turn nos intocontinuationsofthesalesprocesswhetherit’sthesaleof:

•atimetomeetwithpotentialclients,

•yourself,yourcompany,yourbrand,•youractualproductorservice,or•gettingclientstogiveyoureferrals.

Potentialclientswillrespondtoyourrequestsinoneofthreewaysmostofthetime:Yes,No,orMaybe.Inselling,amaybeistobetreatedasifit’sanountilitcanbeturnedintoadefiniteyes.Andayesisn’ttrulyasaleuntilbuyersactuallytaketheactionstepof:

1.givingyouacheck,2.approvingacreditcardtransaction,or3.providinganauthorizationonapurchaseorder.

Inotherwords,thebuyermusttakeactioninorderforasaletobecompleted.

Note: If your type of product sale requiresmultiple visits, the action youmay need thebuyertotakewouldbetoconfirmthenextstepinthesalesprocess—possiblyyournextvisit.

YES,NO,ORMAYBE

Canyouthinkofanyotherresponses?Therearehundredsofvariationsofhowbuyersgivethosethreeanswers,butthosearethethreebasicresponsesyouwillhearwhenyouaskbuyerstotakeaction.Soifthosearetheonlythreeresponses,whywouldasalespersonbecomediscouragedwhenhearingno?Certainly, it’smorefunandprofitablewhenbuyerssayyesrightaway,butifeverybuyersaidyes right away, wouldn’t companies simply hire order takers instead ofsalespeople?

As a salesperson, your job is a lotmore complex than presenting productsand takingorders.Your job is to act asbothadetectiveanda consultant.Thedetective in you searches for clues as towhat buyers reallywant to own.Theconsultantinyouthenguidesthemtoreachingthesameconclusionyoudidafterunderstandingtheirneeds—thatyourproductistherightsolutionforthem.

Hereisaquestionforyoutoconsider:whywouldanyoneagreetomeetwith

youandspendthetimetolistentoyourpresentationiftheyweren’tinterestedinthebenefitsofowningyourproductor service?Doyou listen topresentationsfrom salespeople about products and services that youhaveno interest in?Ofcourseyoudon’t.

It’stimetorethinkthemeaningofno.

RETHINKINGTHEMEANINGOF“NO”

In the English language, the word no can carry many shades of meaning. Itwouldbeafinanciallycostlymistakeforyoutoassumethat themeaningyourbuyersassigntothewordnoisthesameasthemeaningyouassigntoit.Someofthepossiblemeaningsofnoareasfollows:

1.Lingeringquestions:Insales,thewordnoveryoftenmeansthatthebuyerhasn’thadallofherquestionsorconcernsaddressedyet.Perhapsshe’sconfusedabouthowyourproductcompares to thecompetition’s.That’sachallengeyoumustbepreparedtoaddress.

Aconfusedmindsaysno.It’saninstinctive,protectivedeviceofthehumanpsyche.Ifthebuyerdoesn’tseeaclearwaytogowithregardtoyourproduct,he’lltendtoputoffmakinganykindofdecision.

2.Inadequateexplanationofbenefits:Ifyou’vedoneyourjobofqualifyingyourbuyerandareconfidentthatyourproductwillindeedserveherneedswell,a no just means you haven’t completed the client education process that’sinherentinselling.

Ifthisisthecase,notprovidingenoughinformationisn’tnecessarilyaflawin your presentation. Different buyers need different amounts of informationdelivered in differentways before considering a decision.Generally speaking,it’s better to give too little information and have buyers ask formore (in thiscase,by sayingno) than togive toomuch information and losebuyerson thebasisofinformationoverloadorboredom.

Trust your instincts during your presentations and closewhen you feel thebuyer has enough information to make an educated decision. If the buyer

consistentlyasksformoreinformationafteryourinitialclosingattempt,then itistimetomakeanadjustmentinyourpresentation.

3. Additional discovery is required: A no may mean that you need toinvestigate further to determinewhat aspect of your presentationwasn’t clear.Remember,aconfusedmindsaysno.Chapter9coversways tobemoredirectandpersuasiveduringyourpresentations.

4.Amisstepinqualification:Youmayneedtogobacktothequalifyingorneeds-identificationstepinthesalesprocesstobecertainyouarepresentingtherightproductforthebuyer’ssituation.Thisscenariomaybeduetoyourmissingsomethingwhenyouwereidentifyingneedsearlierinthesalesappointment.Italsomaybeduetoabuyerbeingunclearastohertrueneeds.

Becauseyourpresentationwaseffectiveineducatingthebuyeronwhatyouincorrectlyunderstood tobe theappropriateproductor service, thebuyermaysay no to your initial offering. The buyer may not be aware that you carryanother product that will meet her newly-realized needs. Only with furtherconversationcanyoudiscoverthisepiphanyandthenpresentthebetterproduct.

5. Unrevealed questions/objections: Perhaps the buyer hasn’t told youeverythingyetabouthiscircumstancesastoneedsandhisabilitytoaffordwhatyou’reoffering.What?Don’tbuyerstellyoueverythingupfrontthatyouneedtoknowtoofferawin-winopportunityandclosethesale?

Sometimesthisismerelyanissueoftrust.Oneofthemostpowerfultimestobuild trust is after a buyer says no. As mentioned above, buyers are oftenunaware of their real objections and questions until they start to becomeeducatedabouttheproductsandservicesthatprovidesolutions.Or,perhapstheyliketheproductbutnotthefinancialtermsyou’reoffering.Thepointisthatbyusing the proper selling skills, tools, and strategies in the correctmanner, youcancontinuetomovethesaleforwarddespiteinitialreluctancefromthebuyer.

6.Timing:Thebuyer’snomay just be away of slowing the sales processdown. Itmaymean “No, not right now.”Good timing is importantwhen youmakepurchases,sowhywouldn’titbeimportanttoyourbuyers?Bydiscussing

optionsintiming,youmaydiscoveratimeframethatisquiteagreeabletoyourbuyersevenifitisn’ttoday.

Ifyoubelieveyourbuyersaresaying“No,notrightnow,”itmaybebecausethey thought of going ahead at a future date (or they could just beprocrastinators).Yourjobistofindoutwhenisthebesttimeforthemtobecometrulyengaged,anddetermineifyoucandoanythingtohelpthemtakeadvantageofyouroffersoonerratherthanlater.

Youmaysay,“Iunderstandyou’rehesitant,Sue.Whendoyouthinkyou’dliketostarthavinggreaterpeaceofmindbyowningalifeinsurancepolicy?”Or,“Sue,basedonallthebenefitswe’vediscussedheretonight,whendoyouthinkyouwouldwanttotakeadvantageofthisprogram?”Suemayhavealargebillduethisweek,orshemayhaveareimbursementcheckcomingthatsheplanstouseforthisinvestment.Thepointis,youcan’tmovethesaleforwarduntilyouknowwhatistrulyholdingherback.

7.Features:Theirnomaymean“No,not thatsizeorcolor.”Whenhearingthose types of nos, well-trained salespeople will reflexively ask questions toclarifywhat the potential clientsmean.Youmight say something like this: “Ihear what you’re saying, Bob. To helpme understand a little bit better, whatwouldIhavetosayordotohelpyoustart takingadvantageof thebenefitsofthisnewequipmentthatyouseemtolikesomuch?”Bobmightjokinglycomebackwith“Youcouldtellmeit’sfree.”Thenyouknowthatthemoneyislikelythe issue. You then keep the sale moving forward by working on financialsolutionsforBob.

8.“No,notyou”:Withsomebuyers,thenoyouhearcouldevenmean“No,not you.” Please realize that with some product sales the buyers aren’t justbuyingtheproduct—they’rebuyingfutureinvolvementwithyou.Inmanycases,the salespersonbecomes thekeyconnectionbetweenbuyersand thecompany,and the buyers may just not have been “sold” on you. They may not feelcomfortable with your ability to serve their needs. You always have todemonstrateyourownlevelofcompetenceaswellasyourproduct’sbenefits.

Remember,peopleprefertodobusinesswithpeopletheylike.It’simportanttohelpthebuyerlikeyouandtrustyousohe’lllistentowhatyouhavetosay,

take your advice, and want to be involved with you in a long-term businessrelationship.

Therearemanyreasonsthatpotentialclientsmaysayno,butlackofinterestisprobablynotoneof them.Disinterestedpeoplewon’twaste their timemeetingwith salespeople and listening to presentations. So, when you have a buyer’sattention, it’s because she’s truly interested in knowing if you, your company,andyourproductcanresolveanissueorchallengeshe’shaving.Onceagain,thejob falls toyou to identifyordiscoverwhatherneedsandexpectationsareastheyrelatetoyourproductorservice.

Youare theonlyonewhocanultimatelydeterminewhateachnomeans ineverysellingsituation.Youdothatbykeepingtheconversationalivethroughtheuseofpreciselycraftedquestions.Byminingtheinformationyouneedtoknowinordertodetermineifandhowyoucanhelpthebuyers,you’llclosemoresalesthatpreviouslywouldhavegonebythewayside.

YOURREALJOB

Let’sgettotheheartoftheissue.Manysalespeoplethinktheyarepaidtogivesales presentations.Theymistakenly believe that the presentation is the singlemost important aspect of selling, and as a result theyput all of their time andattentionintogivingit.Theybelievethatwitha littlebitofsmall talkandonememorizedwayofpresentingtheirproduct,theycanbuildasalescareer.

Granted,givingagoodpresentationiscritical.Butit’sonlyoneaspectofthesalesprocess,anditneedstobeflexibledependingontheneedsofthebuyers.Unfortunately,fewsalespeopleunderstandthatshowingoffwhattheirproductscandoisnotreallyselling.

Presentingandthenexpectingthebuyerstowhipouttheircheckbooks,creditcards,orpurchaseordershasanameinthesalesindustry.It’scalled“wait-and-seeselling.”Salespeoplewhorelyonthattypeofsellingworkharderandearnlessmoneythanthosewhoarewillingtoinvesttimeindevelopingtheirskillsintheotherstepsofthesalesprocess.

Wait-and-see selling does not address the unique needs of each buyer.Instead,itleavesthebuyerfeelinglikesheishearingastereotypicalsalespitch.Thesalespersonthrowstheinformationather.Thebuyerhastocatchitandthensortitouttodeterminewhat’srelevanttoher.It’snowonderthatsomanybuyersareresistanttosalesefforts.

Thosesameunpreparedsalespeoplegivethereinsofthesaletothebuyerbynever asking questions, never getting to know the individual buyer’s needs,wants,fears,anddesires.That’scounterproductive.

Inselling,thepersonaskingthequestionscontrols—andleads—thesale.

Ifthebuyertakestheleadbyaskingquestions,hecoulddragthetopicalloverthe place. Salespeoplewill have a tough time knowingwhere they are in thesales process and whether or not they have imparted important productinformation.Theymaynevergetanopportunitytosummarizeandproperlyaskfor theorder. In short, they’ve lost control.Thewhole ideabehindproperandeffective selling skills training is to give salespeople the tools they need tocontroland todirect thesale—saving their timeand the timeof theirpotentialclientsandaccomplishingmoreofwhattheyintendtodo.

It’sokayifyourbuyerismostinterestedinthepresentationpartofthesalesprocess—ifheconsidersittobethemainshow.Itshouldfeelthatwaytohim.It’sashowyou’vedesignedandbuiltjustforhimbasedonyourpreparation,theestablishmentofrapport,andyourqualifyinganddiscoveryquestions.Yourjobis to present the right solution, not a one-size-fits-all solution. Your customsolutionwillpersuadeyourbuyer thatyourproduct is the rightanswer forhisparticular wants, needs, and desires. It will provide your buyer with theinformationheneedstomakewisebuyingdecisions.

Effective presentation skills increase the probability of your buyer takingimmediateaction.That’sbecauseaclearpresentationleadstounderstanding,butit’sfarfrombeingthemainshow.

THEMAINSHOW

Ifthepresentationisthecenterofattentionforthebuyers,themainshowforthesalespersonistheclose.Here’swhatyoudoduringtheclose:

1.summarizetheirchallenge,2.reviewthebenefitsyoursolutionprovides,and3.askthebuyertotakeimmediateactioninordertoownyouroffering.

Note:Duringthisprocess,theremaybesomenegotiationastoterms,typeofinvestment,deliverydate,andlocation.

The close is the main show, because the close is a time of decision.Salespeoplearepaidtopersuadebuyerstotakeaction.

Thepresentationprovidedtheinformationinapersuasivemannerthatledthebuyertothepointofdecision.Thecloseincludesthoseuncomfortablemomentsof uncertainty when the buyer balances precariously between action andinaction. Part of your service to the buyer is to guide her through thoseemotional andmental aspects of decisionmaking, leading her to a conclusionthatmakessenseforherandforyourcompany.

Mostof theanxietysalespeoplehaveduringthesalesappointmentrevolvesaround thisstepof thesalesprocess. It’swhenyouaremost likely tohear theword no. The closing step in the sales process is covered in great depth inchapter10.

WHEN“NO”REALLYMEANS“NOSALE”

Onthoseoccasionswhen thenoyouhear is trulya finalone, the truth is,youstillhaveasaletomake.Thisnewsaleistowintheopportunitytostayintouchwiththesefolks.Youmayneedtosaysomethinglikethis:“Sue,sinceyouneedtogetsomeotherthingstakencareofbeforetakingadvantageofthebenefitsofmy product, I’d suggest we arrange a date and time to reconnect. You weretalkingaboutatwo-monthtimeframe.Sowhatwouldbebestforyou—tomeetagain on aWednesday evening at 7 p.m., likewe did tonight?Orwould youprefer to meet on a Thursday evening, which was our other option for thisweek?”Your goal, once again, is to keep the opportunity for the salemovingforward.Gettingacommitmenttorevisitapotentialclientwhosenomeansnotnowdoesjustthat.

Eveninsituationswhereapotentialbuyerisnotgoingaheadbuthasstatedthathelikesyourproduct,youcanstillaskforreferrals.Justbecauseheisn’tinapositiontopurchaseyourproductdoesn’tmeanhedoesn’tknowsomeoneelsewhois.Ifhereallydoeslikewhatyou’reselling,he’llbeopentosuggestingittootherswhomight have a similar need and bemore likely tomake a purchasenow.Howtogoaboutgettingthosetypesofreferralsisthetopicofchapter18.

YOURATTITUDEABOUTREALNOS

Sinceself-motivationistheonlyrealmotivationthereis,youhavetodecidehowyou’regoing tohandle those realnosmentally andemotionally.Some trainerswill tellyoutoneverendthedayona“nosale”—toalwaysmakeat leastonemore call after a “no sale.” You have to decide what will work for you. It’simportant to find a way to reenergize yourself before tackling the next salesopportunity.

Thisisallpartofyourpreplanningforpresentations.Decideinadvancehowyou’ll react ifyoudon’tget thesale. Inotherwords,don’t let itbeashock toyoursystem.

Remember,thereareonlythreebasicanswersthatpotentialclientswillgiveyou:“Yes,”“No,”or“Maybe.”

Prepareasmuchasyoupossiblycan,but alsoknow that theremaybe factorsyou’re not aware of in advance that could negatively impact the sale. If youdon’tbuildasystemforyourselftohandlefailureandrejectioninsales,you’llquitbeforeyoucanmakeenoughpresentationstoenjoythelifestyleofthetopsellingpros.

Oneformulaforhandlingthewordnoistorelateittoayesoraclosedsale.Using your own closing ratio, figure out howmany contacts it takes you onaverage to make one sale. Then, consider howmuch you personally earn onaveragepersale.

For example, if you close one out of every five contacts, thatmeanswiththosefivecontactsyouwouldhearoneyesandfournos.Ifyouearn$1,000persale, each of those fournos you need to face gets you one step closer to that$1,000.Therefore,youcanthinkofeach“nosale”ashavingavalueof$250.

Theformulalookslikethis:

1ClosedSale=$1,0005QualifiedContacts=1ClosedSale1Yesand4NosThus,eachNo=$250

Thisstrategyassumesthatyourintentionsandactionsduringeachcontactare

togetayes.Youknowthatyouwillnotgetayesateverysalesappointment,butyoualsorecognizethatyoucouldgetasaleatanysalesappointment.Basedonthat assumption, this strategy helps you maintain your focus on your activitylevel.

Getthosefournos,andyou’llbereachingforthat$1,000yesnext.Whenyouhearadefiniteno,youcanthenmentallysay,Thanksforthe$250,orwhateveryour particular dollar amount is. You then move on to your next salesopportunityfeelingconfidentaboutbeingclosertoaclosedsale.Thisisalittlementalgamethatwilladdmorefun—andcomfort—toyoursellingdays.

SELLINGASAGAME

Thinkofsellingasagame.It’sagamebasedonstrategy,training,andskill,justlikeanyothergame.Perhapsyouareasportsfan.Youenjoytheexcitementandthrill ofwatching your favorite team as the game unfolds.How your favoriteplayers respond to the unknown conditions and actions of the opposing teamcreatestheentertainmentthatsportsfansallovertheworldenjoy.It’sparalleltothesportofselling.

Considerthenotionthathumanpersuasionistheultimatesport.Eachbuyerisdifferent.Eachhas:

1.adifferentstartingpoint,2.adifferentpersonality,3.adifferentamountofmoney,and4.differenttiming.

Yetineverysalesappointment,commonprinciplesofpersuasionapply.Thatmeansthereisenoughvarietyyetfamiliarityineachsalesappointmenttomakeeverysalescallanadventureinpersuasion.

Yourexpertiseaboutyourproduct,yourcompany,andyourindustryallowsyoutobeofservicetoothers.Partoftheserviceyouofferishelpingyourbuyersexplorealltheoptionsavailabletomeettheirneeds,bothbeforeandaftertheysayno.Thatisaservicetobeproudofandtobeexcitedabout.

The next chapter covers the various models for the sales process andintroduces a foundational strategy for keeping the sale moving forward afterbuyerssayno.

CHAPTER2KEYPOINTS

•Inselling,amaybeistobetreatedlikeanountilitcanbeturnedintoadefiniteyes.

•Aconfusedmindwillalwayssayno.•It’sbettertogivetoolittleinformationandhavebuyersaskformorethantogivetoomuchinformationandlosebuyersfrominformationoverloadorboredom.

•Ifbuyersconsistentlyaskformoreinformationafteryourinitialclosingattempt,thenitistimetomakeanadjustmentinyourpresentation.

•Thebuyer’snomightmean“No,notrightnow.”•Youalwayshavetodemonstrateyourownlevelofcompetenceaswellasyourproduct’sbenefits.

•Inselling,thepersonaskingthequestionscontrolsandleadsthesale.•Salespeoplearepaidtopersuadebuyerstotakeaction.•Eveninsituationswhereapotentialbuyerisnotgoingaheadbuthasstatedthathelikesyourproduct,youcanstillaskforreferrals.

3.LostintheSale

The biggest pitfall most salespeople face is becoming lost in the sale. Theyfollowthesalespresentationorprocessthey’vememorizedandhaverehearsedverywell.Thesalespresentationisfinished.Thepotentialclient’squestionsandconcernshavebeenaddressed.

Butthen, thecrucialpart isuponthesalesperson.It’s timetoactuallyclosethe sale. And unfortunately, sometimes the salesperson may not be confidentabout how to make a smooth transition to asking for the business. Averagesalespeople resort to dialogue that generates one-word answers rather thandrawingoutbuyers toensure they’re ready tomakeadecision.Theirdialoguemightsoundlikethis:

Salesperson:“Doyouhaveanyotherquestions?”Buyer:“Nope.”Salesperson:“Doeswhatwediscussedtodaymakesensetoyou?”Buyer:“Yes.”

Typical buyers do not say, “Jim, I think this is a great solution for mycompany.Let’sdothepaperworksoIcangiveyoumypurchaseordernumberand get the delivery scheduled.” They wait for the salesperson to orchestratewhathappensnext.

Afterall,thusfarinthemeeting,thesalespersonhasbeenincharge—askingquestions,demonstratingtheproduct,andrespondingtoconcerns.Thefactthatit’s time tomakeabuyingdecisionmaynotevenoccur to thebuyer tobe thenextnaturalstep in thesalesprocess.He iswaitingfordirection.Andaveragesalespeople may not be sure how to direct that next step without the risk of

turning off buyers. The result can be an awkward situation during which thebuyer’sfeelingsofconfidenceinthesalespersonandtheproductcanwitheranddie.

Does this scenario sound familiar? This is called being lost in the sale. Itoccurs when salespeople have adopted and followed a linear model ofpersuasion.

THELINEARMODELOFPERSUASION

Thelinearmodelofpersuasionlookslikethis:

BuildRapport→PresentSolutions→AnswerQuestions

Many salespeople showup atmeetingswithpotential clients, initiate somesmalltalk,makeapresentation,andanswerquestions.Thentheydefaulttowait-and-seesellingas towhatbuyersdonextrather thancontinuing tocontrol thesellingsituationwithasmoothtransitionintoclosingthesale.Thislinearmodelofpersuasioncanbeaone-wayroadtobecominglostinthesale.

Oncelost,manysalespeopleassumethatiftheykeeprepeatingthereasonstobuyandkeeprepeatingthemferventlyenough,thebuyerwilleventuallysayyes.

Their thinking is this:Whenever buyers hesitate to take action, just keepselling,pushing,andproddinguntiltheybuy.Notonlyisthatnotthewaytosellprofessionally, itdoesn’t sound likea funway to fillyourworkinghourseachweek,doesit?

Thenwhydosomanysalespeoplefollowthismodelofpersuasion?

1.Because it’s theonlyone theyhaveeverbeen taught.Theydon’t realizetheyhaveachoiceinhowtoapproachtheirpersuasionefforts.

2.Thelinearmodelworks…sometimes.Ifyouseeenoughpeople,mostanyplanwillwork sometimes.But in the long run,using this linearmodel canbecostly.Itcanleavealotofsalesonthetableplusannoysomepotentialclientsintheprocess.

The linearmodel of persuasion helps salespeople get through the first few

steps in the sales process, but in truth, it’s not complete. That linear modelcontainstwoparticularflaws.

1.Itdoesnotgivethesalespersonawaytotrackwheretheyarethroughouttheentiresalesprocess.

2.Itisinsufficientforworkingwithbuyerswhodonotfollowthescriptandsay yes at the end of the presentation or after their questions have beenanswered.

Most salespeople knowwhether they are off to a good start or a cold startrightatthebeginningofthesalescall.Theycantellifthebuyersarewarminguptothemandifalevelofcomfortisbeingestablished.Also,mostsalespeoplecangaugehowwelltheyaredoingduringthesalespresentation.Theyknowifthebuyerisengagedinthepresentation.Theycantellifthebuyerunderstandsandagreeswithwhat isbeingpresented.Evenduring thequestion-and-answerstage, most salespeople can tell if the buyer is receiving their answers in apositivemanner.

The primary challenge with the linear model is not in building rapport,presenting solutions, and answering questions. The biggest challenge is whathappens when the end of the linear road has finally been reached. What doaverage salespeople do when the buyer appears to understand the valueproposition, her questions have been answered, and… she does nothing?Averagesalespeoplesimplywaitforbuyerstosay,“I’lltakeit.”

At this point in the sale, average salespeople will default to repeating thesame information, the same reasons tobuy,until either thebuyergives in andasks for the product or the salespeople run out of things to say, pack up theirmaterials,andleave—withoutasale.Rememberthis:

Tellingisn’tselling.

TOPICJUMPING

Linear-thinkingsalespeoplecanfeellostinthesalesprocesswhentheyhearnofrompotentialclientsanywhereexceptattheendoftheirpresentation.Theyarejustnotpreparedtomakeadjustmentsonthefly.Theyarepreparedonlytomove

tothenextlogicalstepintheirlinearsalesmodel.Andthat’sarealchallenge.Thechallengeisthatwhat’slogicaltothesalespersonisrarelylogicaltothe

buyer.Infact,salespeopleareoftencaughtoffguardwhenpotentialclientsjumpallaroundinthesalesprocess.Thosesalespeopletrytofollowratherthanlead,andtheyendupcompletelylosingcontrolofthesalesprocess.

Insales,logicisusedbythebuyerstorationalizedecisions,butonlyafteranemotionalinvolvementhasoccurred.This iswhatmakes it socritical forsales professionals to expect and work with buyers’ tendencies to wander byguiding and controlling the process with the right words and actions. Goodsellersdoitsosmoothlythatthebuyersnevertrulyrealizethey’rebeingguided.Forexample,aprofessional tourguidepointsoutonly theattractions inwhichtourists have expressed interest. If there’s no avoiding certain attractions, theguideworkstomaketheminteresting.

FOURSTEPSTOPERSUASION

Asaprofessionalsalesperson,yousimplycannotwaittoseewhatthepotentialclientswill donext, andyou cannot allowbuyers to control the sales flowbybouncingthetopicallovertheplace.Whenyoudo,you’reactuallygivingthemthepower todecidewhathappensnext.Chancesare thatyouwillnot like thedirectioninwhichtheywilltakethesalesappointment.

Persuasionisasimpleprocess.Thereareonlyfourcriticalsteps:

1.EstablishingRapport2.IdentifyingNeeds3.PresentingSolutions4.ClosingQuestions

Eventhoughpersuasion issimple, it isnotalwayseasy,becausepeoplearecomplex.There are endlessvariationsofdynamicswhenpersuadingbuyers totakeaction.Alwaysbearinmindthatbuyershavedifferent:

•startingpoints,•personalities,•questions,•timing,and

•moneyconstraints.

Thereareenoughvariationstokeepthesalesprocessinterestingforthesalesprofessional—andintruth,potentiallyoverwhelming.

Haveyoueverwondered,DoIneedtolearnallthepossiblesalestechniquesbeforeIcancompetentlyandconfidentlypersuademybuyerstotakeaction?

Theanswerisno!Ifyouunderstandandperformthefourbasicactivitiesof persuasion, youwill enjoy adecent career in sales.Will additional salesknowledge help you more effectively perform those four basic activities andincreaseyoursales?Yes…butonlyonceyouhaveorganizedthosestrategiesina manner that helps you use them to your best advantage during salesappointments.A circularmodel of persuasion is being introduced in this bookthatallowssalesprofessionalstoorganizealltheteachingsinthesaleseducationuniverseinoneeasy-to-rememberformatsotheycanmoreeasilyapplythemtoclosingmoresales.

Proper selling involves asking the right types of questions. It’s a simpleprocess,butone thatmustbe learnedand followed.Thedynamics for successbetweenyouandMrs.XmightbesodifferentfromthedynamicsbetweenyouandMrs.Ythatanuntrainedobservermaynotrecognizethemasbeingthesamesalesprocessuntilyoureachtheend—twoclosedsalestransactions.

DependingonhowyoureceivedMrs.X’scontactinformation,yourstartingpoint in thesalesprocessmaybeatanearlierstepora laterstep than that forMrs.Y.Theyhavedifferentpersonalities,interests,desires,needs,moneyissues,andquestions.Thethoughtprocessesrequiredtoselleachtheverysameproductmaybeextremelydivergent.

To the uninitiated, this may seem overwhelming. The great news is thatsimple principles drive the sales process, regardless of the diverse and uniquecircumstancesthataccompanyeachsalesscenario.

Inshort,whenyouunderstandthebasicdriversofsellingscenarios,youwillbeable todeterminewhereyourbuyersare in thepersuasionprocessandwhatactivityyoushouldperformnext.

Bytheendofthisbook,youwillunderstandthestructureofacircularsalesmodel fromstart to finish.Thatknowledgewillenableyou tosellany typeofproductorserviceinanefficientandeffectivemanner.Thatexpertisewillallowyoutohavemorefun,closemoresales,andultimatelymakemoremoney.

CHAPTER3KEYPOINTS

•Thebiggestchallengemostsalesprofessionalsfaceisbecominglostinthesale.

•Thefactthatit’stimetomakeabuyingdecisionmaynotevenoccurtothebuyer.

•Thelinearmodelofsellingisusuallyinsufficientforworkingwithbuyerswhodonotsayyesattheendofthepresentationoraftertheirquestionshavebeenanswered.

•Tellingisn’tselling.•Logicisusedbythebuyerstorationalizedecisions,butonlyafteremotionalinvolvementhasoccurred.

SECTION2

TheCircleofPersuasion

4.TheCircleofPersuasion

Tosimplifythesellingprocess,wewantyoutostartfollowingaroadmapofsortsthatwillhelpyoutogetandstayoncoursetothedesiredconclusioninasellingscenario—aclosedsale.It’scalledtheCircleofPersuasion.Hereiswhatitlookslike:

TheCircleofPersuasion

TakeamomenttogothroughtheCircle.Lookateachstep.Doyourbesttokeepthissellingcycleinmind,asthiswillbecomethemainfocusofthebookand,ineffect,ofyourdevelopmentofauniqueandeffectivesalesapproach.

By studying this illustration, you will master the four basic activities ofpersuasionthatwillbringforththebiggestdifferenceinyourlevelofsuccessinyoursellingcareer.Thefourkeystepsinalmosteverysalesscenarioare:

1.EstablishingRapport2.IdentifyingNeeds3.PresentingSolutions4.ClosingQuestions

Most important, this persuasion compasswill help you to reengage buyerswhentheirresponsetostepfourisno.

Dependingonwhereyou are in the sales process, youhave threepotentialoptionsforwhattodonext.Youwill:

A.askaquestiontogatherinformationorclarifyapoint,B.makeastatementthatprovidesanswerstobuyers’questions,orC.remainsilent.

There you have it. Four steps. Three potential actions. They are easy tounderstand and easy to remember. Here’s a quick overview of the Circle ofPersuasion:

ESTABLISHINGRAPPORT

This is where you initiate small talk to break down any of those awkwardbarriers of resistance that are so common in selling situations. You will alsodemonstratecredibilityduringthisphaseinordertogetbuyerstorelaxwithyouandopenupabouttheirneedsandexpectationsinthefollowingstep.

IDENTIFYINGNEEDS

This iswhereyouask theright typesofquestions toassistyou indeterminingwhether or not you can actually help each potential client. The types andprogressionofquestionsyoushouldask—fromestablishingrapporttobeginningthe presentation—are covered in following chapters. Finally, you will learn a

specialsetofquestionsthatallowyoutodiscoverthetruebuyingdynamicsofeach buyer. These questions will help you shape the emphasis of yourpresentationandclosethesaleduringtheinitialsalescall.

PRESENTINGSOLUTIONS

Thepresentationiswhereyougivebuyersasolidreasontoownyourproductorservice.Inreviewingfeaturesandbenefits,youwilllearnhowtosellthedeepervalueofyouroffering.Youwill learnhowtosellyourproduct’svalueagainstyourcheapercompetitors.

Manysalesprofessionals think that thepresentation is themainshow.Thisbeliefstemsfromthefalseassumptionthatifyousimplyeducateaperson,shewillbuy.Notso.IntheCircleofPersuasionyouwilllearnthatthepresentationisonlypartoftheintroduction.ThemainshowbeginswiththenextstoparoundtheCircleofPersuasion:closingquestions.

CLOSINGQUESTIONS

Theclosingofthesale—whichbeginswhenyouaskthebuyertotakeaction—is,infact,themainshow.Allofyourinteractionwithyourbuyeruptothispointmerelyintroducesthemomentofdecision.Remember:Youarenotpaidtogivepresentations.Youarepaidtoclosesales.

Youwilllearnthetwomostfrequentmistakessalespeoplemakeattheendoftheir presentations—and the important distinction between trial closing anddirectclosing.

THEINNERCIRCLE

Congratulations! You completed the outer circle of the persuasion model andhave ledyourbuyers to thefirstmomentofdecision.Oneof threeresultswilloccur.

1.Thebuyerwantstoown.2.Thebuyerwantstonegotiate.3.Thebuyerpresentsaquestionorconcern.

Atthispoint, theCircleofPersuasioncanreallyprovideavaluableinsight.Whenansweringaquestionoraddressingaconcern,youperformthesamefourstepsthatyoufollowedtoleadthebuyertothefirstdecisionpoint!Thesecondtimearound,eachstephappensmorequicklyandwillbringyouevenclosertoaclosedtransaction.

1.Re-establishingRapport

The first step in responding toaquestionorconcern is to re-establish rapport.Alwaysremember that formanybuyers,makinganykindofmajordecision isuncomfortable. Re-establishing rapport, like the other steps in the inner circlethatwillfollow,takesjustafractionofthetimetoaccomplish,butit’scriticallyimportant.Youmaysay,“I’mgladyouaskedthat,”or“Thankyouforbringingthatup.”Injustonesentence,youcommunicatethatitisallrightthatyourbuyerdidn’tsayyesrightaway.Yourgoalistorelaxthebuyersoyoucanpreventherwallofsalesresistancefromgainingstrength.

2.IdentifyingQuestions

You do not have to respond immediately to a question or concern! You canchoose to ask additional questions that clarify the buyer’s concerns.Youmayask,“Isthisyouronlyquestion?”Or,“Afterweaddressyourquestions,willyoube ready to take action today?”Themore you understand the context of theirquestionsandconcerns,themoreeffectivelyyoucanrespondandmovethemtotakeaction.

3.PresentingAnswers

Nowthatyouunderstandthecontextoftheirquestion,youarereadytoanswer.Youranswerisinitselfabriefpresentation.Itisjustafractionofthelengthofyourearlier,full-blownpresentation.Attheendofyourminipresentation,it iscriticallyimportanttoask…

4.ClosingQuestions

Afterrespondingtoquestionsandconcerns,askyourbuyersagaintotakeaction.The person who asks the questions controls the direction of the salesappointment.When your buyers ask questions, answer them clearly, and thencomplete your answer with a question of your own that asks them to takeimmediateaction.

THEULTIMATEQUESTION

Wheredoestheprocessofpersuasionend?Doyoukeepgoingaroundincircles?No.Atsomepoint,youwilldecidethatyouhaveansweredallofyourbuyer’squestionsandthatheisnowsimplyprocrastinating.

Yourfinalstep is toeffectivelyaskyourbuyer to take immediateaction. Ifyou made the effort to make a thorough presentation, don’t end the salesappointmentuntilyouask theultimatequestion!Youhavenothing to loseandeverythingtogain.

During the final steps around the Circle of Persuasion you will need toemploynegotiationskillswithsomebuyers.Sometimesbuyerswant tochangethe terms of the sale. You will need to know how to distinguish negotiationrequests from concerns and the four steps of preparing for a negotiation.Negotiationinvolvesallyoursellingskills;ittrulyistheultimatedemonstrationofyourabilitytopersuade.Bearinmind:Whenabuyerstartstonegotiatewithyou,thatmeanshehasdecidedhewantsyourproduct.It’snowjustamatterofworkingoutthedetails.

TAKINGASTEPBACK

TherearesubtlenuancesandstepswithineachaspectoftheCircleofPersuasionthatcouldcreatethe“sayno”thoughtprocessinthebuyer.Beforedelvingintothedetailsof theCircleofPersuasion, it’s important tounderstandwhatcouldhappenearlyon in the salesprocess tocause thebuyer toquestionor fear thepossibilityofowningyourproduct.That’sthesubjectofchapter5.

CHAPTER4KEYPOINTS

•Fourstepstomemorize:(1)EstablishingRapport,(2)IdentifyingNeeds,(3)PresentingSolutions,and(4)ClosingQuestions.

•Threepotentialactions:(1)askaquestion,(2)makeastatement,and(3)remainsilent.

•Thepresentationiswhereyougivethebuyerrealreasonstoownyourproductorservice.

•Alwaysremember:Youarenotpaidtogivepresentations.Youarepaidtoclosesales.

•Thefirststepinrespondingtoaquestionorconcernistore-establishrapportwiththebuyer.

•Youdonothavetorespondimmediatelytoaquestion!Youcanchoosetoaskquestionsthatclarifythebuyer’sconcerns.

•Yourfinalstepistoaskyourbuyertotakeimmediateaction.

5.DidtheBuyer’sNoStartwithYou?

Let’s back up for a moment and start at the very beginning. Not with thebeginningofthesalesappointment.Notevenwiththefirstcontactyouhadwiththebuyer.Longbefore the salesprocessbegan, therewasyouandyourbeliefaboutwhatyoudoforaliving.Let’shaveaheart-to-heartdiscussionaboutyouandyourthinkingasitrelatestoyoursellingcareer.

Itisdifficult,ifnotimpossible,foryoutogiveyourbesteffortstoselling,tobeyourbest you, if youdonotbelieve inwhatyouaredoing.This is true inmostareasof life.It isespeciallytrueinselling.Ifyoudon’tbelieveinwhatyou’reselling,nooneelsewill,either.

AREYOUSELLINGFROMANEMPTYWAGON?

Thesalesprofessiondemandsyourverybestatalltimes.Itisnotlikeworkingata manual task where regardless of whether you are tired, angry, hungry, ordistractedinyourthoughts,youcanstillaccomplishyourtaskatanacceptablelevel.

Selling is different because if you’re not at your best, it will showimmediately in the results you’re getting. Selling skills, when used well, arepracticallyinvisibletoyourbuyers.Whenyou’reatyourbestinselling,buyersjust think you’re a very likable personwho happens to have great knowledgeaboutyourproduct.

Butwhenyou’renotatyourbest,sellingstrategiesarefarfrominvisible.Infact,whenyouhavepoorskillsorapoorattitude,itwillpracticallyexudefromyour pores. It will be blatantly obvious that you’re attempting to use learnedstrategies and tactics on your buyers. It’s difficult to hide how you feel aboutyourprofessionoryourproductfromyourbuyers.Theycanimmediatelysense

ifyoudonotlikeyourcompany,yourproduct,oryourindustry.Theycansenseif you do notwant to beworkingwith them or if you do not personally likethem.

Whoyouare,whatyoubelieve,andhowyoumanageyourfeelingsaffecthowmuchyouaccomplishinsellingandhowwellyoudoyourjob.Solet’sexaminesomeofthecomplexthoughtsandfeelingsthateachofusexperienceashumansandseehowtheydirectlyrelatetosalesperformance.

AREYOUTRULYCONVICTED?

What’s your current level of conviction about your industry and your specificproducts?There’samaximinthesalesindustry:“Youcan’tsellfromanemptywagon.”Whatdoesthatsayingmeantoyou?

Theideaitconveysis that ifyouwant toexcel inthesalesprofession,youmusthavesomethingofvaluetosell.Whilepotentialclientsmustperceivethatvalue before they will buy, it is even more important that you, the salesprofessional,perceiveitfirst.

Do you think it is possible that some salespeople sell products or servicestheydon’tbelievein?Thetruthisthatmanysalespeoplearenotfullyconvinced:

1.ofthevalueoftheirproductsorservices,2.oftheirpricingstructure,3.thattheircompanyprovidesqualitycustomerserviceorhasthebestinterestsoftheirclientsinmind,or

4.thattheirsalesmanagerorcompanymanagementiscompetent.

Whatdoyoubelieveaboutyourcompanyandyourindustry?Thisisatimefor some serious thought. Your level of conviction about what you offer toclients and potential clients directly affects your compensation. In fact, yourcompensation is a mirror reflection of the amount of service you give. Mostpeoplefinditdifficulttoprovidegoodserviceiftheydon’tbelieveinwhattheirproductsdofor theirclients.Your levelofconvictionalsodirectlyaffectsyourjobsatisfaction.Itdirectlyaffectsyourinternalaccesstoyoursalespotential.Ifyou don’t feel great about what you do, you will subconsciously limit yourabilitytotrulyexcelinyourendeavors.

Lotsofsalespeoplearesohungrytolearnthenexttechniquetoincreasetheir

salesrevenuesthat theybasicallyskiprightovertheinternaldynamicsthataresovitaltohowwelltheyuseanyofthoseskills.Howyoufeelaboutthistopic—yourinternallevelofconvictionaboutthesalesprofessionandtheproductyourepresent—is the foundation for long-lasting and consistent performancethroughout your entire career. Taking a fewmoments to examine your beliefswillpayhandsomelyinincreasedsalesrevenues.

Firstandforemost,thinkaboutyouranswerstothesequestions:

•Whyareyousellingtheseparticularproductsandservices?•Whatexcitesyouaboutthem?

Somemightthinkweareaskingaboutthefeaturesandbenefitsofwhatyousell. Actually, we are talking about a deeper set of reasons—why you areinvolvedinyourindustryandwithyourcompany.Doesitexciteyoutoseenewbuyers make their lives easier or more profitable because of what you offerthem?Takeamomenttomakealistofthevalueyourbuyersreceivefrom:

•yourindustry,•yourcompany,•yourproductsandservices,and•yourpersonalexpertiseandservice.

Now that you have written down the exciting aspects of your salesenvironment,writedowntheareas inwhichyoumaybeharboringshadowsofdoubtorconcern.

•Isityourpricingstructure?•Isitthequalityofyourproduct?•Isitthelevelofyourcompany’scustomerservice?•Isitthefinancialstabilityofyourcompany?•Isitbadpressaboutyourindustryoryourcompany?

Get itout in theopen.Puttingdownonpaperwhat isbuggingyouaboutasituationcanhelpreleasethehiddenemotionalpressurethatsubtlyunderminesyour sales efforts.Making a list allows you tomore objectively look at your

concerns.Itallowsyoutocomparethosefearsandshadowsofdoubttoall theexcitingaspectsofyour sales environment thatyou love…and it cancreateaperspectivethatminimizesnegativefeelings.

Thisprocesswillgiveyoumoreaccesstoyourinternalresourcestohelpyouexcelinyourcareer.Somakealistofthenot-so-excitingaspectsofyoursalesenvironment. Then consider how you might be letting them hold you back.Decidewhatyoucandotochangethatlevelofimpact.Thenactuponwhatyoucanchange.And,toparaphrasetheSerenityPrayer,acceptthethingsyoucannotchange.

Ifyouconclude that theproductyousell isn’taverygoodone, it’s time tofindsomethingbettertosell.Toomanysalespeoplemakethemistakeoflookingforproductsthatareeasytosellorthatpayhigh“commissions”(whichwereferto as “fees for service.”) There is a certain logic in that thought process.However,abetterwaytoseekoutaproducttosellistofindsomethingthatyoubelievein.Thetruthofthematteristhatpeopledon’tbuywithlogic.Theybuyemotionallythendefendtheirdecisionswithlogic.Salespeoplemustbesoldonwhattheysell.Theymustchooseaproducttheycanemotionallyconnectwith,thenapplytheirlogictorationalizethebuyingdecision.

Aquickdoseofreality:ifyouarelookingforaperfectcompanyoraperfectproduct, it’s going to be a long search. No company or product is perfect.Companiesaremadeupofpeople, andpeoplearen’tperfect. Ifyou thinkyouhavetofindaperfectcompanybeforeyoucangiveyourbestefforts,thenyouwillneverreachyourfullpotential.

The great companies of the world are not perfect companies. The greatcompaniesoftheworldprovidegoodvalueandgoodcustomerservice,andtheyarequicktorespondwhentheydroptheball.Thatisalotdifferentfrombeingaperfectcompany.

So the question is not whether your company or your product has someimperfections. The question is whether your company provides enough realvaluetoitsclientsforyoutosellwithtrueconviction.

CHAPTER5KEYPOINTS

•It’sdifficulttohidehowyoufeelaboutyourprofessionoryourproductfromyourbuyers.

•Ifyoudon’tbelieveinwhatyou’reselling,nooneelsewill,either.

•Yourlevelofcommitmentaboutwhatyouoffertoclientsandpotentialclientsdirectlyaffectsyourcompensation.

•Thegreateryoursalesskills,themorechoicesyouwillhaveaboutwhereyoucanworkandhowmuchcompensationyouwillearn.

6.DidYouEstablishandMaintainSufficientRapport?

TheCircleofPersuasion

Neverforgetthatthefirststepinthesalesprocess,whenyouaremeetingwithpotentialclients,istoestablishrapportwiththem.Thisisacommoncourtesy—anacceptednorm.Itallowsyoutheopportunitytoestablishyourselfassomeonewhoislikableandontheirside—anexperttheycanreallytrust.

It’s critical to any selling situation to establish rapport before gettingdowntobusiness.

Ifyoufail tocompletethissteporskipitaltogether,youwill increaseyourchances of hearing thewordno later in the sales process. It’s a rare occasion

when you can jump right into qualifying a potential client, then present youroffer—although in some types of selling, it’s possible to make sales withoutworkingtoomuchonthisstep.

Anexampleof thismightbeprovidingemergencyservicessuchasheatingrepair.Buyerswillwant to assume that you are a competent representative ofyour companywho can handle their needs quickly. Theymay not care aboutwhether or not you and they have much in common. In their minds, thecommonality is simply that you’re both working to resolve the same urgentdilemma.Allyouneedtodoistobekindandprofessionalasyougoaboutyourjob.

Butthesesituationsarerare.Innearlyallothersellingsituations,establishinga real rapport is crucial to establishing your competence and credibility withbuyers.

WHYRAPPORTINCREASESSALES

Inmostsellingsituations, the levelof rapportyouestablishwilldirectlyaffectyourability toclose thesale.Buyersaremore likely toansweryourquestionsabout their needs if they feel you have their best interests at heart.Well-establishedrapportcreatesacomfortlevelthatleadstotrust.Whenrapportisestablished,peoplewillpaymoreattentiontoyourpresentation.They’llalsogivemorecredencetowhatyousayasyouhandletheirquestionsandconcerns.

So let’s take it from the beginning of the sales appointment and see whatyou’redoingrightandhowyoumightimproveinbuildingrapport.

Youhavearrivedatthebuyer’splaceofbusiness,oryourbuyerhasenteredyourplaceofbusiness.Youarenow face-to-facewith thebuyer.Howdoyoubeginyoursalesprocess?

1.Smile.Thismayseemtrite,butyouwouldbesurprisedathowfewpeoplehavenatural smileson their facesas theygoabout theirdays.Playagamebycatching your reflection in mirrors or windows throughout a single day, andcounthowmanytimesasmileisthere.Itdoesn’tcountifyousmileafteryoureyesmakecontactwithyour reflection. Ifyou’renotoutwardlyhappy tomeetwiththesepotentialclients,you’restartingtheprocessfromadeficitstandpoint.

Thissamestrategyappliesfortelephonesales.Yoursmilecanbe“heard”in

thetoneofyourvoice.Considerkeepingasmallmirroronyourdeskwhereyoucanglanceatyourfaceseveraltimesthroughouttheday.Counthowmanytimesyou catch yourself smiling or not. If the numbers weigh heavily on the “notsmiling”sideofthings,thenwritethewordSMILEincapitallettersandtapeittothebottomedgeofyourcomputerscreenorsomewhereelsewhereyou’llseeitfrequentlythroughoutyourday.Then,smilebeforeyoutakeormakeanycall.Itmaysoundsilly,buttrustus,it’simportant.

2.Makesmalltalk.Yourgoal is todiscoversubjects thatareof interest toyourbuyersandtoenjoyafewminutesofinformalchitchat.Thesetopicsmayincludefamily,sports,pets,hobbies,travel,cars,andsoon.

Note:Unlessthere’ssomethingunusualgoingon,trytoavoidthetopicoftheweather.It’sjusttootrite,andofcourse,nooneknowshowtochangetheweather.Theconversationwillgonowhere.

Why dowe encourage you to invest valuable time discussing nonbusinesstopics? It’s because selling situations tend to generate a certain amount ofskepticism or even fear in the minds and hearts of buyers. This is a learnedreactionbyyourbuyers,andit’swhatprovidesthebuildingmaterialsforthosewallsofsalesresistance.Unfortunately,therearelotsofperceptionsaboutsalesreps,andmostof themarebad.Yourpotential clientshavebeen toldover theyears:

•aboutbadexperienceswheresomeonemadeamistakewhenspendingtheirmoney,or

•thatsalespeoplearecrooksandarenottobetrusted.

Justlookathowthemoviesandtelevisionportraysalespeopleandyouwillunderstand.Buildingrapporthelpsyoubreakdownsomeof thosefearbarriersthatmostpeoplehavelearned.

Butthere’smorethanthat.Strongsalespeopleliketoinvestafewmomentsinlettingbuyersknowthattheyseethemasmorethanjust…well,buyers.Forother salespeople, it allows them theopportunity to relaxand tobecomemore

comfortable before getting down to business.After a full day of tasks, traffic,andtimepressures,it’snicetotakeadeepbreathandtoslowdownforacoupleofminutesbeforedelvingintoanothersalesprocess.

Smalltalkisoneoftwoprimarywaystoestablishrapport.Thesecondwaytoestablishrapportisthroughournonverbalbehavior—thatwillbecoveredlaterinthischapter.Butfornow,remembertheseinsights:

•Rapportistheoilthatrunstheengineofpersuasion.•Rapportbuysyoutimetomakeyourpresentationandaddressconcerns.•Rapportincreasestheprobabilitythatbuyerswanttodobusinesswithyou.•Rapportgrantsyoumoreforgivenessifyoudon’texpressyourselfclearlyorifyoumakeamistake.

THETHREEPRINCIPLESOFRAPPORT

There are three principles of rapport. They will help you understand whyestablishing and deepening rapport will increase the probability that yourpotentialclientswillbuyfromyou:

1.Buyerslikesalespeoplewhoarelikethem

Haveyounoticedhowfriendsadopteachother’sbehaviors?Friendstendtotalktoeachotheratasimilarspeedandwithasimilarvolume.Friendstendtoadoptsimilar behaviors such as their postures, facial expressions, and gestures. Thissameexchangeofbehaviorsoccurswhenyouestablishrapportwithbuyers.Youand your buyers will gradually begin to adopt similar behaviors. As yourbehavior becomesmore like theirs, youmake it easier for your buyers to likeyou.

Ifyoudoubtthis,thinkaboutthelasttimeyouwerewithsomeonewhouseddrasticallydifferentposturesandgesturesthanyoudo.Atfirst,youwouldhavebeen uncomfortable—trying to recognize what those postures and gesturesmeant.Ineffect,youweretryingtotranslatehisbodylanguageintosomethingtowhichyoucouldrelate.Oncetheunderstandingwasthere,youprobablyfeltmore comfortable around him. It wasn’t amatter of whether or not the otherpersonwaslikable.Itwasmorealongthelinesofwhetherornotyouunderstoodhim.

JonBerghoffhasawonderfulquoteinSusanCain’sbestsellingbookQuiet:“Peopledon’tbuyfrommebecausetheyunderstandwhatI’mselling.Theybuybecause theyfeelunderstood.”That’s thegoalofestablishingrapport—tohelpyourpotentialclients feel thatyouunderstand them.Whendoneproperly, thatunderstandingwillleadtoaleveloflikeandtrust.

Whatdoesbeinglikablehavetodowithclosingmoresales?Thesignificanceisexplainedinthenexttwoprinciples:

2.Buyerstendtotrustlikablesalespeople

It’shumannature,andit’struemostofthetime.Itisespeciallynoticeablewithpeopleyouhardlyknow.Buyerswholikeyouwilltrustwhatyousayaboutyourproducttoagreaterdegreethanbuyerswhodon’tlikeyou.Andworkingagainstthis reality of human behavior will adversely affect your persuasiveness withyourbuyers.Youbecomelikablewhenyoudoandsaythingsthatputothersatease.

3.Buyersliketobuyfromlikablesalespeople

Have you ever had a sales rep you did not like try to sell you something?Perhapsyoudidn’tlikethissalesperson’spersonalityorhowhespoke.Didyouwant to do businesswith this salesperson? Probably not.Unless driven by animmediate necessity for the product,most buyers do not want to do businesswithsalespeopletheydon’tcarefor.

Pleasenotethatrapportisapenaltysituationrather thanarewardsituation.What thatmeans is just because buyers like you does not automaticallymeantheywillrewardyouwithapurchase.However,iftheydonotlikeyou,theywillprobablynotdobusinesswithyou.Thepenaltyforlackofrapportislosingthesaleearlyoninthesalesappointment.

As an example, a salesperson can work for an industry-leading, reputablecompany,butifbuyersperceivethatsalespersonasarrogantandcondescending,theywillbelesswillingtomakeapurchase.Theirdecisionisnotbecauseofthevalueorpricingofthatleadingcompany’sproductsandservices,butbecausethesalespersonwassimplynotseenaslikable.

That is the reality of persuasion. Youmust establish andmaintain rapportduringyourentiresalesappointment.

HOWTOINCREASEYOURRAPPORTWITHBUYERS

Buildingrapportwithotherpeopleisaskillthatcanbelearned,justlikelearningtodriveacar.Thereareveryspecificelementstothisskill,rulesthatapply,andvariousstrategiesforimplementingthoseelementsandrules.

Therearetwobasicmethodsforestablishingrapport:

1.verbally—throughthemeaningofthewordsyouspeak2.nonverbally—withyourbehavior

Let’sgodeepintoeachtopic:

1.Verbalrapport

Themethodmostfrequentlyusedbysalespeopletoestablishrapportwiththeirbuyers is to talkaboutsubjectsofcommoninterest.Forexample,asyouentertheclient’soffice,takeamomenttoglancearoundtheroom.

•Ifyouseeastuffedbasshangingonthewallofyourbuyer’soffice,youwouldaskquestionsaboutfishing.

•Ifyouseefamilypicturesonyourbuyer’sdesk,youwouldaskquestionsaboutfamily.

•Ifyouseesportstrophies,miniaturecars,orpicturesofforeigntravels,youwouldaskquestionsaboutthosetopics.

•Ifyou’reworkingonabusiness-to-businesssale,youmightaskquestionsaboutthecompanyandhowlongyourbuyerhasbeenwiththem.

Smalltalkisagreatwaytoverballyestablishrapport.Andasnoted,aquickglancearoundthebuyer’sofficeasyoucomeinwilltipyouoffastowhereherreal passions lie. The real challenge occurs, of course, when the buyer isn’ttalkativeandtherearen’tanycluesintheoffice.

Salesperson:“Doyouhaveanykids?”Buyer:“Nope.”Salesperson:“Gotanyexcitingtripscomingup?”

Buyer:“Don’treallyliketotravel.”Salesperson:“Doyouhaveafavoriteteamthatyoufollow?”Buyer:“Notasportsfan.”Salesperson:“Whatdoyoudoforfun?Doyouhaveanyhobbies?”Buyer:“Notreally.”Salesperson:“Uh…”

Ifsmalltalkisyouronlystrategyforestablishingrapport,thennontalkativebuyers will add a serious chill to the entire sales appointment, and this willdiminish your probability of closing the sale. The good news is that thesenontalkativebuyerswillalsobenontalkativewiththecompetition.

Oneverbalstrategythatyoumightemploywhenyouencounteraquietbuyeris to help the potential client realize that you are just like him inmanyways.Hereisasampleofwhatyoumightsay:“Youknow,whenI’mnotworking,I’maconsumerjustlikeyou.WhatIhopetofindwhenconsideringanypurchaseissomeone with excellent product knowledge who can answer most of myquestions.Myjobheretodayistobesomeoneyourelyonforinformation.Soplease feel free to open up and share with me your questions and concernsregardingthisproduct,andlet’sseehowIcanhelpyou.”

Thiskindofapproachbasicallyattempts toassurepotentialclients thatyouareontheirsideinthissituation—thatyouaretheretohelpthem.

2.Nonverbalrapport

The second method for establishing rapport with buyers is through yournonverbalactions.Howyouuseyourvoiceandyourphysiologyduringthesalesappointment will affect your level of rapport with your buyers. By voice wemeanthetone,volume,andspeedatwhichyouspeak.Physiologyreferstoyourposture,facialexpressions,andgestures.

Beverballyandnonverballyconsistent inyourcommunicationwithbuyersduringsalesappointments. Ifyourwordspraise thevalueofyourproduct,butyour voice and body communicate a sense of uncertainty or hesitation, yourpersuasive ability will be diminished. To paraphrase a popular saying: youractionsduringasalesappointmentwillspeaklouderthanyourwords.

Ifthemeaningofyourwordswithyourpotentialclientscontinuallyconflictswith your nonverbal communication, it is time to reexamine your level of

conviction about your company, its product or services, and your love for thesellingprofession.

As discussed in chapter 5, your level of conviction directly affects yourpersuasiveness and, subsequently, your sales results. Relevant to this chapter,yourlevelofconvictionissubtlycommunicatedtobuyersthroughyourtonalityandphysiology.Youhavefewsecretsfromyourbuyers!

Let’sexamineindetailhowyour tonalityandphysiologyimpactyoursalesappointments.

1.Tonality

Tonality refers to how you use your voice to speak during your salesappointment.Ifyouprimarilyselloverthephone(withnovideoconferencing),yourtonalityisyourentirenonverbalcommunication!

Howyouspeakduringyoursalesappointmentswillpowerfullycommunicateyour enthusiasm and conviction for your product. In contrast, wait-and-seesalespeoplebelieve that thevalueofcontentalone iswhatpersuadesbuyers totake action. They think, Sure, enthusiasm is helpful, but really, buyers eitherwant to take action or they don’t. So thewait-and-see salespeople drone theirway through thepresentation,paying little attention tohow thepresentation isdelivered. When buyers don’t leap to purchase the product, the wait-and-seesalespeopleshrugandblamefatefornotsendingthemmoreenthusiasticbuyers.

Don’tmakethatmistake!Howyoudeliver thecontentofyourpresentationdirectly affects the persuasiveness of your presentation. How you ask yourbuyers to takeactiondirectlyaffects theprobabilityof their takingaction.Thethreemostpersuasiveelementsoftonalityare:

a)Volume

Pay attention to the volume of your voice and the volume of the buyer’svoice. It’s important. Do you speak to every buyer at the same volume? No.Manysalespeoplebelievethattospeakwithenthusiasmtheymustspeakloudly.That is not necessarily true. You can speak quietly or loudly yet stillcommunicatewithenthusiasm.

Howloudlyshouldyouspeakwithbuyers?Byapplyingthethreeprinciplesof rapport toyour tonalityduringyour sales appointments,youwill adjust the

volumeandintensityofyourvoicetothatofyourbuyer.Ideally,youwillmatch thebuyer’s speedandvolumeof speechwithin the

firstninetysecondsofcontact.Whenthebuyerspeaksloudly,youwillwanttoincrease the volume of your voice close to his. He could be speaking loudlybecauseheishardofhearing.Hemayjustbeanormallyloudspeaker.

Note: Be aware of your surroundings if you feel the need to speakmore loudly than isnormal for you.Youdonotwant it toappear that youand thebuyerhavegotten intoashoutingmatch.

Whenabuyerspeaksquietly,decreasethevolumeofyourvoice.Youdonotneed to match the volume of your buyer’s voice exactly, but come relativelyclose.Theideaistomakeherascomfortableaspossiblewithyou.Closeenoughisusuallygoodenough.

Considertheperspectiveofyourbuyer.Ifsheissoft-spokenandyouspeakloudly to her, is it possible she might assume you are a typical blusterysalesperson?Youcould,ineffect,pushheraway.

Ontheotherhand,ifyourbuyerspeakswithabooming,powerfulvoiceandyou speak in amild, quietmanner, is it possible hemight think that you lackconfidenceinyourcompany,initsproducts,orinyourself?Theanswerisyes.Hemaythenattempttodominatethesalesprocess,andyoumaylosecontrol.

The issue is notwhether speaking loudly or quietly ismore persuasive. Ineachexample,thechallengeiscreatedbythedifferenceinvolumebetweenyouand your buyer. Matching tonality is a penalty situation. Too much of adifference in volume will distract your buyer from the message of yourpresentationandwilloftenleadtoano-salesituation.Makeitahabittotalktoyourbuyerinasimilarvolumetowhatheuses,butwithinthenaturalrangeofyourvoice.

b)Speed

Again,thisisimportant.Doyouspeakatthesamespeedduringeverysalesappointment?Applying the principles of rapport, you should speak at a speedsimilartothatofyourbuyer.Inmisunderstandingtheexpressionofenthusiasm,some salespeople believe that speaking enthusiastically equates to speaking

faster.Thatisnottrue.Youcanspeakeitherslowlyorquicklywithenthusiasm.Frequently, speed and volume are lumped together in the minds of

salespeople.Thefastertheyspeak,theloudertheyspeak.Often,theyaresimplyunawareofdoingeither.Butyourbuyersmaybecomeveryawareofyourspeedofspeechifitdiffersfromhowtheyspeak…andtheycanbeturnedoffbyit.

Theissueisnotthevalueoffastspeakingversusslowspeaking.Theissueisthe disruption of rapport caused by the contrast between your verbal behaviorandthebuyer’sverbalbehavior.Thisisthekeytothisentireconcept—nottobedrasticallydifferent inbehavioror tone,but to findandwork in the range thatthebuyerfindsmostcomfortable.

If your buyer speaks deliberately and you speakmuchmore quickly,whatmight be her impression of you? Is it possible she might assume you are atypical fast-talking, pushy salesperson? But if the buyer is a busy type-Apersonality who speaks quickly, what would he think about a slow-talkingsalesperson?Isitpossiblehemightassumeyouareunmotivatedor,worse,slow-witted?Thetakeawayofthistopicistospeakatasimilarrateofspeedasyourbuyers.

c)Enunciation

Afrequentlyoverlookedareaof tonality isspeakingwithclearenunciation.The principle to remember here is that a confused mind says no. If yourpotential clients understand only 80 to 90 percent of what you say, theirautomaticresponsewillbetosayno.

Enunciation is particularly important in the first few minutes of the salesappointment,when thebuyer isgettingused toyourvoiceandyourapproach.During that briefwindowof time, your buyerwill forman impressionof youthatmaybedifficultforyoutochangelaterinthesalesprocess.Ifyouarenotspeakingclearly,thebuyermaydecideyouarenotworththeeffortoftryingtounderstand.Wouldn’titbesadifyouinvestedthetimeandenergytoarrangeasales appointment only to lose the sale in the first few minutes because youdidn’tspeakclearly?

Clearly enunciating your words is also critical when leaving voice mailmessages. Imagine a busy potential client listening to ten ormore voicemailmessages.Helistenstoyourvoicemailandattheendhearsyoumumbleorrushthroughyournameoryour callbacknumber.Doyou think thepotential clientwill bother to replay your message several times to decipher your indistinct

words? Probably not. Speak clearly enough to be understood, because whenpotentialclientsdonotunderstandwhatyouareasking,theeasiestpathofactionforthemistodonothing.

2.Physiology

Ifyoucallonbuyersinpersonorviavideochat,beawarethatthemajorityofthecommunicationaboutyour levelofconvictionandenthusiasmcomes fromyourphysiology.Actionsreallydospeaklouderthanwords!Belowareseveralways to create nonverbal actions that communicate the same message as thewordsofyourpresentationandclose.

Note:Beforeeveryvideocall,startyourcameraandlookcarefullyatwhatyourpotentialclientswillsee.

•Isyourdeskamess?Ifso,itwillsendthemessagenotthatyou’rebusybutthatyouaresimplydisorganized.

•Isthereapictureinthebackgroundthatmightbedistracting?•Howaboutanopendoorwherepeoplearewalkingby?•Couldthatplantbehindyoulooklikeit’sgrowingoutofthetopofyourhead?•Isthelightingintheroomdarkorcastingaghoulishshadow?

We’renotsuggestingthatyougotothelengthsofstagingyourofficeforabroadcast-qualityvideoproduction,butdowhatyoucantokeepanythingbutyouralertpostureandsmilingfacefromgrabbingthepotentialclient’sattention.

a)Posture

Apowerfulway toestablish rapportwith thebuyer is tomaintainasimilarposture to theirs. Applying the principles of rapport, when the buyer sits upstraight, you shift to a more upright posture. When the buyer sits back in arelaxedposture,thenyourelaxyourposture—butperhapsnotasrelaxedasyourbuyer’sposture.Closeenoughisgoodenough.

Yourobjectiveisnottomimicyourbuyer’sphysiology.Rather,itistoavoidopposite behaviors.Most buyerswill not consciously notice your posture, buttheywill notice if they feel comfortablewith you.A contrast in posturesmaymakeabuyerfeeluncomfortable.Ifthebuyerissittinguprightatadeskfullof

work,andyousitbackinyourchairandassumeacasual,relaxedposture,whatmightshethinkaboutyou?Thatyouareunmotivated?Evenworse,thatyoudonotrespecthowbusysheis?

Ifthebuyersitsbackinarelaxedpostureandyouleanforwardinanuprightposture,whatmighthethinkaboutyou?Hemayfeelyouareapushy,aggressivesalespersonanxioustogethimtobuy.Inshort,doyourbesttositorstandinaposturesimilartoyourbuyer’s.

Therearetwobasictypesofpostures:

Symmetrical

A symmetrical posture means you squarely face the buyer. Sitting orstanding, your shoulders and hips are equally distant from the buyer’s.Whensitting,yourlegsarenotcrossedandbothfeetareonthefloor.Whenstanding,youplaceequalweightonbothlegs,notleaningagainstthewallorturnedtooneside.

Asymmetrical

An asymmetrical posture means your shoulders and/or hips are pointedslightlytothesidesothebuyerlooksacrossyourbodyatanangle.Yourheadmust be turned at a slight angle to face your buyer. Crossing your legs alsocreatesanasymmetricalposture.

Which type of posture is most advantageous for your sales appointments?Initially, it may seem that symmetrical postures are more appropriate forbusiness. You are there for business, not a social visit. Therefore, a formalposture ismoreappropriate.Thatwasprobably true inpastdecades.However,thiscouldbeunconsciouslyinterpretedasanaggressivestance.Becausethefirstobjectiveinthesalesappointmentistoestablishrapport,matchingthepostureofyourbuyermayincludeassumingamorerelaxed,asymmetricalposture.Italsoallowsyoutodemonstratewithyourbodylanguagethatyouareonyourbuyer’sside.

Symmetricalposturesaremoreformalandcommunicatetrustworthinessandauthority.Theyshow thatyouare focusedonbusiness.Asymmetricalposturesare lessformalandcommunicate thatyouarerelaxedandatease.Soyouwillwanttousebothattheappropriatetimes.

Given the information above,nowwhich typeofposturewouldyou say ismost advantageous for your sales appointments? The answer depends on theposture of the buyers. Remember the first principle of rapport: buyers likesalespeoplewhoarelikethem.Ifbuyersareinarelaxed,asymmetricalposture,then assumea similar asymmetrical posture, at least during the initial rapport-buildingphaseofthesalesappointment.Afteryouhaveestablishedrapportandarereadytoshifttheconversationtowardbusiness,youcansmoothlyshiftyourposturetosomethingmoreformal.Thekeywordhereissmoothly.Anyabruptorsuddenchangeinyourposturemaysubconsciouslytriggerfearorresistanceinyourbuyers.

Thisbringsustooneofthemostpowerfuladvantagesofestablishingrapportwith the buyer. As previously noted, people who are in rapport tend to tradebehaviors.Becauseyounonverballyestablishedrapportwiththebuyerearlyinthesalesappointment,whenyoudecidetoassumeamoreattentivepostureforyourpresentation, thebuyer ismorelikely tofollowyourshift inposture.Youcan nonverbally transition your buyer into a more advantageous sellingenvironment!When the buyer follows your shift in posture, that is a solidandimportant indicationthatyouhaveestablishedsufficientrapport,andsheisinterestedinhearingmoreofwhatyouhavetosay.

Ifthebuyerdoesnotfollowyourshiftinposture,shehasgivenanonverbalcuethatyouhavenotyetfullyengagedherlevelofinterest.Thatmaynotbethefeedbackyoudesire,but it isvaluableinformationtoknowbeforeyoubeginapresentation.Ifthatoccurs,itmaybeadvantageoustoshiftbackonceagaintoaposturesimilartothebuyer’sandtoaskmorequestionstoconfirmheropennesstohearingyourpresentation.

Note:Occasionally,youmayhavesalesappointmentswithvisuallyattractivemembersoftheoppositesex.Itmaybetemptingtositbackandenjoyarelaxingfewminutesasyouchatwith this person.This small talkmaynot necessarily be for thepurposeofmovingyoursalesappointmentforward,butjustforthesakeofsmalltalkwithavisuallyattractivehumanbeing.Beforewarned:yourbuyercanalwaystellthedifference.

Fromabusinessperspective,considerthatthesepeopleprobablyhearthesametrivialsmalltalkfromvendors,salespeople,andcustomersalldaylong.Ifyouwanttostandoutfromyourcompetitionandfromalltheothersalespeopletheyencounter,beprofessional.Bepleasant,lookthemintheeye,andmaintainanairofprofessionalismthatnonverballysays that you are there strictly for business. If they choose to chat you up for a fewminutes,fine.Butremainalertforsignalsthattheyarereadytomoveforwardinthesalespresentation.

b)Proximity

Yourrapportwithbuyerswillbeaffectedbyhowcloseyoustandorsitnearthem.Ifyoucrowdbuyersbystandingorsittingcloserthantheyarecomfortablewith,youwillbreaktherapportyouhaveestablisheduptothatpoint.

Americanstypicallypreferacomfortzoneoftwenty-fourtothirtyinchesofspace.Howdoyouknowifyouaresittingorstandingtooclosetobuyers?Theanswercanbeseenintheirbehavior.Ifbuyersleanawayorstepback,youareprobablytooclose.

Men,beespeciallyawareofyourproximitywhentalkingtowomen.Whilesomewomenmaynotmind ifyouget tooclose,otherwomenwillbecomesouncomfortablethatyoumayactuallylosethesaleevenbeforeyourpresentationbegins.

It’simportantheretoalsoconsideryourbodysizeinrelationtoyourbuyer’s.Ifyouarea largemanselling toapetitewomanor smallerman,youwillnotwanttoloomoverthebuyer.Thatmaybeperceivedasthreatening(consciouslyornot).Insuchcases,it’simportanttositwithyourbuyerassoonaspossibletogetyouonamore levelplayingfield,so tospeak. Ifyou’re thesmall-staturedone selling to peoplewho are quite a bit larger than you, use a slightlymoreformalposturetocommandtheattentionthatyourbodysizedoesnot.

Be aware that proximity is another penalty situation. Maintaining anappropriateproximitytothebuyerisimportant.Ifyouviolatehiscomfortzonebystandingorsittingtooclosetohim,hewillbemorelikelytosaynotoyou.Makesureyoudonotcrowdyourbuyer.

Onalighternote,proximityissomethingyoucanhavealotoffunwith.Thenexttimeyouareengagedinastandingconversation,takeastepbackandseeiftheotherssteporleanforwardtofollowyou.Ifapotentialclientdoes,thatisagoodsignthatyouhaveengagedhisinterest!

c)Touching

AsShakespearealmostwrote,“Totouchornottotouch,thatisthequestion.”Thatshamelessparaphraseraisestheimportantquestionofwhetheryoushouldtouchyourbuyerswithapatontheirshoulderorback,touchthemonthearm,givethemahug,oremployanyothertypeofphysicalcontact.

The advantage of appropriate touching is that a physical touch,whenwellreceived, warms the heart and increases rapport. The disadvantage is that an

unappreciatedtouchcankillbothrapportandthesale.Somebuyersaretouchy-feelypeople.Itishowtheywelcomepeople.Other

buyersarelesstouchyornotatallfeely.Itisthenot-at-allfolksyouneedtobemost aware of.Maybe you are one of them. If a salesperson touches a buyeragainsthiswishes,thesalesappointmentiseffectivelyover.

Youneverknowwhatatouchmeanstoabuyer.Men,thisisespeciallytrueinyourinteractionswithwomen.Yousimplydon’tknowhowyourtouchwillbereceived. Given that lack of knowledge, do you want to risk losing the salebecauseofwhatyouthoughtwasasimple, inoffensivetouch?Theprincipletorememberisifindoubt,don’ttouch.

d)Handshake

Your handshake creates an impression about you as a sales professional.There is a range of firmness to employ in a handshake. It’s important to payattentionsoyouusetherightlevelforeachclient.

Atoneendofthespectrumisthecrushinggriphandshake.Thisiswhentoomuchpressureisappliedtothebuyer’shands.Attheotherendofthespectrumis theweakhandshake,where too littlepressure is applied.Neitherhandshakesetsthetoneforapleasantsalescall.

Toproperlyshakehands,useagripthatcloselymatchesthebuyer’s.Aone-size-fits-allhandshakewillnotworkforeverybuyer.Youmustpayattentiontoeachbuyer’sgripandadjustyourownaccordingly.

Handshakingisnotanexactscience.Theobjectiveisnottogivetheperfecthandshake.Rather,itistoavoidgivingahandshakethatisnoticeablydifferentfromyourbuyer’s.

Willyourhandshakemakeorbreakthesale?Probablynot,butconsiderthatby the end of your sales call, the cumulative effect of a dozen of these “littlethings” can be a persuasive influence either in your favor or against you.Everything counts for something. Some actions count more than others, buteverythingcountsforsomething.

Note tomen: youmay notice a unique style of greetingwhen introducingyourself to male blue collar workers. When shaking hands with many men,hesitation and timidity will not win you the level of respect that you desire.Whenyouintroduceyourselftoaman,playhimfaceup.Thatmeansmakeeyecontact,confidentlyreachoutyourhandforashake,andboldlystateyourname.Give theman a firmhandshakewhilemaintaining eye contact.That favorable

first impression will instantly establish rapport and positively enhance yourpersuasiveopportunitywithhim.

e)Walking

Thefinalareaofphysiologydoesnotapplytoallsalessituations.Ifpartofyoursalesappointmentrequiresyoutowalkwithabuyertoadifferentpartofher office or job site,make sure youwalk at the same pace.Motivated, busybuyers often walk at a fast pace. By walking as fast as the buyer, younonverballycommunicate thatyouareamotivated,busy salesperson, thatyourespectthebuyer’shecticschedule,andthatyou’rejustlikeher.

Ifyoudonotkeepup,thebuyermaythinkyouareunmotivatedorlazy.Evenifyoudokeepupbutitappearsthatyouhavetorushtodoso,you’llgivetheimpressionthatyoutypicallyoperateataslowerpace.Isthattheimpressionyouwanttomake?

Otherbuyerswalkatamoredeliberatepace.Ifyouconsistentlystepaheadofthe buyer because your normal pace is faster, the buyer may think you arerushinghimorareinsensitivetoanyphysicalissuethatmayforcehimtowalkslowly. Do not give your buyer a chance to wonder.Match the pace of yourbuyerandincreaseyourlevelofrapport.

CASESTUDY

SELLINGINACTION:TWOCASESTUDIES

Tohelpyouenvision the strategies that havebeencovered thus far, twoongoing scenarios are provided in the ensuing chapters. In the first twoinstances,boldfacedquestionsareinterspersedthroughoutthescenariostohelpyourecognizeandchoosehowtoapplythestrategiestoyoursellingsituations.Wewillassumethatyouwillunderstandtheprocessandwilldothesamewiththescenariosinchaptersthatfollow.

Scenario1:BusinessSalesAppointment

Kate parks her car and looks at the front of the potential client’s smallbusiness. She thinks of three other appointments she has that day, all ofwhicharewithbiggerpotential accounts.Shebrushes that thought asideandreachesforhersalesmaterials.Focusingonthepresentsituation,shepullsoutthebrochuresandformsthatshewillneedforthismeeting.Shepopsabreathmintinhermouth.Closinghereyesforseveralseconds,shevisualizes the prospective client being friendly, responding favorably toherpresentation,andapprovingthepaperworkattheend.

Think about how you mentally and emotionally prepare foryoursalescalls.

Inside the office, Kate greets the receptionist pleasantly. Thereceptionistshowsherintotheoffice.Mr.Stevensisfinishingaphonecallandwavesherover tohisdesk.Kate remains standinguntilheends thecall.Heistanned,possiblyfromworkinginthefieldorbeingonabeach.Hishairisspeckledwithgray.Kateguessesheisinhisearlysixties.

“Sorryaboutthat,”Mr.Stevensapologizesashesetsthephonedown.HisdeliberatepaceofspeakingandslightaccentsuggestSouthernroots.

“Oneofmyteamsinthefieldishavingachallengingday.Here,please.”Heindicatesforhertositinachairinfrontofhisdesk.

Kate extends her hand. “KateTownsend.”She looks him in the eyesand gives a firm handshake thatmatches the strength of his handshake.She hands him her business card before sitting down. As he reads herbusinesscard,sheglancesaroundtheoffice.Thewallbehindhisdeskisfilled with stuffed trophy game. The desk has autographed baseballs insmallPlexiglascases.Nexttothebaseballsareseveralpictures.Oneisofayoungmanposingnext to twohuntingdogs.TheotherpicturesareofMr. Stevens at professional sporting events standing next to a sportscelebrity.

Whatdoyounoticewhenyouenterasellingenvironment?

Mr.Stevenssettlesbackinhischair.“WidgetCorp,”hestatesandthenwaitsforherresponse.

Kateissittingupinherchairwithbothofherfeetonthefloor,facingMr.Stevensinasymmetricalposture.ShedoesnotseeaweddingbandonMr.Stevens’s fingerorapictureofawomanonhisdesk.Shedrawsnoconclusions fromthatother thandeciding to retainanairof formality toset the tone of their professional relationship. She smiles pleasantly butsaysnothing.

He continues. “Why would Widget Corp send one of their salesexecutivestocallonalittleol’companylikemine?”

Katesensessheisbeingmeasured.Smiling,shesays,“Everyclientisimportanttous,sir.”

“Please,”hesaysquickly.“CallmeDean.”Withtheicebroken,shebegins.“Thankyouforyourtimeinseeingme

today,Dean.Itwasquiteanadventuregettinghere.”“Yes,thestreetsareabittrickyrightnowwithalltheconstruction.Did

youhavetroublefindingus?”“Norealtrouble.However,I’mthankfulthatIhaveGPS.”Shepauses

ashechucklesandthencontinues,“Howlonghasyourofficebeenatthislocation?”

What do you say to get the conversation started in a salesappointment?

“Almostfifteenyears.Whentheairportexpanded,wehadtorelocate.Thisisabitoffthebeatentrack,soweseeverylittlewalk-intraffic.Butit’s near the airport, and thatmakes it very convenient for shipping andtravel.”

Kate motions to the wall behind Mr. Stevens. “That’s quite awidemouth bass you have there. It doesn’t sing, does it?” she jokes,referringtoanoveltyitemsheoccasionallyseesinofficesandhomes.

Mr.Stevenslaughs.“No,that’stherealthing.Fourpounds,sixounces.CaughtitbehindacabinIhaveupnorth.Soundslikeyouknowyourfish.Doyouliketofish?”

“I like to eat fish,” Kate says without missing a beat. “My brotherswentout fishingmosteveryweekendwhen Iwasgrowingup.We livednearalargelake.”

“Nothinglikefreshlycaught,grilledfish,”Mr.Stevensagrees.Katenoticesthathesaid,“acabinIhave,”andnot“acabinwehave,”

so she decides to avoid questions about a spouse unless he raises thesubject.

Whatsubjectsareyoucarefultoavoidduringsmalltalk?

Kate looks at thepictureonhisdeskof theyoungmanwith the twohunting dogs. “Theway he’s dressed remindsme ofmy brothers.Whatwashehuntingfor?”

“Quails by day and raccoons at night.” Mr. Stevens says with achuckle.“That’smyson,DeanJr.Lotsofgoodtimeshuntingwiththosedogs.”

Mr.Stevensdoesn’tofferanymoreinformationaboutfamily,soKatemoves on. She looks at the sidewall with his diplomas. “University ofAlabama.Howdidyouendupstartingabusinessallthewayouthere?”

Mr.Stevensscoffs.“Notbydesign.Icantellyouthat.”Overthenextfew minutes, he describes going to work after graduation for a certaincompany,andhowtheproblemsatthatcompanyledhimtostarthisownbusiness.

KateexperiencesconflictingemotionsasshelistenstoMr.Stevenstellhisstory.Sheisgladthatheisengagedinconversation.Thatisthepointofherquestions.Atthesametime,shefeelsthepressingtimeconstraintsonherschedule.Shehasthreeotherappointmentsthatafternoon,callsand

e-mails to return, andpaperworkwaiting at theoffice.Yethere she sits,spendingpreciousminutesoftheregularbusinesshoursmakingsmalltalkwithapotentialclientwhoisweavingataleofhisprofessionaljourney.

She takesadeepbreathandrelaxeshershoulders.Therapportshe isbuilding increases the probability of a sale and lays the foundation forclient loyalty. Focusing her thoughts back on Mr. Stevens, Katereflectively listens to encourage Mr. Stevens to continue sharing hisprofessionalstorywithappropriatewordsandphrases:

“Really?”“Whatdidyoudonext?”“That’sincredible.”Kate makes mental notes about certain challenges that Mr. Stevens

faced in the past that could have been helped by using one of WidgetCorp’s products. At this point, Kate believes she has established asufficientlevelofrapport,andshebeginstonarrowtheirconversationtobusiness matters. Because Mr. Stevens trusts her enough to share hisstoriesfromthepast,shebelieveshewillopenupandsharehiscompany’sexperienceswiththeircurrentwidgetprovider.Bridginghispastbusinessexperiences to thepresent,shestartswitha transitionquestion:“Sohowdidyougetstartedusingwidgets?”

How do you determine when it is time to shift small talk tobusinesstalk?

Scenario2:ResidentialSalesAppointment

Bob pulls his car in front of the sprawling ranch house in the woodedresidential neighborhood. He turns off the engine and sighs. A quieteveningbreezeblowsthroughtheopenwindowsofhiscarashelistenstothebirdschirpinganeveningsong.So relaxing…Hewould ratherbeathomewithhiswifeandtwoyoungchildren,butheisbuildinghisbusinesstoprovideagreatlifeforthem.HejoinedResidentialWidgetstwoyearsearlier. The big dreams he has for his family require a big income. Heopensuphisbusinessfolderandlooksatafamilypictureofhiswifeandchildren on the beach.A smile crosses his face as he briefly relives thememoriesofthatday.

Howdopleasantemotionshelpyousellmoreeffectively?

Bobchecksthebrochuresheplacedinthefolderearlierthatafternoon.Everything is set.He looksat the frontdoor andvisualizes thepotentialclients welcoming him into their home, engaging him in friendlyconversation, asking questions during his presentation, and respondingpositivelytohisclosingquestion.Snappingthefoldershut,hegetsoutofthecarandwalkstothefrontdoor.

Mr.andMrs.Johnson,both in their latefifties,greethimat thedoor.Bob shakes Mr. Johnson’s hand firmly, matching his strong grip. Mrs.Johnsonalsoextendsherhandandgiveshimamildhandshake,whichheresponds to in-kind. They invite him into their living room.While stillstanding,Bobsays,“Thankyousomuchforhavingmeoverthisevening.PleasecallmeBob.ShallIrefertoyouasMr.andMrs.Johnson?Whatdoyouprefer?”

How do you determine what names to use when referring toyourpotentialclients?

“GaryandPatisfine,”Mr.Johnsonsaysinaboomingdeepvoice.Patnodsinagreement.Boblooksaroundthelivingroom,noticingthe

familyphotographsand theartworkon thewalls.Witha smile,he asks,“SoIcandoabetterjobforyouthisevening,itwouldbebestifwesatatthetable.Youdon’tmind,doyou?”Theyagree,andhefollowsthemintothekitchen,feelinggladthathehassubtlyestablishedleadershipearlyintheappointment.

AsheandGarysitdownat thekitchentable,Patoffers tofixcoffee.Bob doesn’t want to have coffee breath as he sits in their vicinity.However,helikestoacceptsomeformofhospitalitywhenitisofferedbypotential clients. “No, thank you, but a glass of water would be great!Thankyou.”

How do you respondwhen potential clients offer you food ordrink?

Gary sits back in his chair, so Bob assumes a similar posture. Bobnotices the custom cabinets, granite countertops, and tiled kitchen floor.“Whatabeautifulkitchen!”

“Yes, we remodeled the entire kitchen three years ago,” Pat says,beamingatherhusband.“Atwenty-fifthanniversarygiftfromGary.”

Bobadds,“Ilovethelightingunderthecabinets.”Gary, who designed the kitchen with the remodeling contractor, is

modestly enjoying the attention given to his kitchen design. “The LEDtechnologygivesPatplentyoflightwithouttheheat.It’sworkedoutreallywell.”

AsPatplacesaglassofwateronthekitchentableinfrontofBob,hethanksherandcontinues.“Inoticedyourmatchingartworkwhenwewereinthelivingroom.Arethoseoriginals?”

Pat grins as she sits downnext toBob. “We are friendswith a localartist.Doesn’tshecreatebeautifulwork?”

Garyadds,“Wehavesupportedherartisticeffortsformanyyears.”“They are wonderful,” Bob replies with sincere appreciation. “What

typeofarttalentrunsinyourfamily?”Bobwordshisquestiontoincludetheir family, because his next set of questions will be about their kids.Bringing their family into the conversation is the next step in directingtheirconversationtowardbusiness.

“We’renotartists,”saysPat,“butourdaughterlovestomakepottery.”She points to several small pieces of decorative pottery standing on thecornerofthecounter.“Dianemadethosepiecesoverthere.”

“Thosearefun.Isthatherinthepictureinthelivingroom?”Bobasks,redirectingtheconversationbacktofamily.

“Yes,”Patreplies.“That’sherandourson,Scott.HemovedtoSeattlelastyearforajobwithatechnologycompany.Dianewillfinishcollegeattheendofnextyear.”

“An exciting time for your family,” Bob affirms. He has nowestablished a comfortable level of rapport. The conversation is pleasantand smoothly moves from topic to topic. Both potential clients areparticipating.Bobdecides that their levelof rapport is sufficient, andheproceedstothenextpointaroundtheCircleofPersuasion.HetransitionstoquestionsthatidentifyPatandGary’sneeds.

“WhatwillthosechangesmeanforbothofyouwhenDianeeventuallymovesoutofthehouse?”

Howdoyoudeterminewhen it is timetoshift fromsmall talkaboutpersonaltopicstodiscussingbusiness-relatedtopics?

CHAPTER6KEYPOINTS

•It’scriticaltoanysellingsituationtoestablishrapportbeforegettingdowntobusiness.

•Whenrapportisestablished,buyerswillpaymoreattentiontoyourpresentation.

•Unlessthere’ssomethingunusualgoingon,trytoavoidthetopicoftheweather.

•JonBerghoff:“Peopledon’tbuyfrommebecausetheyunderstandwhatI’mselling.Theybuybecausetheyfeelunderstood.”

•Rapportmustbeestablishedbothverballyandnonverbally.•Ifyourwordspraisethevalueofyourproduct,butyourvoiceandbodycommunicateuncertaintyorhesitation,yourpersuasiveabilitymaybediminished.

•Matchyourbuyer’sspeedandvolumeofspeechwithinthefirstninetysecondsofcontact.

•Speakclearly.Ifyourpotentialclientsunderstandonly80to90percentofwhatyousay,theirautomaticresponsewillbetosayno.

•Understandandbenefitfromsymmetricalandasymmetricalpostures.•Whenbuyersfollowyourshiftinposture,thatisasolidandimportantindicationthatyouhaveestablishedsufficientrapportandtheyareinterestedinhearingwhatyouwillsaynext.

7.IdentifyingNeeds

TheCircleofPersuasion

You began the sales appointment by establishing a sense of rapportwith thebuyerthroughsmalltalkandengaginginsimilarnonverbalbehaviors.Nowthetime has come to begin steering the conversation toward the true businessobjectivesofthesalesappointment.

In order to get down to business, it’swise to develop and use a transitionstrategyastowhatyousay.Trysomethinglikethis:“Mr.Kraft,letmebeginbythanking you for the timewe’ll share here today. I hopewe can consider thismeeting somewhat exploratory—meaning my job as a [name of industry]

professionalistoshowyouhowourdynamiccompanyishelpingbusinesseslikeyours.”

By saying something like that, you are not only making the transition tobusiness,butdoingitinawaythatdoesn’taddpressuretothesituation.You’re“exploring”whatyourcompanymightdoforthem,notsellinganything—yet.

Anotherstrategyfortransitioningfromsmalltalktobusinesstalkistosimplyintroduceanagendaforyourmeeting.Thatintroductionmightsoundsomethinglike this: “Robert, if youdon’tmind, letme explainhowwe’ll proceed today.First,I’llsharewithyoualittleaboutourcompanysoyouwillfeelcomfortablethatwearetheexpertsweprofesstobe.Then,I’llaskyousomequestionsaboutyourneedsandhopesforfindingtherightsolution.Next,ifwhatweofferdoesprovideasoundsolutionforyourneeds,we’llreviewthatinasmuchdepthasyouwould like. Our goal is that you feel truly comfortablewith our solutionbefore consideringmaking any decisions.Also, please realize that neithermycompany nor I believe in high-pressure tactics.We realize our product is notrightforeveryone.Itmayormaynotberightforyou.Ijusthopeyou’llkeepanopenmind about it. Then, at the end of our time together, you tellme if youthinkourproductisrightforyou.Doesthatsoundokay?”

Now, some businesses, and some veteran salespeople, might cringe at thewordingabove,especiallysinceyou’revoluntarilybringinguptheideathatyourproductmaynotbe right for them.However, thishasbeenproveneffective inhundredsofthousandsofsituationstoreducesalesresistance.Inessence,you’vegiven buyers permission to say no. There’s enough pressure in any salessituationthatit’swiseforyoutorelieveitasearlyaspossible.

Asyoupresentyouragendaormakeyourtransitionstatement,situpalittlestraighter. It’s a nonverbal cue to buyers that it’s time to pay attention.Whenthey follow suit by sitting up or leaning in to listen towhat you have to say,they’re engaged. If they don’t respond in thatmanner, youmay have to shiftgearsandbuildalittlemorerapport.

Onceyou’vemadethistransition,it’stimetobeginidentifyingtheneedsofthebuyersbydoingwhattopsalesprosdobest—askingquestions.

QUESTIONSARETHEANSWER

Why is asking questions so important to a persuasive situation? Manysalespeoplethinksellingisallaboutmakingstatements—tellingbuyersreasonstobuy.Givingbuyers the information theyneed tomake apurchase is a vital

partof thepersuasionprocess.Remember:aconfusedmindsaysno.Butwhatyousayisneveraspersuasiveaswhatbuyerssaytothemselves.Wheneveryouaskaquestion,yourbuyerswillmentallyanswerit,eveniftheydon’tsaymuchoutloud.Therefore,yourquestionsshouldbedesignedtoguideandtodirecttheanswers buyers come up with about your product, your company, and yourabilitytoservetheirneeds.

Buyers constantly ask themselves questions. Whether in their thoughts orspokenoutloud,buyersaskquestionssuchas:

•“Isthisagooddeal?”•“Whatisthecost?”•“Isthissalespersonwastingmytime?”•“CanIbuythischeapersomewhereelse?”•“Willthiscompanydowhatitpromises?”•“Doesthissalespersonreallyunderstandmysituation?”

Youcannotdirectlycontrolhowbuyerswillanswerthosequestions.Youcan,however, influence the questions they ask themselves, which increases theprobabilityoftheircomingupwiththeanswersyouwant.Thatisthepowerofaskingquestions!Whenyouhelpbuyersaskthemselvestherightquestions,theanswersyouwantthemtocomeupwitharemorelikelytofollow.Incontrast,ifyouleaveyourbuyers’questionstochance,youmaynotliketheiranswers.

In summary, the person who asks the questions controls the conversationduring a sales appointment.However, if you ask questions but fail to showbuyersthatyouarelisteningtotheiranswers,yourquestionswilldolittletohelpyouclosethesale.

Toeffectively identify theneedsofbuyers requiresaskingseveral layersofquestions.Itrequiresactivelylisteningtodeterminethenextquestionyoumustaskinordertoencourageyourbuyertocontinuetalking.Inthischapter,youwilllearnthetypesofquestionsandsubsequentresponsesthatencouragebuyerstocommunicatekeyinformationnecessaryforthemtotakeimmediateaction.

CLOSED-ENDEDQUESTIONS

There are two basic types of questions you can ask buyers. The first typeconsistsofclosed-endedquestions.Thesequestionselicitone-wordanswers: a

buyeranswerseitheryesorno.Closed-endedquestionshave theirplace in thesalesprocess,butwhenusedatthewrongtimetheycanputanabruptendtoaconversation insteadofencouragingthebuyer to tellyouherwantsandneeds.Closed-endedquestionstoavoidwhenidentifyingneedsbeginwith:

1.“Doyou…?”2.“Willyou…?”3.“Areyou…?”4.“Canyou…?”5.“Haveyou…?”

Herearesomeexamplesofquestionswithgoodcontentthatareaskedinanincorrect form. When used incorrectly, these questions discourage the buyerfrom revealing any information salespeople might find helpful in deliveringrelevant,compellingpresentations:

Salesperson:“Doyouuseourtypeofproductveryoften?”Buyer:“Yes.”Salesperson: “Will you be purchasing our type of product in the nearfuture?”

Buyer:“No.”Salesperson:“Areyouthepersonwhoauthorizesnewpurchases?”Buyer:“No.”

Because the closed-ended questions direct the buyer to give one-wordanswers,thesalespersondoesn’tlearnhowsheusestheproduct,thereasonsshewon’tbemakingapurchaseinthenearfuture,orwhoauthorizesnewpurchases.Whenidentifyingtheneedsofyourbuyer,avoidaskingclosed-endedquestions.Theyactivelyshutdownthebuyer’sparticipationwhenyoumostwanttohearfromher.

OPEN-ENDEDQUESTIONS

Thesecondtypeofquestionsareopen-endedones.Thesearequestionsabuyercannot answer with yes or no. These questions require real thought and

elaborationon thebuyer’s part.When identifyingneeds,wouldyou rather thebuyer give short yes/no answers, or give full answers loadedwith clues aboutwhyhewantsandneedsyourproducts?(Andyes,thatwasbothanopen-endedandarhetoricalquestion.)

There are basically six forms of open-ended questions. You are alreadyfamiliarwiththem,thoughyoumaynothavepreviouslylabeledthesequestionsinthismanner.Thesixopen-endedquestionsstartwiththewords:

1.“Who…?”2.“What…?”3.“When…?”4.“Where…?”5.“Why…?”6.“How…?”

Open-endedquestionsrequire thebuyer toprovidevaluablecluesabouthisneeds,desires,andbuyingprocedures.Examplesofopen-endedquestionsare:

“Whatarethebiggestchallengesyoufaceregardingyourindustry?”“Whenisyourbusiesttimeofyear?”“Whatareyourbusinessobjectivesforthisyear?”“Howdoesyourcompanymakedecisionsaboutnewpurchases?“Whatdoyoulikeanddislikeaboutyourcurrentsupplier?”

In short, the buyer can’t answer your open-ended questions with a yes/noanswer!

Considerhowthetypesofquestionsyouaskaffectyoursalesappointments.Two salespeople ask buyers the same questionswith one difference. The firstsalesperson asks open-ended questions. The second salesperson asks closed-endedquestions.

Aftera fulldayofsalesappointments,bothsalespeople return to theofficeanddiscusstheirdays.

•The first salesperson shareshoweachofhisbuyers talkednonstop aboutfamily,pets,sports,travel,orhobbies.Eachtime,thefirstsalespersonaskedfor

fiveminutes,andmoreoftenthannotthebuyerwasstilltalkingthirtyminuteslater.

• The second salesperson complains that the buyers hardly talked at all.Coincidentally, the second salesperson typically got very little time with thebuyers.Oftenabuyerwassochillyduringthepresentationthatthesalespersonleftwithfrostbite.

If you frequently experience buyers who provide little response to yourquestions,youmaybeaskingtoomanyclosed-endedquestionsthatelicityesornoanswers.

Remember thatat thispoint in the salesappointment,participationalone isnot enough. The rapport-building questions earlier in the sales appointmentalreadyelicitedparticipationfromthebuyers.Thatobjectivewasachieved.Thepurposeofaskingopen-endedbusinessquestionsafterestablishingrapportis to discover important information that’s necessary to achieve a closedsale.

LISTENINGSKILLS

Afteryouaskopen-endedquestions to encouragebuyers tobegin talking,youcan encourage buyers to continue talking by implementing effective listeningskills.

Have you ever spoken with people who are not paying attention to yourconversation?Through their nonverbal behavior, you sense that their thoughtsareelsewhere.Buyerswillhaveasimilarexperienceiftheysensethatthesalesrep isnot listeningattentively.The salespersonasks aquestion…andhalfwaythrough the buyer’s answer, the salesperson decides how to respond. Thenonverbal transformation fromlistening towaitingoccurs inan instant.Likeacatwaitingtopounceuponitsprey,thesalespersonanticipatesthemomentwhenthebuyerwillstoptalking.Thesalespersonmayevenmakesomeinterjections—such as “Uh-huh. Yes, and—… Okay. Right. Well… have you—… hmm,sure”—hopingtoregaincontrolofthetopicathand.

Doyouthinkyourbuyerscansensewhenyouhavestoppedlistening?(Thatwasaclosed-ended,rhetoricalquestion.)Buyersmaynotbeabletoidentifythespecificnonverbalbehaviors that indicateyouhave stopped listening,but they

willknow.Whenbuyersknowyouarenot listening to them, theymaydecidethatansweringyourquestionsisawasteoftime.Thatwillnothelpyouclosethesale.

How can you show buyers you are actively listening? You can employlistening skills… just like you employed your questioning skills to get themtalking.Let’sreview.

a.Nonverballisteningskills

In chapter 6, we discussed the importance of nonverbal communication toestablish rapport. The same principles regarding your nonverbal behavior alsoapply to listening. When your buyer answers your questions, how do younonverballyshowherthatyouarelistening?Possibilitiesinclude:

•maintainingeyecontact•noddingyourheadinagreement•smilingorlaughingatthebuyer’shumor•facialexpressions•leaningforwardslightly

Whileidentifyingyourbuyer’sneeds,youareaconsultantdiscoveringhowyourcompanycanbestservethoseneeds.Considerhowyoufeelandactatthisstageofthesalesprocess.

•Areyourelaxedwhenyouaskquestions?•Whilethebuyeranswersyourquestions,doyoufidgetinanticipationofwhatyouwillsaynext?

•Atthefirstmentionofaneed,areyoureadytointerruptthebuyertoprovideasolution?

•Doyouaskquestionstooquickly,liketherat-tat-tatofmachinegunfire?

Ifyou immediatelyaskonequestionafteranother, thebuyermayfeelas ifsheisbeinginterrogated—sortoflikewhatwejustdidwiththeabovequestions.

Aconversationisanoralexchangeofsentiments,observations,opinions,orideas. In sales, this definition includes information. It’s wise to allow a brief

moment between your questions to show that you are giving seriousconsiderationtotheinformationthebuyerhasprovided.

b.Reflectivelisteningencouragesadditionalconversation

Reflectivelisteningisanaturalactivitywhenyouarespeakingwithfriendsandfamily. It involves the nonverbal listening skills mentioned above as well asverbalencouragementssuchas:

“Really?”“Tellmemore.”“Wow!”“Thenwhathappened?”

As the buyer answers your questions and provides valuable information tohelpyoumakethesale,giveheryourfeedbackaboutwhatsheissaying.Thatdemonstrates you are actively listening, and it encourages her to continuetalking.

Forexample,listentohowatelevisionorradiotalkshowhostencourageshisguests to talk. He does not interview his guests like a news reporter, drillingthemwithonesharporcurtinformationalquestionafteranother.Rather,thetalkshow host encourages relaxed yet lively conversations fueled by open-endedquestionsandreflectivelistening.

Oneof thesubtle tools toaccomplish this is toaskreflectivequestions thatrepeatwhatwasjustsaid.Thebuyersays,“I’mnotsureifwewilldoanythingthisyearwithsuchatightbudget!”Thesalespersonresponds,“You’reuncertainastohowyou’llworkwithinyourbudget?”

That’sareflectivequestion.Thesalespersonchangedthebuyer’swordsabit,butthequestionreflectsbacktothebuyertheessenceofwhatwasjustsaid.Itdemonstratestothebuyerthatshehasbeenheard.

To help you remember, this questioning technique is also called theporcupine questioning technique. If someone tossedaporcupine intoyour lap,wouldn’t your initial reaction be to toss it back? Say a potential client asks,“How long does it take to get this product delivered?” Rather than give astraight-upanswerlike“Threedays,”justgentlytossthequestionbacktogainmoreinformation.Youmaysay,“Whattimeframewouldbeacceptableforyour

needs?”Forexample, if it turnsout thisbuyerneeds inventory in twodays,you’ve

justmade itmoredifficult to close the saleby sayingyouneed threedays. Incontrast,ifhesays,“Weneeditintendays,”thenyouwouldlooklikeaherobytellinghimthatyourstandarddeliverytimeframeisonlythreedays.

Note: It may sound odd if you ask a reflective question ten times in a row. Obviously,frequentuseofanystrategywillmakethebuyerfeeluncomfortableandstarttowonderifyou’reusingstrategiesorpsychologyon them.Thebuyerwill immediately raisedefensebarriers.Use your commonsense regarding the frequencyof reflectivequestions.Usedsparingly, reflective questions can be an effective tool for encouraging buyers to shareimportantinformation.

Whenthebuyermentionsaneedthatyouwant to learnmoreabout, reflectthe essence ofwhat he just said, and do sowith a similar energy level. Thenremainsilentuntilthebuyerspeaks.Whenyoumaintainalisteningposture,thebuyerwilltakeyourcueandoftenkeepontalking.

Exerciseinlisteningskills

Let’s put your listening skills into action.Below are three of the questionslistedearlierinthechapter.Eachquestionisfollowedbyfourcommontypesofresponses.

Example#1

Salesperson: “What are the biggest challenges you face regarding yourindustry?”

Buyer:“Gettingoursupplierstodeliverwhentheypromisetheywill.”

Whichresponseisclosesttowhatyouwouldsaynext?

A.“Weprovideovernightshippingtomakesurethatyouwillalwaysreceiveourproductwhenyouneedit.”

B.“Whenisyourbusiesttimeofyear?”

C.“Whattimeframesdoyouneedfortimelydelivery?Overnight?Weekly?”D.“Yoursuppliersdon’tdeliverwhentheypromise?”

InresponseA,thesalespersonrespondedtothebuyer’sneedbybeginningtosellimmediately.Atfirstglance,thisresponsemayseemlikethebestcourseofaction.Aneedwasidentified,andthesalespersonbeganselling.

In response B, the salesperson moved on to an unrelated question. Thesalesperson asked a question and received some good information. Taskcompleted.Nowaskthenextquestion.Couldthesalespersonhavestayedonthesubjectabitlongerandlearnedsomeadditionalvaluableinformation?Probably.

In response C, the salesperson listened, and based on the content of thebuyer’s answer, asked a more specific open-ended question. In other words,“Tellme a bitmore about this one aspect of your answer.” The advantage ofasking a deeper question is that the salesperson can use the additionalinformation learned to give a more persuasive presentation and a morecompelling close. The salesperson accomplishes this by explaining how thecompany’s business model is structured to make sure the buyer will receiveproductsinthedesiredtimeframe.

InresponseD,thesalespersonreflectedbacktheessenceofwhatthebuyerjustsaid.Thisresponsewillnotdirectthebuyer’sattentiontoanyspecificaspectof his answer. Instead, it simply gives permission for the buyer to continuetalking.Thistypeofresponseisveryusefulifthebuyerispassionateabouthispreviousresponse.Whenthebuyerisworkedupaboutatopic,lethimairouthispassion.You can redirect the conversationwithmore specific questions a fewminuteslater.

Noticethatinthelasttworeplies,thesalespersondidnotbeginsellingrightaway.Thereisplentyoftimeforsellingduringthepresentation.Whenthebuyerpresentsaneed,findoutasmuchaspossibleabouttheneedsoyoucansellmorepersuasivelywhenthetimecomes.

Example#2

Salesperson:“Whenisyourbusiesttimeofyear?”Buyer:“DuringthesummermonthsandtheholidaysbetweenThanksgivingandChristmas.”

Whichresponseisclosesttowhatyouwouldsaynext?

A.“Whatareyourbusinessobjectivesforthisyear?”B.“Thesummermonthsaresomeofyourbusiest?”C.“Wekeepthelargestinventoryduringthesummermonthstomakesure

ourcustomersalwayshaveproductwhentheyneeditmost.”D.“Whattypeofsupplyissuesdoyouexperienceduringyourbusysummer

months?”

In responseA, the salespersondecidednot togather anymore informationaboutthebuyer’sbusyseasonandmovedontothenexttopic.

InresponseB, thesalespersonreflectedbackwhat thebuyer justsaid.Thisopened the door for the buyer to give additional information about the busysummerseason.

In response C, the salesperson heard the buyer identify her busy season.Assuming that lack of inventory was a problem, the salesperson immediatelybegan selling, explaining why his company delivers great customer serviceduringthebuyer’sbusyseason.Itisapowerfulsellingpoint…unlesssupplyisnotthebuyer’sprimaryconcern.

In response D, the salesperson, based on the content of the buyer’s reply,asked a more specific open-ended question. This allows the salesperson todiscoverifproductsupplyisakeyelementinthedecisiontoconsiderswitchingto another provider. If it is not a key issue, the salesperson can downplay oreliminate that topic during the presentation. The open-ended questionencourages the buyer to disclose other types of issues that she experiencesduringthebusyseason.That’salwaysagoodidea.

Example#3

In this example, youget to lead thediscussion.Showyourmasteryof thistopicbyfillinginexamplesofthefourtypesofresponses:

Salesperson: “How does your company make decisions about newpurchases?”

Buyer:“Iruneverythingpastmymanager,whocheckstheannualbudget.”

Nowgiveanexampleofeachresponse:

A.Reflectwhatthebuyerjustsaid.B.Startselling.C.Basedonthatreply,askamorespecificopen-endedquestion.D.Moveontothenexttopic.

InresponseA,didyoureflectwhatthebuyersaidwitharesponsesimilarto“Youandyourmanagerworktogethertomakedecisionsaboutnewpurchases?”

InresponseB,didyoustartsellingwitharesponsesimilar to“Ourwebsitegives you access to all purchases year-to-date, so your manager will knowexactlywhereyoustandastothebudget!”

In response C, did you ask amore specific question based on the buyer’sresponse?Forexample,“Howoftendoyouandyourmanagermeet todiscusspurchasingdecisionsofthisnature?”

InresponseD, it iseasy tochange thesubject—especiallywhenyouaren’tpayingmuchattentionandplantogivethesamebasicpresentationregardlessofthebuyer’sresponse.Whenyoulistentothebuyerandrespondaccordingly,youstandoutfromthewait-and-seecompetition.

Asking reflective questions or specific open-ended questions based on thebuyer’sreplyoftengathersadditionalvaluableinformationtoclosethesale.

c.Takenotes

During face-to-face sales appointments, you can set yourself apart from thecompetition by occasionally taking notes about important information buyerssharewithyou.Youcanuse a legalpad, a spiralbinder, or a laptopor tablet.Avoid taking notes on your smartphone without telling buyers what you’redoing,asitcanappearyouaretextingratherthanlistening.

Twosuggestionsfortakingnotes:

1. Don’t make a big deal out of taking notes. “Well, let me open up mybusinessbinderandtakesomenotestoshowyouhowmuchIvalueyoureveryword!”Nosalespersonwouldactuallysaythat,butyoucanimplythatbyyouractionsifyoumakeabigshowofgettingoutwhateveryouwillusetotakeyour

notes.

2. Write down only the key points. You are a consultant, not a reporterinterviewing someone for a front-page story.When the buyer says somethingsignificant, make a quick note of it. If the buyer begins describing specificchallenges,yourwrittennotesmayincrease.

Another important reason to take notes is so you can remember what thebuyerssaid.Asabusysalesperson,your thoughtsarefilledwithadozentaskspullingatyourattention.Ifyouseetenormorebuyerseachweek,howwillyouremember which buyer said what without taking notes? Relying on yourmemoryisasurewaytoloseorconfuseinformation.WeagreewiththeChineseproverbthatstates:Thefaintestinkisbetterthanthegreatestmemory.

d.Don’tinterrupt

Thisfinalpointshouldbemostobvious,yetitisfrequentlyignored.Whywouldsalespeopleinterruptabuyerwhoisprovidingvaluableinformationthatcanbeusedtoclosethesale?Herearetworeasons.Hopefullythey’renotyours.

1.Poorlisteninghabits.Doyouhabituallyinterruptpeopleanytimeyouthinkof something to say? Ask your friends, family, and work colleagues. If youdiscoverthatyouofteninterruptpeopleastheyspeak,pleasestop.Interruptingothers is bad for business and bad for your personal relationships. Suchinterruptionsalsoruinanysenseofrapportyouhavebuiltwithyourbuyer.

2.Unbridledenthusiasm.Doesabuyingsignalspokenbyabuyercreate inyouanirresistibleurgetoimmediatelystartselling?Thebuyersays,“Youknow,theownerandIwerejusttalkingaboutgettingaproductofthistype…”andyoublurtout,“…andifyoubuythismonth,youget10percentoff!”

Enthusiasm isa sellingasset,but itmustbecontrolled. Ifyou immediatelyjump on every buying signal, you will annoy buyers with your rudeinterruptions, decrease the rapport you established, and miss key additionalinformationthatcouldbenecessaryforclosingthesalethatday.

For instance, if the salesperson had not interrupted, the buyer might haveaddedaqualifiertothebuyingsignal:“TheownerandIwerejusttalkingaboutgettingaproductof this type.Hewants towaitacoupleofmonths tomakeapurchase—untilaftertaxseason.”

That extra information changes the dynamics of your presentation. Bylisteningamomentlonger,youcanlearnthattoclosethesalethatday,youmustemphasize the advantagesof actingnowand thedisadvantagesofwaiting.Bycontinuing to ask additional open-ended questions, youmay learnmore aboutwhytheownerwantstowait.Perhapstheownerisworriedaboutpayingalargeamount ofmoney in taxes. Perhaps the owner is selling another property andfundswillbetightuntilthesaleisfinalized.Perhapstheowneriswaitinguntilthebusyseasonbeginsinordertodeterminetheamountofcashflowavailableforthepurchase.Inshort,keepyourenthusiasmundercontrol.

When you discover the answers to those questions before the presentation,youcanshapeyourpresentationtoavoidunnecessaryresistanceattheclose.

Buyers often feel compelled to defend concerns they raise after apresentation,becausethatistheirresponsetoyourrequestforimmediateaction.You’ll likelyhear“yes,but” fromthemasyouaddress theirconcernsandriskfallingintoan“I’mrightandyou’rewrong”scenario.Surprisingly,whenbuyersstate those very same concerns before the presentation, they do not feelcompelled to defend them, because they aremerely answering your discoveryquestions. By letting your buyers state as many of their concerns as possiblebeforeyoustartthepresentation,youcandirectthecourseofyourpresentationtokeepclearthepathtoaclosedsale.

Habitually interrupting buyers dooms you to delivering one-size-fits-allpresentationsthatdonotspecificallyaddresstheneedsofeachbuyer.Youhaveprobablydeliveredone-size-fits-allpresentationsinthepastbecauseyoudidnotdiscover the buying dynamics required to close the sale. That is wait-and-seeselling.Itisthedifferencebetweenaneffectivepresentationandasalespitch.Itis the difference between a top sales professional and an average salesperson.Buyerswillalwaysbe lesspersuadedbygenericpresentations.Haveyoubeendeliveringthem?

CHAPTER7KEYPOINTS

•Knowhowtodevelopanduseatransitionstrategytomovethe

conversationfromsmalltalktobusiness.•Ifyouaskquestionsbutfailtoshowthebuyerthatyouarelisteningtoheranswers,yourquestionswilldolittletohelpyouclosethesale.

•Closed-endedquestionselicitone-wordanswersthateffectivelyshutdownyoursalespresentation.

•Open-endedquestionsrequirethoughtandelaborationfromyourbuyer.

•Alwaysusenonverbalcuestoshowthatyouarelistening.•Setyourselfapartfromthecompetitionbytakinganappropriateamountofnotes.

•Enthusiasmisasellingasset,butitmustbecontrolled.

8.DiscoveryQuestions

Everything you say or do during your sales appointment should be done tomoveyourbuyeronestepclosertotakingimmediateaction.Infact,thepurposeofyourcarefullythought-outquestionsisalwaystokeepthesalemovingtowardtheclose.

Remember, open-ended questions will elicit much of the vital informationyouneedinordertoclosethesalebytheendofthesalesappointment.Ifyouropen-endedquestionsdonotelicitenoughofthespecificinformationyouneedto close the sale, it is advantageous to ask a specific set of questions calleddiscovery questions. These questions are designed to get buyers to tell youspecificallymore about their process and expectations related to owning yourproduct.

There are four basic discoveryquestions.They are universal questions thataddress the most common concerns possible in every sales appointment,regardless of your industryor profession.Yourgoal is to craft them in such awaythattheyfitseamlesslyintoyourconversationswithbuyers.Dependingonyourindustry,theremayalsobeoneortwoindustry-specificdiscoveryquestionsyouwillneedtoask.

Forexample, ifyouarea realestateagent talking toabuyerwhowants topurchase a home, an important discovery question is, “Are youworkingwithanotherrealestateagent?”Ifyoufailtodiscoverthatthebuyerisworkingwithanotheragent,thebuyermayuseyourtimeandgastofindahomethattheotheragentwillsellhim!

Ifyouareanaccountmanagerforoneofthetrades,andyouaretalkingtoabuildingowneraboutamaintenanceagreementfortheirHVACsystemortheirelevators, an important discovery question is, “When does your currentmaintenanceagreementexpire?”Withoutthisinformation,youmayinvestyour

company’s resources to survey that building’s equipment only to discover thebuildingownerisnotabletomakeanagreementwithyourcompanyforseveralmoreyears.

AVOIDSURPRISES

Themainpurposeofdiscoveryquestions is toeliminateavoidable surprisesatthe close. Every common question or concern not discovered before thepresentationcanbecomeapotentialchallengeto thesale lateron.Ifyouleavethediscoveryofthecommonconcernsuntilafterthepresentation,youincreasetheprobabilityofbeing surprisedbyconcernsyoumayhaveavoidedhadyouaddressed them earlier. The sales process has enough surprises without youunnecessarilycreatingmore.Discoveryquestionspreventthisbyuncoveringthecommon,reoccurringconcernsearlyinthesalesprocess.

THEFOURDISCOVERYQUESTIONS

Discovery Question #1: “Who makes the finaldecision?”

Thepotentialobjectionat theclose isforabuyer tosimplysay,“Well, Idon’tmakethefinaldecision.”Thesalespitfallistryingtogetanon–decisionmakertomakeabuyingdecisionduring thesalesappointment.Anotherway towordthefirstdiscoveryquestionis,“Who,otherthanyourself,mightbeinvolvedinmakingthefinaldecision?”

What are the advantages of discovering who makes the buying decisionbeforeyoubeginyourpresentation?

1.Youdon’twasteanyone’s time—yoursor thatof thepersonyou’vebeenspeakingwith.Whenyoudiscoverthatthepersonyou’vebeenspeakingwithisnot the decisionmaker, give only enough of a presentation to prove that youshouldbegiventheopportunitytoaddresstherealdecisionmaker.

2. You canmake arrangements to include the real decisionmaker in your

presentation.

Thewordingofyour request tomeetwith theultimatedecisionmakerwillinfluencetheansweryougetfromthenon–decisionmaker.Forexample,ifyouask,“CanImeetwith theowner?” thenyouhaveaskedaclosedquestion thatelicitsayes/noanswer.Thisquestionassumes thatmeeting theownermaynotbeapossibility.Theclosed-endedformatmakesiteasyforthegatekeepertosayno. However, the same question asked as an open-ended question creates adifferentexpectation:

•“WhencanImeetwiththeowner?”•“Whatistheprocedureforarrangingameetingwiththeowner?”•“HowcanIscheduleameetingwiththeowner?”

Eachofthoseopen-endedquestionsassumesthatameetingwiththeownerispossible. That positive assumption increases the probability of a favorableresponse. Even if you do not receive a favorable response, the open-endedformatofthequestionwillelicitmoreinformationthanayesornoanswer.Thatadditional information may also create another possibility for accessing thedecisionmaker.Forexample,thegatekeepermayanswer,“No,theownerlivesoutoftown.”

Butat leastnowyouhaveadditionalkey informationabout theowner,andyoucansuggestalternativeformatsforameeting.

•“Whenisthebesttimetoarrangeaconferencecallwiththeowner?”•“Howoftenistheownerintown?”•“Whatistheprocedureforarrangingameetingwhentheownerisintown?”

TRAINYOURGATEKEEPERTOBECOMEYOURSALESPERSON

Howdoyourespondifyouhavenodirectaccesstothedecisionmaker?Thegatekeepersays, “The owner paysme to screen all the vendors. Iwill take your information to thedecisionmakerandpresentittogetherwithalltheothervendorproposals.”

In this scenario, your rapport with the gatekeeper becomes increasingly important.People like to do business with people they like! You are at the mercy of how thegatekeeperpresentsyourproposal,soitalwayspaystomaintainanddeepenyourrapportwiththegatekeeper.

Ifyoudiscoverthat thegatekeeper isnotthedecisionmakerbeforethepresentationbegins, thenyoucanuseyourpresentation to train thegatekeeper tobecome, ineffect,yoursalesperson.Youcover thesamecontent inyourpresentation,butyouaddressthegatekeeperasyourpresenter.Whenyoutreatgatekeeperswithrespect,theywillbemorerelaxedandwillretainmoreofthekeyinformationyouwantgiventothedecisionmaker.

1.Keepitsimple.Thegatekeeperwillnotremembertenbenefitsofyourproductwhenpresentingyourinformationtothedecisionmaker.Thegatekeeperwillrememberonlytwoorthreekeybenefitsatthemost,soduringyourpresentationemphasizethetwoorthreemostimportantpoints.Askquestionstodeterminewhichchallengesweighheaviestinthedecisionmaker’sdesiretofindasolution.Alsoaskwhichothervendorsarepresentingsolutions.Inmanycases,companiesdonotmindsharingthatinformation,andyou,asatruesalesprofessional,willknowthestrengthsandweaknessesofyourcompetitionandbeabletoaddresstheminyourproposal.

2.Haveliteratureavailableforthegatekeepertopassontothedecisionmaker.Ifappropriate,offertoprepareanintroductoryletterwiththebasicpointsofyourpresentation.Thisletterwillequipthegatekeeperwithaclearoutlinetofollowwhendiscussingyourproductwiththedecisionmaker.Listyourmostpersuasivebenefitsfirst,andkeeptheletterasshortaspossible.Noneedtogivethegatekeeperalotofcopytoread.

3.Thefinaloptionistofigureouthowtogoaroundthegatekeeperandapproachthedecisionmakerdirectly.Thismaybeprudentonlyasalastresort,whenallotheractionshavefailedandyouhavenothingtolose.Otherwise,itisgenerallynotagoodstrategy,becauseitwilladverselyaffectyourrelationshipwiththegatekeeper,withwhomyoumayneedtoworkinthefuture.Itisgenerallybesttoworkwithinthesystemofthegatekeeper’scompanywheneverpossible.Itisbetterforthelong-termbusinessrelationshipwiththedecisionmaker,anditisbetterforgeneratingreferrals.Inthefinalchapterofthisbook,wewillexploretheprocessofdevelopingreferrals.

Notice how this first discovery question helps you avoid one of theprocrastinationobjections,“Ihavetocheckwithsomeoneelseforapproval.”Bydiscovering the answer to this discovery question before your presentationbegins,youwill rarelybesurprisedat theclosewith“Idon’tmakethebuyingdecision,”becausethebuyerwilltellyouearlyinyourmeetingwhetherornotsheisthesoledecisionmaker.

DiscoveryQuestion#2:“Whendoesthedecisionmakerplantotakeaction?”Or,“Howsoondoyouneedtohavethebestsolutioninplace?”

This second discovery question addresses that frequent and nebulous potentialobjection, “Iwant to think about it.” If you already knowwhen they need tohaveasolution,you’llknowwhentheorderwillhavetobeplacedinorder tomeetthatneed.Theanswertothisquestioncanreallyhelpyoutocreateasenseofurgencyforthebuyertomakeadecisiontoday.

Isitpossibletotalktoabuyerwhoisthesoledecisionmaker,butthebuyerstillcan’tmakethedecisionuntilalatertime?Yes.

•Perhapsthebuyeriswaitingformoney.Thesourcecouldbefromataxreturn,asettlementofsomesort,orasalesreportthatimpactsthebudget.

•Perhapsthebuyerisleavingtownorisabouttotakeanextendedleavefromthebusiness.

•Perhapsthemanagerwhooverseesthepurchasejustresigned,andthebuyermustfillthatvacantpositionbeforemakingthepurchase.

•Perhapsthebuyermakesahabitofgainingfeedbackfromtheendusersoftheproductandwantstowaituntilhecanpresentmultipleoptionsforconsideration.

If you discover that the buyer plans to make a buying decision weeks ormonths after your sales appointment, then during your presentation you canemphasize the benefits of taking action immediately and the consequences ofprocrastinating.Makesureyouunderstandthereasonsthebuyerisdelayinghisdecision so you can present reasonable alternatives for him to take immediateaction.

Forexample,if thedelayisduetofinances,perhapsthebuyercansplit theinvestmentintosmaller,moremanageableamounts,orhecanuseacreditcard.Perhapsthebuyercanlockinthetotalamountatalowerratenowbyendorsinganagreementwithasmallinitialinvestment.

Ifyoucannotovercomeadelayedbuyingdecisionduringyourpresentation,discoverwhenthebuyercanmakeadecision,andsecureanagreementonthenextstepofyourfollow-upbeforeyouleavethesalesappointment.Youmaynotwin thesale today,butyoumaybeable to lockoutanycompetitorswhen thetimeisrightforthebuyertomakeafinaldecision.

DiscoveryQuestion#3:“Ifyoudecidetoinvestintheproduct,arethefundsavailableforyoutomoveforwardtoday?”Or,“If

everythingwediscussnowpointstomyproductbeingthebestsolutionforyourcurrentneeds,isthereanythingstandinginthewayofyoumakingadecisiontoday?”

Thepotentialobjectionisthebuyersaying,“Idon’thavethemoneyrightnowtopayforyourproduct.”Youwanttoavoidgivingapresentationthatattemptstoclosenowwhenthebuyer’sfundswon’tbeavailableuntillater.

Please note that this discovery question addresses the buyer’s ability topurchase your product, not the price of your product. If the buyer has noavailablefundstopurchaseyourproduct,howcanshetakeimmediateactionattheclose?ThisdiscoveryquestionissomewhatrelatedtoDiscoveryQuestion#2above, because it inquires about the when of the availability of the buyer’smoney.

Ifyoudiscoverthatfundingisachallengebeforeyoustartthepresentation,then during the presentation you can focus on the financing possibilitiesavailable to the buyer. For example, if the buyer says, “The funds won’t beavailableforatleastsixmonths,”whatoptionscanyouexplore?

Your follow-up questions will depend on your industry or profession.Possibilitiesmayinclude:

•“Wouldithelpifwebroketheamountintoseveralsmallerpieces?”•“Couldyouuseacreditcardorgetashort-termloan?”•“Wouldyoubeinterestedinlearningaboutourcompany’sfinanceplan?”

If you cannot work out a solution for the buyer to take immediate action,confirmwhenthefundingwillbeavailable,thentrytosecureanagreementonthenextstepofyourfollow-upbeforeyouleavethesalesappointment.

DiscoveryQuestion#4:“Ispriceyouronlyconsideration,orisqualityalsoimportant?”

Thepotentialobjectionis,“Thiscoststoomuch.”Thesalespitfallisattemptingto compete on price with price-based competition if your company offers avalue-basedproposition.

It is important to understandwhich type ofmoney questions buyers have.Otherwise,youmayunnecessarilygiveawayprofitmargin.Attheclose,youask

thebuyertotakeimmediateactionandthebuyersays,“I’mnotsureaboutthemoney.”

Youimmediatelyreply,“Ifyouactnow,I’llgiveyoua10percentdiscount!”Thebuyer’sfacebrightens.“Thanksforthediscount,butmyquestionwasn’t

about price. It’s about cash flow. I don’t have the cash right now to buy yourproduct.”

Oops.Ifyouconfusepricequestionswithfundingquestions,youmayunnecessarily

give a reduction in the amount when the buyer was actually asking aboutfundingoptions.Thatisacostlymistake!

You will notice that the final discovery question is an either/or question.Closed-endedquestionscanbeappropriateforelicitingapreciseanswerhere.

Note: The warning given in chapter 7 about asking closed-ended questions refers toquestions asked early in the sales appointment, when you are encouraging buyers toengageinconversation.

Atthispoint inthesalesappointment,youarenearingthestartofyourpresentation.You need this specific information to present solutions more persuasively. So using aclosed-endedquestionistheappropriatetoolforefficientlygatheringthatinformation.

Thefourthdiscoveryquestionasksifthetoppriorityforthedecisionmakerisfindingthelowestamount.Theeither/orformatprovidesbuyerswithaclearchoice—isthelowestamountthetoppriorityregardlessofquality,orisqualityalsoanimportantconsideration?

This discovery question takes us to the heart of persuasion. There are twobasictypesofsalesscenarios:sellingpriceandsellingvalue.

1.Whensellingprice,thesalespersonsays,“Youshouldbuyfrommebecausemyproducthasthelowestprice.”

2.Whensellingvalue,thesalespersonsays,“Myproductgivesyouthebestvalueforyourmoney.”

Yourcompany’sproductsorservicescanhavedegreesofbothelements.Thecriticalquestioniswhetheryouareprimarilysellingthelowestpriceorthebestvalueforthebuyer’smoney.

Because of the either/or format of this discovery question, buyers willfrequentlygiveyouoneoftwoanswers.Somebuyerswillreply,“It’sallaboutprice. I’monly interested in the lowest price you canoffer.”When that is thereply,youmustadjustyourpresentationto:

•offeracompetitiveinvestment,•explainhowyourhigherinvestmentisactuallycompetitive,ifit’snotblatantlyobvious(forexample,yourproductisconcentratedorincludesfeaturesthatthecompetitionchargesextrafor),or

•persuadebuyersthatqualityisafarmoreimportantconsiderationthanthemoney(forexample,thecheapestproductsonthemarketmustbereplacedagaininfiveyears).

Otherbuyerswillgiveamixedanswerlike“Qualityisimportanttous.Butwewantagoodprice,too.”Ifyousellavalue-basedproduct,thatisthetypeofreplyyouwanttohear.Thatansweropensthedoorforyoutoexplainhowvalueandpricecometogetherinyourproduct.

Bearinmindthatthekeytoaprofitablesalescareerisaskingquestions.Notjustanyquestions,butthequestionsthatprovideyouwiththeinformationrequiredtoclosethesalethatday.Inamulticallenvironment,yourquestionswillidentifythebuyer’spurchasingprocessmoreclearlyandmove thesale forwardduringeachcontact.Whenyouhavediscoveredthefollowing:

•whomakesthebuyingdecision,•whenadecisioncanbemade,•whenthefundsforthepurchasewillbeavailable,and•ifthebuyerisprimarilymotivatedbypriceorvalue,

thenyouarereadytogiveapersuasivepresentationthatistrulytailoredtotheindividualbuyingdynamics.

Whatfollowsarethecontinuationsofoursellingscenariosthathighlightthestrategiespresentedinthischapter.

CASESTUDY

Scenario1:BusinessSalesAppointment

KatehasestablishedsufficientrapportwithMr.Stevens.Nowsheisreadytoshifttheconversationtobusinessandgathertheinformationsheneedstoprovideacompelling,relevantpresentation.HerobjectiveistoconnectthepastbusinessexperiencesMr.Stevensmentionedduringtheirrapport-buildingsmall talktohiscurrentbusinesschallenges.Katebeginswithatransitionquestion:“Sohowdidyougetstartedusingwidgets?”

Mr. Stevens tells her about a past work situation where his teamencounteredachallenge.Theyusedawidgetasasolution,andhisteamshave used themever since.That opens the door to her follow-up, open-endedquestions:

“Howareyouremployeesusingwidgetsinthefieldnow?”“What are some of the challenges that they face with your currentwidgets?”

“Howistheservicewithyourcurrentwidgetserviceprovider?”“Whataresomewaysyourcurrentwidgetscouldbeimproved?”

Kateopensherpresentation folder and jotsdownseveralnotesaboutthesituationshementionswhereherwidgetswouldexceloverhiscurrentwidgets.Shewillrefertothosekeynotesduringherpresentation.

Whattypeofinformationdoyourpotentialclientsprovidethatisworthyofnotinginwriting?

While asking these questions, Kate works into their conversationseveraldiscoveryquestionstoconfirmhisbuyingdynamics.SheguessesMr.Stevensisasoleproprietor,butsheasksthewhodiscoveryquestiontoconfirmthatheis,infact,theonlydecisionmaker:“Dean,whenitcomes

to business decisions aboutmatters likewidgets, do youmake the finaldecision,orareotherpeopleinvolved?”

“Well,Iliketoconsultwiththemeninthefield,becausetheyusethewidgetsallday long,”Mr.Stevensreplies.“Butultimately, Iamtheonewhodecides.”

His answer confirms what Kate suspected—that Mr. Stevens is theprimary decision maker. Her excitement increases. First, he is facingongoingchallengesthatWidgetCorpcouldclearlyaddress.Second,heiscapableofmakingabuyingdecisionbyhimself.

Next, she decides to ask the when discovery question: “You hadmentioned some challenges with your current widget. When does yourcurrentserviceagreementexpire?”

“Weoptedoutofourcurrentprovider’sannualcontractlastyear.Rightnow,weareonamonth-to-monthserviceplan,”Mr.Stevenssays.

That’sthetypeofanswerKatewantstohear.Sheasksoneadditionalquestiontoconfirmthatheisfreetomakeadecisiontoday:“Soifyouseesomeoptionsthataremoreadvantageoustoyourcompany,youarefreetomakeachangewheneveryouchoose?”

“Thatiscorrect,”Mr.Stevensreplies.

Whattypeofinformationdoyourpotentialclientsprovidethattemptsyoutobeginsellingimmediatelyratherthancontinuingtogathermoreinformation?

From thewayMr. Stevens discusses the busy schedules of hisworkteams, it appears that his business is prospering. However, Kate knowsthatabusybusinessisnotnecessarilyaprofitablebusiness.Kateasksthefundingdiscoveryquestiontoconfirmthatheisfinanciallyabletomakeabuying decision: “And if you decide to make a change, are the fundsavailablenowforyoutotakeaction?”

“We havemonies budgeted for this sort of thing,”Mr. Stevens says,lettingherknowthathisbusinessisdoingwell.Healsowantshertoknowhe isapatientbuyer.“But rightnow,we’remakingdowithwhatwe’vegot.”

“Iunderstand.Iwouldliketotalkmoreaboutyourcurrentequipment,but first, I have one last question.” Kate knows that she is competingagainst a price-driven, small local company, so she asks the price

discovery question: “Is price the major driver in your decision aboutwidgets,orisqualityalsoimportant?”

Mr.Stevensleansbackinhischair.“We’realwaysonthelookoutforthebestdeal,butrecently,we’vehadsomedelaysbecauseofourcurrentwidgets.” He shakes his head. “I don’t know. It’s starting to cost usmoney.”

Kate likes all of his answers so far, and she believes the salesappointmentisprogressingnicely.

•Sheestablishedherselfasaseriousbusinessperson.•Shebuiltaprofessionallevelofrapport.•Mr.Stevensisrespondingtoherquestionsandisslowlyrevealinghisdissatisfactionwithhiscurrentwidgetprovider.

•Katediscoveredhisbuyingdynamicsandhasseveralexamplesfromhisbusinessexperiencestoreferenceduringherpresentation.

Sheisnowreadytostartpresentingsolutions.Katepullsatabletfromherbagandbegins…

Scenario2:ResidentialSalesAppointment

Bob established sufficient rapport with Gary and Pat by discussingsubjectsofgeneralinterest, theirhomeandfamily.NowhetransitionstosubjectsrelatedtobusinesstoidentifyPatandGary’sneedsforawidget.Bob asks, “What will those changesmean for both of youwhenDianeeventuallymovesoutofthehouse?”

Gary and Pat look earnestly at each other and begin sharing thechangestheyseeahead.Boblistens,takingmentalnotesasGaryandPatexplaintheneedsthatawidgetcouldaddress.Reflectivelylistening,Bobencouragesthemtocontinuetalkingwithreflectivequestions:

“Really,thatmuch?”“Bybadservice,youmean…?”“Wow.Theysaidthat?”“Whatwillhappenafterthat?”

Bob moves the conversation toward their unique circumstances byinterspersingreflectivequestionsthataremoreindustryspecific:

“Whattypeofneedsdoyoubelieveawidgetwillhelpaddress?”“Whathasbeenyourexperiencewithwidgetssofar?”

Whileansweringthesequestions,GaryandPatmentionafewconcernsthey have about the widget industry. Bob is not ready to start hispresentation yet, so he responds with, “Those are frequently askedquestionsthatIwilladdressinjustafewminutes.”

To encourage Pat andGary to continue talking about their needs, heasks his next question: “You were talking about your experience withwidgets.Whatareyourthoughtsabout…?”

How do you keep potential clients focused on your questionsthat identify their needs when they ask questions aboutinformationyouplantoaddresslaterduringthepresentation?

Afterseveralminutesoflistening,BobhasnowheardPatandGary’sanswers tohis industry-specificquestions.Hehasagood ideaaboutPatand Gary’s starting point concerning widgets. Bob has made severalmental notes about their concerns, and he plans to specifically addressthoseconcernsduringhispresentation.

Bob is almost ready to start his presentation. But first, he wants todiscoverPatandGary’sbuyingdynamicsbyworking the fourdiscoveryquestions into the conversation. He begins with the who question,identifying who is involved in the decision-making process: “As youknow,awidgetaffects theentire family to somedegree.Tomakesure Iunderstandcorrectly,willthetwoofyoumakethisdecision,orwillotherfamilymembersbeinvolved?”

Patrespondsquickly.“Oh,no.Thetwoofuswilldecidewhatwewanttodo.”BobglancesatGary,whonodsinagreement.

Bobcontinueswiththewhendiscoveryquestion:“Afewminutesago,youmentionedyourinterestinawidget.Generallyspeaking,whatwasthetimeframeyouhadinmind?Wereyouthinkingweeks,months…years?”

Theyboth laughat the ideaofyears.Gary says, “Well, ourdaughter

willgraduate fromcollegeat theendofnextyear,butwedon’twant towait until then. Ifwe found a gooddeal, itwouldbe sooner rather thanlater.”

Bob wants to narrow down the time frame a bit more to avoid anyprocrastination excuses that might come later in the sales appointment.“Sobysooner,doyoumeaninafewdays?Afewweeks?”

PatandGarylookateachother.Garyshrugs.“Ifitisagooddeal,wemightbereadysometimethismonth.”

How do you respond when potential clients do not directlyansweryourkeyquestions?

Bobweighs theiranswers.Heasked twice.Theydidn’tuse theexactwords,but theyseem tobeable tomakeadecision thatevening.So far,Bob has confirmed that he is speaking to the decisionmakers and theymaybereadytomakeanimmediatedecision.Next,Bobasksthefundingdiscoveryquestion to see if theyhave the funds toacton theirdecision:“Thankyouforsharingthat.Ifyouseeawidget thatmeetsall theneedsand conditions you have in mind, are the funds available now to takeactiononit?”

Garyquicklyreplies,“Well,itdependsonthewidget.”“Certainly,”Bobagrees.“We’llgetintoallofthatinaminute.Butif

youseeawidgetthatisjustwhatyouandPatwant,doyouhavethefundsavailabletomoveforward?”

Bobwordsthequestionvaguelysothatansweringitdoesnotseemlikeacommitmenttobuy.Bobisnotaskingthemtobuy.Hesimplywantstoknow if they have enough funds in the bank to buy a widget. If theyansweryes,thenheknowsthatonelessobstacleliesbetweenthepotentialclientsandabuyingdecisionthatevening.Iftheysayno,thenhewilltalkin depth about the Residential Widgets finance plan during hispresentation.

GarycastsaglanceatPatandshrugsagain.“Yeah,ifit’sawidgetthatwelike.”

“Fairenough,”Bobsays.Hemovesontothepricediscoveryquestion:“Pat,earlieryoumentionedyourthoughtsaboutpricing.Letmeaskbothofyou, is lowestpriceyouronlyconcern,or isqualityalsoanimportantconsideration?”

“Well…”They both chimeout in unison and stop short. Pat finishestheirresponse:“Priceisimportant,butwewantsomethingofqualitythatwecanbeproudof.”

“Agreed,”Garyadds.“This is toomuchmoneytowasteonjunkthatdoesn’tperformaspromised.”

Bob nods in acknowledgment. He has accomplished hisprepresentationobjectives:

•HeestablishedacomfortablerapportwithGaryandPat.Bothofthemareengagedandparticipatingintheconversation.

•Theyexpressedsomeconcernsaboutthewidgetindustry,soBobknowshemustspendtimeinhispresentationspecificallyaddressingthoseconcerns.

•BobalsodiscoveredPatandGary’sbuyingdynamics:theyarethesoledecisionmakers.

•Theycanprobablymakeadecisionnow,buthesensedsomehesitation.

•Theyhavethefundstopurchaseawidget.•Theyareopentoconsideringavalue-basedwidgetratherthansimplythelowest-pricedwidget.

Howdoyoudecidewhenitistimetostartthepresentation?

Bob opens his presentation notebook. Now he is ready to start thepresentation…

CHAPTER8KEYPOINTS

•Themainpurposeofdiscoveryquestionsistoeliminateavoidablesurprisesattheclose.

•Whengatekeeperspreventyoufrommeetingdirectlywiththedecisionmakers,it’sinyourbestinteresttotrainthegatekeepertobecomeyoursalesperson.

•Whenpotentialclientsarenotabletomakeanimmediatebuyingdecisionordonothavethefundingavailable,askfollow-up

questionsthatexploreoptionsthatmayallowthemtotakeactionthatday.

•Theanswerstoyourdiscoveryquestionswillhelpyoudeterminewhatsolutionstopresentthatwillbemostcompellingtoeachbuyer.

9.LoweringtheBuyer’sResistanceduringYourPresentation

TheCircleofPersuasion

Nowthatyouhaveestablished rapportand learnedwhat thebuyerwantsandneedsthroughyourdiscoveryquestions,it’stimetopresentyourproductinsuchawayastograduallylowersalesresistanceandtoincreasesalesacceptance.

There is a common belief that education is all it takes for buyers tomakebuying decisions. This belief originates from the assumption that educationequalspersuasion.Ifyoueducateclientsenough,theywillbuy.

Butisthatalwaystrue?Haveyoueverfeltthatyoueducatedpotentialclients

on all the benefits of buying your product… and they agreed with yourpresentation…butthentheydidn’tbuy?

The truth is that the worst consequence of the assumption that educationequalspersuasionisthetendencyforsalespeopletobreathesighsofreliefafterfinishing the presentation and think, My main work is now done. I’veenthusiastically presented the potential client with reasons to buy. Now I willansweranyquestionsandseewhatthebuyerdoesnext.That isanexampleofwait-and-seeselling.Andyoudon’twanttobeinthatpredicament.

WHATISAPRESENTATION?

Apresentationiswhereinformationisexchanged.Asyougiveinformation,yourequestand receive feedback.The feedback received is information thatpointsyou in the direction you must take next in order to gain and keep satisfiedclients.

You give dozens of presentations each business week. Here are someexamples of presentations that you may not have previously consideredpresentations:

•Answeringquestions:Aclient callsyouwithaquestionaboutusingyourproduct.Ratherthansimplyansweringtheclient’squestionandendingthecall,you see the opportunity to subtly remind him that your availability andhelpfulnessinansweringhisquestionsisanexampleoftheexceptionalcustomerservice you promised during your initial presentation, when he decided topurchasetheproduct.

•Problemsolving: Your client has ongoing performance challengeswith aproduct.During the conversation about resolving the issue, you can introducethepossibilityof investing in anewerorhigher-grademodel thatwillprovidethestepped-upperformanceyourclientnowneeds.

•Customerservice:Youcallaclientwithanupdatethatarecentorderisnowon theway.This isanopportunity topresent toyourclient thatyou trulycareabout the level of service she receives—that you are your client’s advocateinside thecompany.Eachcommunicationwithyourclientsorpotential clientsshouldbeconsideredanactivepresentationforresellingthemonyourbrandand

onyouasasalesprofessional.

PRESENTATIONSKILLS

Whilethecontentofyourpresentationwillbespecifictoyourindustry,therearecommonstrategiestoincreasethepersuasivenessofanypresentation.Whenyoumake presentations, your nonverbal behaviors continue to speak louder thanwords. We will cover both audio and visual components of makingpresentations. Then we will discuss several powerful concepts that transformsalespresentationsintopersuasivecallstoaction.

1.Assumptivetoneofvoice

Anassumptivetoneofvoiceisyourmostpowerful,persuasiveweapon.Alwaystalkaboutyourproductorservicewiththesameconfidenceyouwouldhaveinsaying that the sun rises in the east everymorning and sets in the west eachevening. Use the same tonality that you would use to state that the Earth isround.Inotherwords,makesurethatyourstatementssoundlikedefinitiveandconfidentstatements,notquestions.

Sometimes a salesperson will raise the pitch of her voice at the end ofstatementssoitsoundslikesheisaskingaquestion.Herintentionis tostateafact:“Weprovidegreatservice.”Butbecausethepitchofhervoicerisesattheendofthesentence,thebuyerhearshersay,“Weprovidegreatservice?”

Aquestioningtonedoesnotconveyconviction.Endinganythingbutthefinalclosing sentence with a question will decrease your closing ratio, becausepotentialclientsbuyassurance,notdoubts.

Anassumptive tonalityendssentenceswithaslightly lowerpitch.Try this:Make an audio recording of yourself making statements you believe areobviouslytrue—statementseveryoneknowsaretrue.Doyouhearthecertaintyinyourvoice?Listentootherpeoplewhospeakconfidentlyaboutanysubject.What do they do with their voices to create a sense of certainty?Within thenaturalrangeofyourvoiceandpersonality,emulateaspectsoftheir tonalitytoaddconfidencetoyourvoice.

2.Questionsversusstatements

Whenever appropriate during your presentations, ask questions rather thanmaking statements.Most of your questionswill be rhetorical ones that do notrequire a verbal response. Nonetheless, your questions will engage theparticipationofyourlistenersonamentallevel.Thegeneralruleinsalesisthataparticipatinglistenerisabuyinglistener.

Questions require listeners to think and respond. When listeners mentallyrespondtoyourquestions,it’simportanttorememberthattheiranswersarefromtheir perspective and expressed in their mental voice, rather than your wordsspokeninyourexternalvoice.

Many salespeople think that persuasive selling is all about makingstatements.Thefactisthatwhenbuyerslistentoyourexternalvoice,theyhavean internal conversation about what they are hearing you say. Their internalconversation—notyour statements—iswhatconvincespotential clients to takeaction.

Ifthebuyeristhinkingprice,price,price,andyouaskhowimportantqualityis to him, the buyer must process the idea of quality just to understand yourquestion.Theconceptofqualitymaynothavebeeninhisthoughtsbeforeyoumentionedit.Justtheideathatheisnowprocessingtheconceptofqualityisahuge win for you. It has reoriented the buyer’s thoughts toward your valueproposition. It doesn’tmean you’ve closed the sale, but it doesmean you arebetterpositionedtoclosethesale.

Toparaphraseanoldsaying,iftheychewonitlongenough,eventuallytheymay swallow it. The purpose of the presentation is to get potential clientschewingontheideaofowningyourproduct.

Continuing the example above, consider the impact of introducing theimportanceofqualityintheformofaquestion.Thebuyerwillnotonlybrieflyconsider theconceptofquality,butbecauseyouhaveintroducedthatquestion,hewillalsoconsidertheanswertoyourquestion.

Ifyousimplymakeastatementsuchas“Qualityisimportant,”thebuyermaypassivelylistentothatstatementashedoestothemanyotherstatementsofthepresentation.When you ask a question such as “Howwill the quality of thisproductaffectthevalueyouwouldreceivefromit?”whichrequiresmorethanayes or no answer, he will hear his answer in his internal voice. You haveinfluencedthebuyeronadeeperlevel,becauseyouengagedhisthoughtsonatopicofyourchoosing.Thetheoryhereis that ifyousaysomething, thebuyermaydoubtit.Ifthebuyersayssomething,itmustbetrue.

Doesthatmeanwecancontrolbuyers’internalconversationsorconclusions?

No. The best we can do is influence the direction of their thoughts. Byunderstandinghowtheformofwhatwesayaffectsthethoughtprocessesofourbuyers,wecanintroduceoursellingconcepts inamanner thatallowsus tobemostpersuasiveonthedeepestlevel.

3.Saywhatyouwantthemtodo

When you are presenting to buyers, whether making statements or askingquestions,absolutelysaywhatyouwantbuyerstodo,notwhatyoudon’twantthemtodo.

Ifyousay,“Imagineabright,sunnyday,”thentofollowyourstatementthebuyermustmakeamentalimageofabright,sunnyday.Itmaynotbethesameimageofasunnydaythatyouhaveinmind.Theimagemaylastforonlyasplitsecond, but on some level the buyer will briefly make a mental image of abright,sunnydaytounderstandwhatyoujustsaid.

Nowhereisthetrickypart.Ifyousay,“Don’timagineabrightsunnyday,”thenon some level of thought, thebuyermust stillmake amental imageof abright,sunnydaytomakesenseofwhatnottoimagine.Thelesson:ifyousayit,thebuyermustprocessitinamentalpicture.

Alwayssaywhatyouwantbuyerstodo,notwhatyoudon’twantthemtodo.Avoid action verbs that paintmental pictures of buyers doing the opposite ofwhatyouwantthemtodo.Donotusewordslike:

•hesitate•thinkabout•fear•wait/delay•worry

Thesewordsintroduceintothemindsofpotentialclientsimagesthataretheoppositeofwhatyouwillaskthemtodoattheclose.

4.Keywordpatterns

The type of wording people use reflects their mental processes for making

buying decisions. By wording your presentation to align with the words thatbuyershabituallyuse,youwill findanotherway tobe like them,deepenyourrapport,andlowersalesresistance.Moreimportant,youwillnotbreakrapportwiththembyusingwordingthatreflectsatypeofthinkingverydifferentfromtheirs.

Once again, this is a penalty situation. Just because yourwordsmatch thebuyer’s typeof thinking, it doesnotmean shewill buy fromyou.But if yourwordsareverydifferent fromhers, thatdifferencecancreateadiscomfort thatcannegativelyaffecttherapportyou’vebuilt.

There is anadditionalelement in thiswording that is subtleyetnoticeable.The first two word patterns below have a motivational element to them. Byaligningyourwordswiththewayyourbuyersthink,youprovidemotivationforthem to takepositiveaction.Likewise, ifyourwordinggoesagainsthow theythink,itcancontributetothebuyers’inaction.

Herearesomeexamples.

1.Want/avoid

Somebuyerstalkaboutthegoodthingstheywanttohavehappen.

•Theywanttheproducttobeshippedontime.•Theywanttheproducttoworkreliably.•Theywanttheproducttomaketheirlivesmoreenjoyable.

Otherbuyerstalkaboutthebadthingstheywanttoavoid.

•Theydon’twanttheproducttoarrivelate.•Theydon’twanttheproducttostopworking.•Theydon’twanttheproducttomaketheirlivesmiserable.

Inthoseexamples,thebuyersareactuallytalkingaboutthesamesubject,buttheirfocusiscompletelydifferent.

Note:Thisisn’teither/orthinking.Avoidthetendencytoputbuyersintoboxesbysaying,

“PotentialclientAisaWantPerson.PotentialclientBisanAvoidPerson.”Instead, imagineaslidingscalewith “want”atoneextremeand “avoid”at theother.

People fall somewhere between those two extremes. Some buyers do not have strongtendencies in using one type of word pattern. They use a mixture. Other buyers willconstantlyuseonetypeofwordingortheother.Thosearethebuyersyouwanttobecomeawareof.Themorethatbuyersuseonetypeofwordpattern,themoreimportantitisthatyoudonotusetheoppositetypeofwording.

2.Can/must

Somebuyerstalkintermsofwhattheycando.Theyusepossibility-drivenwordslikecan,could,andwant.

“Icancheckwiththebossforapproval.”“Wecouldprobablyusethecompanycreditcardforthispurchase.”“Wewanttofigureouthowwecanmakethispurchasefitinthebudget.”

Otherbuyers talk in termsofwhat theymustdo.Theyusenecessity-drivenwordssuchasmust,needto,haveto,should,andwould.

“Imustwaituntilmytaxrefundcheckarrives.”“Ineedtotalkwithmyspousefirst.”“Ihavetowaituntilthekidsgetoutofschool.”“Ishouldholdoffonfurtherspendinguntil…”“Wewouldmoveforwardexceptforthewinterweather.”

Regardingthemotivationaldynamicofthesewordpatterns,ifyoutellbuyerswho frequentlyusepossibility-drivenwords that theyhave to,should, ormusttakeanaction,theywillemotionallypushback.Theydon’thavetodoanything.Theychoosewhattheywanttodo.Bottomline?Themorefrequentlybuyersusepossibility-drivenwords, themoreyourpresentationneeds toaddresswhat thebuyerscandoandwhattheywanttodo.

Ifyoutellbuyerswhofrequentlyusenecessity-drivenwordswhat theycandoorwhattheywanttodo,thereisagoodchancetheywilldonothing.Theyaremotivatedbywhattheymustandhavetodo.Oftentheydonottakeactionuntiltheybelievetheyareforcedtotakeaction.

Theideaofusingnecessity-drivenwordstomotivatebuyersgoesagainstthepositive atmosphere many salespeople work to maintain. However, as salesprofessionals,partof theservice thatweprovide tobuyers includespresentingour products in a manner that makes sense to the buyers.We may not buyproducts that way, but our presentations are not about our decision-makingprocesses.Designeverythinginyourpresentationtohelpthebuyerssayyes.

3.Feeling,hearing,seeing

Atanygivenmomentduringasalespresentation, thebuyer isexperiencingfeelings,havinganinternalconversation,andmakingmentalimagesaboutwhatyou are saying. While all three types of thought occur simultaneously, mostbuyerstendtopayattentiontoonetypeofthoughtmorethantheothertwo.Howdo we know which type of thinking a buyer is paying attention to? Oneindicationisthetypeofwordsheusesmostfrequently.

Forexample:

a)Feelingwords

Some buyers frequently use words that express feelings. Feeling wordsincludetouchingwordsandtemperaturewords.

“Idon’tfeelthatisagoodidea.”“Iamtryingtogetahandleonourfinances.”“Wehaven’tgraspedthatconcept.”“Wethinkitisahotidea.”“It’shardformetounderstand.”

b)Hearingwords

Somebuyersfrequentlyusewordsthatexpresshowtheytalktothemselvesaboutyourproductandservices.Hearingwordsincludedescriptionsofsound.

“Thatsoundsgoodtome.”“Ihearwhatyouaresaying.”“Let’sharmonizeourthoughtsaboutthis.”

“Ourorganizationisexperiencingdiscordonthistopic.”“Thatnameringsabell.”

c)Seeingwords

Some buyers frequently use words that express the images in their mindsaboutyourproductsandservices.

“SeewhatImean?”“Igetthepicture.”“Wehaveabrightfuture…”“Focusonthisconcept…”“Shehasacolorfulpersonality.”

Dopeopleoftenmix feeling,hearing, and seeingwords?Yes.Somewordsarespokenbyhabit. Is thisanexactscience?No.Wedonotneedtoclinicallyanalyze buyers to recognize their word patterns. Just notice the frequentbehaviorsofbuyers,adjustyourbehaviorappropriately,andmoveon.

Note: Always be cautious of putting buyers in boxes. There are no “feeling” people or“hearing”people.

Thepurposeofnoticingwhichtypeofwordsbuyersusefrequentlyistousethose same types of words during your presentations. Imagine a salespersonasking,“Doyougetthebigpicture?Areyouseeingthebenefit?”Thepotentialclientanswers,“Wedon’tfeelthisisinourbestinterest.Wearecooltotheideaof taking action right now.” The mismatch in language can lead a buyer tobelievethatsheisnotconnectingwithyou.Itwon’tnecessarilybeaconsciousawarenessforher.It’smorelikelytobeanunconsciousrecognitionthatcreatessalesresistance.

Abuyer’sbehaviorcanalsoindicatewhichmodeofthinkingheispayingthemostattentionto.Abuyerwhopaysthemostattentiontohisfeelingsgenerally:

•talksabitslower;•looksdownasheisthinking;and•makesdecisionsmoreslowly,becauseittakeshimawhiletofigureouthowhefeels.

If you talk faster than the buyer does, his discomfort may disrupt yourrapport. Slow down. Use feelingwords, and if he looks down to think aboutwhatyouaresaying,brieflybreakyoureyecontacttoallowhimafewmomentsofprivatethought.

Abuyerwhopaysmoreattentiontoherinternalconversationstendsto:

•speakinamorerhythmicmannerandwitharichvoice;•looksidetosidewhensheisthinkingortalking;•makedecisionsmorequicklythanbuyerswhopaymoreattentiontotheirfeelings,butstillthinkinanalog(onewordatatime);and

•noticeifyoudonotarticulateyourwordsclearlyorifyourvoiceisthinorscratchy.Therefore,payattentiontoyourenunciationandusehearingwords.

Abuyerwhopaysmostattentiontotheimagesinhermindtendsto:

•speakmostquickly(Why?Becauseeachimageisloadedwithinformation.Remembertheoldsayingaboutapicturebeingworthathousandwords?),

•lookupwhensheisthinkingofanimage,and•makedecisionsthequickest.

If you speakmore slowly than the buyer does, the differencemay disruptyour rapport. Speak faster. Use seeing words and get to the bottom line.Conciselysaywhatyouhavetosay,andaskforaction.Timeisnotyourfriendwhenmakingpresentations tobuyerswhopaymost attention to the images intheirminds.

Thetakeawayfromwordpatterns is to lookfor theobviousindicators.Themoreyourbuyersuseawordpattern,themoreimportantitisforyoutoincludethosewordpatternsinyourpresentations.Itwouldbeashameforyoutopresentcompelling solutions to a willing buyer who is emotionally distracted by the

wordpatternsyouusetodescribeyourproductsandservices.Discoverthewordpatternsofyourbuyersandspeakinasimilarmannertohowtheythink.

THEVISUALPRESENTATION

Whenappropriate,allowyourphysiologytoshowwhatyouaresaying.

•Ifyourwordssayyouareexcitedaboutyourproduct,thenshowthatexcitementinyourfacialexpressions.

•Ifyouaretalkingaboutsomethingbigorreferringtoaspecificpartofyourbrochure,usehandgesturestodrawattentiontothemeaningofyourwords.

In general, remain aware of your physiology when you are makingpresentations.

•Isyourfacialexpressionpleasant?•Areyousmiling?•Isyoureyecontactappropriate?•Doyoureyesreflectfeelingsofconfidenceoranxiety?•Doyourgesturesindicateenthusiasm?•Isyourposturerelaxedortense?•Doyouhabituallyshakeyourheadnoasyouspeak?

Howdoyounonverballyrespondwhenabuyerasksatoughquestionorsaysno?

•Doesthesmiledrainfromyourface?•Doyoureyesaverttoonesidetoavoidrevealingthatyouareemotionallyregrouping?

•Doesyourposturesagwithdisappointmentorstiffenforbattle?•Doesyourfacialexpressionshowappreciationthatthepotentialclienthaschosentocommunicatetheissuesthatmustbeaddressedbeforehecansayyes?

•Doesyourpostureremainconsistentthroughoutthepresentationand

indicateyouarereadytohearthebuyer’sconcerns?

You have few secrets from your buyers. During your presentations, makesure that your nonverbal behaviors communicate the same message as yourwords.

VISUALAIDS

Usingvisualaidsthatclearlyindicatewhatyouaresayingincreasestheretentionoflisteners.Examplesinclude:

•illustrations•samples•productdemonstrations•videos

Evenifyoudislikethevisualaidsprovidedbyyourcompany,weencourageyou to findsomewayofusingorat least referencing them.Show illustrationsthatcommunicateemotion.Fromyourcompany’sliterature,findseveralimagesthat reinforce the emotion that you are communicating about your product.Gesture to those images as you cover features and benefits during yourpresentation. It will help reinforce the emotions you want to create in yourbuyers.

HUMOR—BECAREFUL!

Alwaysbecarefulwithhumorduringasalespresentation.Whetherusedbefore,during, or after the presentation, humor can eitherwarmor chill the hearts ofyourbuyers.Humorcandeepenyour rapportorkill it. Ifyoueasily jokewithpeople,humorcanbean asset. If you areusinghumorbecause it is built intoyour company’s presentation, rehearse your delivery until you can deliver itnaturally.

Aboveall,avoidsarcastichumor,put-downhumor,andpoliticalorreligioushumor.Donotjokewithabuyerasyouwouldwithclosefriends.Whileyouareencouraged to be authentic with buyers, your first priority is to remain

professionalatalltimesduringthesalesappointment.Self-deprecatinghumorisusuallyasafeformofhumor.Peopletendtolike

otherswhodonottakethemselvestooseriously.

Note:Donotjokeaboutyourprofessionalabilities.Buyersmayinterpretthattypeofhumorasanindicationoflackofconfidence.

“Aw,Iforgotmybusinesscardsagain.I’msuchanairhead.”

“Oh,I’msobadatmath.WherewouldIbewithoutacalculator?”

Playfully joking about yourself in nonbusinessmatters can be endearing…when used sparingly. It communicates a strong level of self-confidence. Youhavetheself-assurancetolaughatyourselfinareasthatotherscanrelateto.

Onelastconsiderationabouthumor:justbecauseyourbuyertellsajokewithdarkhumordoesnotmeanyouhavepermission to tell the same typeof joke.Callitunfair,butabuyermaydecideitisinappropriateforasalespersontotellthesametypeofjokethatshetoldjustafewminutesearlier.Whenindoubt…don’t!

Nowlet’sexaminethepositiveusesofhumor.Inadditiontoincreasingyourlikability and deepening your rapport, humor encourages buyers to breathe.When buyers are listening intently or considering a buying decision, theysometimesunknowingly tense their bodies.Humor allows them to relax. Thatcan extend their attention span during your presentation. Themost persuasiveuseofhumoristouseittomovethepresentationforward.Forexample,ifpartofyourpresentationincludestheideathatpeoplecommonlydelaytakingactiontofindasolution,youmaytellafunnystoryaboutsomeonewhoprocrastinated.Inadditiontorelaxingthebuyerandincreasingyourrapport,thehumorcanalsomove your presentation forward by introducing or illustrating the topic ofprocrastination.

Some salespeople give brief presentations of threeminutes or less. Othershave presentations that last fifteen minutes or more. The longer yourpresentation,themorefrequentlyyoushouldbreakitupwithhumor.Justalwaysmakesurethatanyjokeyouaddintothemixistime-testedtobefunnyandnotoffensiveinanyway.

Wheredoyoufindeffectivehumor?Bookstoreshaveavarietyofsourcesto

choose from. Another source is listening to everyday humor with an ear forapplyingittoyourpresentation.Magazines,talkshows,andspeakersatbusinessor nonbusiness organizations all use humor. Don’t just listen. Listen forsomething you can use during your sales appointments. Just make sure thehumorfitsyourpersonalityandyourtypeofproduct.

USINGFIRSTNAMES

There are two extremes regarding the use of someone’s name during thepresentation.Thefirstextremeisneverusingthebuyer’sname.Theotheristousethebuyer’snametoofrequently.

Some salespeople avoid using the names of their buyers because they aredifficulttopronounce.Asarule,doyourbesttolearntheproperpronunciationofeverybuyer’sname.Thenuseyourjudgmentaboutwhetherornottoattemptto pronounce the name a few times during your presentation. If people haveunusualnames,youcanassumethattheyareusedtohelpingotherspronouncethem.Showingan interest ingetting it rightdemonstratesyourdesire to servethemwell.

More often than not, the root cause for not using a buyer’s name is thatyou’veforgotten it!Thebusieryouareand themorebuyersyouseeeachday,the easier it is to forget. Forgetting your buyer’s name will diminish yourconfidence during the sales appointment, and it will show. Easy access to awritten list of your appointments can serve as a backupwhen a buyer’s nameslipsyourmind.

To help you remember names, try repeating the names to yourselfat leastfourtimeswhenyoufirsthear them.Also,use thebuyers’namesassoonas itmakessense todosoinyourpresentation.Knowingthatyouplantouse themsometimeshelpsyoutoremember.Andafteryou’vesaidtheirnamesoutloudinyourpresentationacoupleoftimes,youwon’tbeaslikelytoforgetthem.

The second extreme is constantly using a buyer’s name during thepresentation.

“Harold,youarecorrectinsaying…”“Harold,wouldyousaythat…?”“Asyouknow,Harold,…”“Harold,howoftenhaveyou…?”

Anoteofcaution: Ifyouoveruseaperson’sname, thebuyermayperceive itasasalesgimmickoranannoyinghabit.Eitherway,itwilldiminishtherapportyouestablishedearlierinthesalesappointmentanddistractthebuyerfromyourpresentation.

THEHEARTOFPERSUASION

Thelastthreetopicsaretheveryheartofpersuasionduringyourpresentations.

1.Sellingwithbenefits

The concept of selling the benefits of each feature is one of the mostfoundationalsalesprinciplestaught.Andyet…itisfrequentlyonlyhalf-donebysalespeoplewhentheyplantheirpresentations.Featuresarepresented.Benefitsarenotgiventheirdue.Whywouldoneofthemostfrequentlytaughtsubjectsinsalesbeoneofthemostneglectedskillsthatareregularlypracticed?Thereareseveral possible reasons why features dominate the thoughts of salespeopleduringtheirpresentationsandleadtotheneglectofexplainingthebenefits.

•Featuresareusuallytangible.Thefeaturesaremoreeasilyrecognizedanddiscussedthanthelesstangiblebenefits.Thecompanybrochuresandproductdemosdiscusswhattheproductisandshowwhattheproductdoes.

•Featuresareexcitingandinteresting!Evenbeforeyougettothebenefitsthatmotivatebuyerstosayyes,somefeaturesareprettycool.

•Featurescanleadtoassumptions.Itiseasytoassumethatbuyerswillconnectthedotsandseethe“obvious”benefitofthefeature.

Thesafetyswitch…protectsworkers.Thetwenty-four-hourserviceline…meansbettercustomersupport.Thetitaniumcasing…meanslessweightbutthesamestrength.

It’s so obvious… to you. Do not assume it is equally obvious to buyers.Noticehowthatassumptioncomparesintheprogressionoftheexamplesbelow.

•“Thisisthefeature.”•“NowthatIhavedescribedthefeature,thisiswhatitdoes…[spelloutbenefits].”

•“NowthatIhavedescribedthefeatureandthebenefits,howdoyouthinkthisfeaturewillbenefityourbusiness?”

Inthefirstexample,thebenefitsofthefeatureareleftundescribedundertheassumptionthatbuyerswillunderstandwhattheyare.

In the second example, the benefits of the feature are explained in astatement.

In the third example, after the features and benefits have been stated, anopen-endedquestionisaskedtoencourageconversation.Thequestionshiftsthebuyer from passive listener to participant, and it reinforces the impact of thebenefitsbyaskingthebuyertostatehowthosebenefitsapplytohisneeds.

Note:Youmay already knowhow those benefits apply to the buyer’s needs.When thebuyerstateshowtheyapply,heisconfirmingthatyourproductwillresolvehischallenge.

The point of those three examples is to show how inadequate the firstexample is in ensuring that thebuyer trulyunderstands thekeypointsofyourpresentation.

•Afeaturedescribeswhattheproduct/serviceisandwhatitdoes.“Thisproductisaprotectivecaseforwidgets.”

•Abenefitiswhatthatfeaturedoesforthebuyer.“Thewidgetcasewillprotectyourwidgetinasituationwhereitmightbedropped.”

The common mistake made by salespeople during presentations is toenthusiastically explain the features of their product and then neglect to showbuyers how it benefits them. The salesperson explains four or more excitingfeatures of the product. “It’s a turbo-charged, lightning-quick widget withtitaniumcasingandamolecularcoatingofreinforcedguavaplant.”

Theguavaplantcoatingisobviouslymeantasajoke.Ourpointisthatmanysalespeoplewilluseasentenceloadedwithfeaturesandindustryjargon,andnot

explainhowthelightning-quickwidgetwillsavetimeforthebuyer.Orhowthetitaniumcasewillprotect thewidget fromdamagewhen thevaletdrops it.Orhow themolecular coatingwill protect thewidget frommoisture so thebuyercantakeitindoorsoroutdoors.

Whendiscussingfeaturesandbenefits:

a)Startwiththebuyer’sneeds,whichmaybeexpressedorunexpressed.Itischallengingtoofferasolutiontoabuyerwhodoesnotbelieveshehasaneed.Often,youmustverbalizethechallengethatyourbuyerhasneververbalizedtoherself.

b)Explainthefeatureofyourproduct/service:showthebuyerwhatitisandwhatitdoes.Ifyouuseindustryjargon,makesureyouexplainthejargon.Betteryet,don’tuseindustryjargonatall.Thenyoudon’tneedtoremembertoexplainit.

c)Clearlyexplainthebenefitsofthosefeatures:howtheyaddressthebuyer’schallengesoraddvalue.

Take a fewmoments now to identify the threemost persuasive features ofyour product/service.Write down the potential challenges they address. Thenexplain in a sentence or two what your product/service is and what it does.Finally,explainhowtheproduct/service’sfeaturesaddressthosechallengesandbenefityourclients.

Need:Feature:Benefit:

If you find it is a challenge remembering to include the benefit with thefeature,leadwiththebenefitandthenexplainthefeature.

“Youwillsavetime[benefit]becausethe[feature]doesthis…”“Your lifewill be less stressful [benefit] because our [feature] is availableto…”

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to present the features and the benefits of your

product andhave thebuyer say, “Just lastweek,wehada situationwhere the[benefitofyourproduct]wasexactlywhatweneeded”?

Buyersareoftenhesitant tooffersuchobviousbuyingsignals,butyoucandesignquestionstoaskbeforethepresentationbeginsthatdiscoverthosetypesof situations. Start with the most persuasive benefits of your products andservices. Then build your questions around those benefits. Below are severalexamplesofbenefits,followedbyquestionsthatencouragebuyerstotalkaboutanysituationsthatbenefitwouldhaveaddressed.

Guaranteeddelivery:“Howdolatedeliveriesaffectyourbusiness?”Currentonlineservicerecords:“Howvaluableisittohaveimmediateaccesstoservicerecordswhenyoumeetwiththeboard?”

Twenty-four-hour, live, manned service line: “How does it affect yourbusinesswhenclientscallforserviceandheararecordingthattheofficeiscloseduntilthenextbusinessday?”

Flexible financing: “How does cash flow affect your ability to make thepurchasesyouneedtomaximizeyourprofitsduringthebusyseason?”

As you create and add these open-ended specialty questions to the otherdiscoveryquestionsyouaskbefore thepresentationbegins,youare increasingthe probability that the buyer will open up and tell you about his specificchallenges. That knowledge will help you craft a relevant presentation and acompellingclose.

Naturally,youwillbecomeexcitedaboutsharingthesolutionsyourcompanyofferstoaddressthosechallenges.Consequently,thechallengeforyouwillbetonotbeginsellingrightaway.“Wowie-zowie!Havewegotaproductforyouthatwouldhavesavedyouweeksofheadaches!First,ourproductwill…”

Hangon.Rememberthethreebasicchoicesyouhaveatanytimeduringthesalespresentation:(1)makeastatement,(2)askaquestion,or(3)remainsilent.

Thebuyerjusthandedyouagifttohelpyouclosethesale.Atthatmoment,whileheisstillopentotalkingaboutthatchallengingsituation,askoneortwofollow-up questions. Each additional bit of information you learn about hischallenges will help you make more persuasive presentations and close salesmoreeasily.

2.Sellingvalue

Continuingthediscussionaboutfeaturesandbenefits,onespecificapplicationissellingvalue-basedproductsandservicesagainstaprice-basedcompetitor.Wementionedthisideainchapter8withthediscoveryquestion“Ispriceyouronlyconsiderationorisqualityalsoimportant?”

Inmostcases,valuesellingisdoneduringthepresentation.Valuesellingpartone goes something like this: “Our product is a greater value than ourcompetitor’s because of value A and value B.” At the close, an averagesalespersonsays,“Ourpriceis[dollaramount].Wouldyouliketobuy?”

Thepotentialclient,whorarelymakestheconnectionbetweenvaluesAandBandthehigherpriceoftheproductofferedattheclose,asks,“Whyisthepricesohigh?”

Then, value selling part two begins: “Rememberwhen I talked during thepresentation about how value A and value B will actually make our productmore economical over the next twenty years than if you bought a cheaperproduct?”

Atthispoint, thebuyeroftentakesissuewiththesalesperson’sclaimaboutvalueAandvalueBandsays,“Yes,but…Istillthinkitisexpensive.”Nowtheconversationshifts to themeritsof those twofeatures.Thesalespersonrepeatsthesamething.“No,itisnotexpensiveifyouthinkaboutthenexttwentyyears.You will save lots of money.” The buyer says, “I’m not sure about the nexttwentyyears,but Idoknowthatat thenextboardmeeting Iwillhave troublemeeting thisyear’sbudget.This is just tooexpensive.”Thesalespersonmakessomemorestatements,andonitgoes.

Toremedythissituation,let’sstepbackearlierinthesalesappointmentandfindagreementon thebiggerquestionofpriceversusvalue.When identifyingneeds, you ask the discovery question about price: “Is price your onlyconsideration,orisqualityalsoimportant?”Withthisquestion,youcancometoan agreementwith the buyer about the importance of quality long before youexplainvalueAandvalueB.

When selling a value-based product, do you want to wait until the buyerraisesthequestionofpriceduringyourpresentation,ordoyouwanttobroachthesubjectproactivelyonyourterms,whenyouwish?

•Theformerchoiceiswait-and-seeselling.Youwaituntilthepresentationbeginsandhopethatyourpresentationwillpersuadethebuyerthatyourproductisworththehigheramount.

•Thelatterchoiceisstructuredselling.UsingtheCircleofPersuasion,

structurethesalesappointmentsoyouchoosethemomentandthemethodtomostpersuasivelyaddressthe“valueversusprice”question.

Usethepricediscoveryquestiontofindagreementontheparametersofthe“value versus price” question before you begin your presentation.When youleadthebuyer toaskherself therightquestionsbefore thepresentationbegins,therightanswersaremorelikelytofollowduringandafterthepresentation.

3.Heart-to-heartsalestalks

Therearetimeswheneverythinghasbeensaidaboutamatterandthebuyerisstill undecided. At that point, a few words spoken from your heart—withcomplete sincerity—can assure the buyer of your intention to serve his needswell. You are stepping outside the role of salesperson for a moment and aretalkingtohimasonehumanbeingtoanother.

Heart-to-heart talks involve statements of conviction. They are defined byhowyouexpressyourthoughtsasmuchasbywhatyousay.

Heart-to-heart talks should be used sparingly. They are emotionallyconcentrated—alittlebitgoesalongway.Youdon’tneedtoconfirmifthebuyertook toheartwhatyousaid. Ifyouseebyhisnonverbal language thathewaslistening, then he got it. Say it and move on to the next topic in yourpresentation.

Note:Ifyourworkasasalespersonissimplyajobyoudotomakemoney,thenheart-to-heart talks are best left alone.Better to remain authentic than say something you don’tbelievejusttogetasale.Remember,youhavefewsecretsfromyourbuyers.Theycantellwhensalespeopledon’treallybelievewhattheyaresaying.

Belowaresomeexamplestogiveyouanidea.Discussingvalueandhigherprice:“Jim,Irealizewearenotthelowestprice

intown.Itisimportantthatyouunderstandwhyweneverwanttobethelowestprice.Whenyouarethelowestprice,youmayhavetoadjustthequalityofyourservice tofit theprice.Mycompanydoesn’tdo that.Wearefocusedondoingwhatittakestodothejobrightthefirsttime.”

If you say something such as that in a bland voice… it is justwords.Butwhen you look the buyer in the eye, lean forward a bit, and speak from yourheart,thenitbecomesaheart-to-hearttalk.

Heart-to-hearttalkscanalsoaddresschallenges:“Sue,I’mnotgoingtotrytoexplainawaytheserviceyoureceived.Itwasnotwhatyoupaidfor.Myjobistomakeitright.Wevalueyourbusiness,andthisishowwearegoingtogiveyoutheserviceyoudeserve…”

Youarenotdefensive.Youarenotashamed.Greatcompaniesarenotperfectcompanies.Greatcompaniesprovidegoodvalueandquicklymakethingsrightwhen they don’t fulfill customer expectations. Great salespeople addresschallenges quickly and use those unfortunate events to demonstrate theexceptionalservicetheyprovidetobuyers.

Heart-to-heart talks can be used at the close: “John, I realize you havechoices.Inourtimetogether,you’veheardmeexplainwhyIbelievewearethebestchoicetodelivergreatservicetoyou.”(Summarizethebenefits.)“Thefinalreason is that when you do business with my company, you get me. It isimportanttomethatyougetgreatservice.AndIwillbeyourinsideadvocatetomakesureyougetthebestservicewecanpossiblydeliver.”

The best part, of course, is that you really do care and you really arecommittedtogivinggreatservice.

Finally, regularly examine your presentation. Does every part of yourpresentation, in some manner, lead buyers to take immediate action? Yourpresentationisprobablyfullofinterestingfactsandentertainingstories.Alwaysremain mindful that each part of your presentation will move buyers eithernearertoclosingthesaleorfartherfromit.

CHAPTER9KEYPOINTS

•Everyclientcontactprovidesanopportunitytogiveapresentation.•Whenmakingpresentations,yournonverbalbehaviorscontinuetospeaklouderthanyourwords.

•Wheneverappropriateduringyourpresentations,askquestionsinsteadofmakingstatements,becauseparticipatinglistenersarebuyinglisteners.

•Learntorecognizewordpatternsinbuyersandusethosesamepatternsduringthepresentation:want/avoid;can/must;feeling,

hearing,andseeingwords.•Visuallyshowwhatyouaresayingwithyourgestures,withfacialexpressions,andwithvisualaids.

•Followeverymentionofafeaturewiththebenefititprovides.

10.AskingClosingQuestions

TheCircleofPersuasion

Everythingyou’vedonetothispointinthesalesappointmentispreparationtoask thebuyerfor thesale.Askingclosingquestions iswhatcreatessales.Thatmeansaskingdirectlyandclearlyforwhatyouwantthebuyertodo.Ifyouwantthesale,youhavetoask.

Thusfar,youhavetakenthefollowingstepsaroundtheCircleofPersuasion:

•Youhaveestablishedrapport,becausebuyerspreferbuyingfromlikablesalespeople.

•Youhaveaskeddiscoveryquestionstoidentifythebuyer’sspecificneeds.•Youhavepresentedsolutionsthataddressedthebuyer’sspecificneeds.

Now you will ask the buyer to take real action, and you will guide herthroughthedecision-makingprocess.It’scriticalthatyoutransitionintoaskingclosingquestionssmoothly,soasnottogenerateanydiscomfortorfearonthebuyer’s part (aka sales resistance). This transition can be a very frighteningthing,especially fornewsalespeople.However,once this step ismasteredyougraduate from salesperson to sales professional, and your level of incomefollows.

WHATISTHEBIGDEALABOUTCLOSING?

Asmentionedearlierinthisbook,alotoftimeandattentionintrainingsessionsgoestothepresentationstepofthesalesprocess.Thisassumesthepresentationwillgeneratesales.Whenmoretimeandattentionaregiventothemanywaysofaskingclosingquestions—questionsthatcallforbuyingdecisionsandactiononthepartof thebuyer—that’swhensales revenues really increase.Even thoughthepointofaskingclosingquestionsistheclimaxofthesalesprocess,itisthestepthatismostfearedbysalespeople.

Whydomanysalespeoplefearaskingpotentialclientstotakeaction?Belowareseveralreasons.

1.Theyfearbeingturneddownorrejected

If you haven’t learned this already, learn it now: you won’t win every sale!When you’ve done your best and a qualified buyer doesn’t buy from you, inmost cases it’s nothing personal. Do not consider a no-sale situation as apersonalrejection.

2.Theyfearaskingpotentialclientsfortheirmoney

As youngsters many of us are taught that it’s impolite to ask for anything—especially money. In selling, it’s critical to remember that you’re providingsomethinginexchangeforthebuyer’scommitmenttoownyourproduct.You’re

nottakingfromthem.Thesalesprocessisanexchange.

3.Theyfearaskingatthewrongtimeandlookingfoolish

Somesalespeopleareuncertainwhentoaskforthesale.Theylookatthecloseasan isolatedevent,whichmakes the timingof thecloseevenmorepuzzling.Sales pros continue their presentations until they believe their buyers haveenough information to make a decision. Then they ask test or trial closequestions todetermine if thebuyer feels ready tomake adecision—allbeforeattemptingafinalclose.

4.Theyfearsilence

Somesalespeopleareuncomfortablewithsilence.Theyjustkeepontalking.It’spossiblethattheyenduptalkingthebuyerrightoutofthesale.Oneofthemostimportant lessons salespeople need to learn is that once they ask a closingquestiontheyshouldstoptalking.Thebuyerneedsamomentofsilencetothinkwhenmakingadecision.Itisdifficultforhimtothinkwhileyouarestilltalking.Sobequiet.

5.Theyfearfindingouttheywerewrong

Some salespeople fear they have wasted their time and effort in giving thepresentation.Theyfearthattheymayhavebeenwrongindeterminingthatthesebuyers were well qualified and that their product was a great answer to thebuyer’s challenges. In some selling situations, you won’t find out until afteryou’vegonethroughtheentiresalesprocessthatthebuyercan’tmakeabuyingdecisionforasoundreason.Eventopsalesproducerscantellstoriesofunusualcircumstancestheysimplycouldnotovercome.

Ironic, isn’t it, that there is somuch potential for fear on the salesperson’sside of the selling process? Usually when we think about fear in sellingsituations,it’sthemyriadofbuyers’fearsthatcometomind.Atthispointinthesalesprocess,youaresoclosetoachievingyourgoalofaclosedtransactionthatyoushouldfeelexcitement,notfear.It’sthetimetofocusoneverydetailofthematterathand—askingyourclosingquestions.

Ifyoulearnonethingfromthisbook:Themainshowofthesellingprocess

beginsattheclose,whichiswhenmostofthedecision-makingprocessoccurs.Yes, some potential clients have already decided to buy when you get to theclose.That’sfantastic!Andrare.

Moreoftenthannot,whenyouattempttoclose,apotentialclientwillpresentquestions, concerns, or negotiation requests. Guiding the buyer through thoseresponses iswhereyourskillsasasalesprofessionalshine. It’swhenanythingcanhappenandwhentopprofessionalsarereadytorespondtoeverythingthatdoeshappen.

By theway, theassumptionofwait-and-see selling is thatdecisionmakingoccursduringthepresentation.Mostofthetimebuyingdecisionsaremadeafterthepresentation.Thatiswhythecloseisthemainshow.Asalesperson’sactionsduring theclosearewhat separate the top salesproducers from the restof thesalesteam.

Note: Many salespeople are involved in sales that require layers of approvals and,consequently,multiplesalescalls.Inthisscenario,closingthesaleonthefirstvisit isnotpossible. In our definition, “closing the sale” means moving the sale forward by takingactionon thenextstep.Everysalesappointmenthasanactionobjective,even if it is toconfirmthenextmeeting.

When the time to ask for a decision has arrived, the salesperson shouldsummarize the points already presented and received favorably by the buyer,while covering both the advantages and disadvantages of the various actionsoffered.Suchabenefit summarywill helpyourbuyer crystallizeher thinking.Youcannever assume shewill remember all the informationyouhave sharedwithherandthenmakeabuyingdecision.That’syourjob!

THEDIRECTCLOSEVS.THETRIALCLOSE

One of the most useful distinctions when closing the sale is the differencebetweenadirectclosequestionandatrialclosequestion.Adirectclosequestionstraightforwardlyasksthebuyertotakeaction.

“Whatpurchaseordernumberwillbeassignedtothis,Sally?”“Howwouldyouliketohandletheinvestmentforyourorder,Glen?”

Atrialclosequestiontestswhetherornotthebuyerisreadytotakeaction.Itallowsyoutotestthelevelofinterestthebuyerhasingoingahead.

“If you were to approve the work order, what time of year would yourtenantspreferustobeginthework?”

“Ifyouweretorefurbishyourcounters,wouldyouwantawoodoramicafinish?”

“Ifwebecameyourserviceprovider,wouldyouwant to takeadvantageoftheannualbillingdiscount?”

Buyers feel free to answer your trial close questions because their answersdon’tcommitthemtobuying.Inthatsense,trialclosequestionsaretheoreticalquestions. You aremerely asking buyers for information. Inmany cases, thatinformationinvolvestheiropinion,andbuyerslovetogiveopinions.

Theadvantagesoftrialclosequestionsare:

1.Thebuyerremainsrelaxed.Thebuyerdoesnotfeelthepressureofhavingtomakeafinaldecision.Whenherespondsintheaffirmative,heisgivingyouthesameinformationthatyouwouldreceiveafterhepurchasedyourproductsorservices.When he responds negatively or raises a concern aboutwhat you’veasked,you’velostnothingandgaineddirectionastowhatelseyouneedtocoverbeforeaskingafinalclosingquestion.

2.Youcanaskseveraltrialclosequestions.Longbeforeyouaskthebuyertotakeaction,youcanaskseveraltrialclosequestionsandgaininformationaboutvirtually every aspect of his buying decision. Trial close questions give youvaluablecluesaboutwhereyourbuyerisinthedecision-makingprocess.

3.Youcanasktrialclosequestionsthroughoutthesalesappointment.Oneofthegreatest advantagesof trial closequestions is thatyoudonothave towaituntiltheclosetogetanindicationofyourbuyer’swillingnesstomakeapositivedecision.Infact,youcanasktrialclosequestionswhileyouareidentifyingthebuyer’sneeds.

PHRASINGYOURTRIALCLOSEQUESTIONS

Trialclosequestionsareawayofgauging justhowwarmorcoldyourbuyersare about owning the benefits of your product or service. Inmany cases, theywillbeginwithphraseslike:

“Ifyouweretogoahead…”“Ifyouweretomoveforwardtoday…”“Ifyouweretotakethenextsteptoday…”

The conditional word if makes the question theoretical and relaxes yourbuyer.Withthefirstfewtrialclosequestions,theseinitialphraseswillletyourbuyerknowshecangiveyoubuyinginformationwithoutcommittingherselftotaking action. When you ask many trial close questions throughout the salesappointment,itmaybecometiresomeforyourbuyertoheartheseintroductoryphraseseachtimeyouask.

Note:Redundancyindicatessalestechnique.Youdon’twantyourbuyertostartwonderingif you’re trying to pressure or trick her into making a purchase. You want her to stayfocusedonthesalespresentation.

Afterthefirstseveraltrialclosequestions,leaveofftheintroductoryphrase(givenintheparenthesesbelow):

“Ourproductscomeinthreecolors.(Ifyoudecidedtobuyourproduct)Howimportantwouldthechoiceofcolorbeforyou?”

“Wehavetwenty-four-hourdelivery.(Ifyouweretoorderourproducts)Aretherecertaindaysyouprefertoreceiveshipping?”

Trial close questions can help you gauge how close buyers are to takingactionintwoways.First,ifbuyersarenowhereneartakingaction,theywilltellyouthatinsteadofansweringyourquestion.

Salesperson:“So,iftheboardapprovesthepurchase,howsoonwouldyouwantdelivery?”

Buyer:“Whoa,we’renotevenreadytodiscussthiswiththeboardyet!”

In that example, the buyer didn’t answer the question, but she did providevaluableinformationabouthowfartheboardisfrommakingadecision.

Ifthebuyerpushesbackonyourtrialclosequestions,explainthepurposeofyourquestions.“ThereasonIamaskingisthatsummerisourslowseason,andwecanoffermoreflexibilityinschedulingduringthosemonths.”Ah,nowtheyseethatyouareconsideringwaystobenefitthem,andtheywillbemoreinclinedtoanswerfuturequestions.

Otherexamplesoftrialclosequestionsare:

“John,doyouseewhywearesoexcitedaboutwhat thisprogramisdoingforourclients?”

“Mary,howareyoufeelingaboutwhatwe’vecoveredsofar?”

Withthosequestions,youarerequestingfeedbackinordertodeterminethenextsteptotake.Ifthefeedbackispositive,you’reprobablyreadytoaskyourclosingquestion.Ifit’snegative,youwillhaveatleastheardaconcernorbeengiven something to work with as you step back into the presenting-solutionsphaseoftheCircleofPersuasion.

After you receive a positive response to your trial close question, movesmoothly into your final closing questionwith a proven closing strategy.OnesuchstrategyistheColinPowellClose.Itgoeslikethis:

John, former US Secretary of State Colin Powell has reportedly said,“Indecision has cost Americans, American business, and the Americangovernment billionsmore than awrong decision.”Whatwe are talkingabout now is a decision, isn’t it?Whatwill happen if you say yes, andwhatwillhappenifyousayno?If you say no, nothing will happen and things will be the same

tomorrowastheyaretoday.You’llfacethesamechallengesthatcausedyoutomeetwithmetoday.However, if you say yes, you can start enjoying all the benefits of

ownershipthatwe’vebeendiscussing.

Thenlistthebenefitsyourbuyerhasagreedwouldbegreatforhercompanyorherfamily.Assoonasthelistiscomplete,turnyourpaperworkaroundtothebuyer.Handheryourpen,sitstill,andbequiet!Waitforherdecision.Shewillmakeone—eithertoownornottoown.

THEORDERFORMCLOSE

Whenusedwithfinesse,thisclosecanbesubtleandnatural.Unfortunately,thisclose isoftenused tooabruptlybysalespeoplewhowaituntil theendof theirpresentationtopulloutasalesformandstartfillingitout.Thebuyermayfeelthat you skipped a few steps and you are making assumptions without basis.Let’sexaminethissituationmoreclosely.

Thebestplacetobeginiswiththereminderthatitisalwaysagoodideatohaveanorder formwithyou.Even ifyoudonot expect adecision fromyourbuyerthatday,includeanorderformamongyourothersalesmaterialsorvisualaids.

Slightlyspreadoutyourvisualaidssotheorderformcanbepartiallyseen.Letitsilentlycreatecuriosityaboutthetermswrittenonit.Letitsilentlyimplyitmaybeneeded.Make it the littleelephant in the room.Or,youmightplace itunder a few sheets of your notepad. As you make notes during yourconversation,youcannotetheinformationthatwouldgoontheorderformbyliftingjustafewpages.

Ifyourbuyeraskswhatyou’redoing,simplysay,“IhavefoundthatwhenItake good notes during conversations, I do a better job of rememberingimportantdetails—especiallydetailsthatmightsavemyclientsmoneyortime.Ijotdownthoseimportantdetailsonthepaperworksotheywon’tbeforgotten.”Seewhat you’ve done?You’ve justmade filling out your form in the buyer’sbestinterest.You’llbeamazedathowwellthisworkstoyouradvantage.

If the buyer says he’s not ready to sign any paperwork, simply say, “Iunderstand.Believeme, that’s the last thing I’mgoing toaskyou todo.”Youmaylaughasyoureadthatlastsentence,butpleasedon’tlaughwhenyousayittoapotentialclient.Speakitwithsincerity,andhe’llrelax.It’sthetruth.Thelastthingyouaskforinmostsalesprocessesistheapprovalofthepaperwork…butnotnow.

Next,stopcallingthedocumentorwebsitepagewhereyouplaceyourordersa “contract.” We’ve discussed the importance of creating positive, powerfulimagesinthemindsofyourclientswiththewordsyouuse.Whatcomestoyour

mind when you hear the word contract? It’s a legal document. It’s acommitment.It’slikelyyoumighthavetogotocourttogetoutofone.Replacethe word contract with agreement,paperwork, or form, and watch how yourbuyerreacts.Hewon’tjumponthedefensiveashedidinthepast.

Another time to smoothly show your order form is when your buyer asksabout your company’s warranty. Pull out the paperwork to show that yourcompanyoffersawarrantyinwriting.Itisalsonaturaltoshowyourbuyerwheretheorderformspecifiestermsofpayment,formofdelivery,oranyotherdetailsthatwillbeimportantinthebuyer’sdecision-makingprocess.

Afteryoushowyourbuyertherelevantportionofthewrittenagreement,layittooneside.

Note:Do not place the order form too close to the buyer.Remember the proximity rulecoveredearlieraboutcrowdingpeople?Thesameistrueabouttheproximityofanorderform. Be gentle when physically moving a written agreement toward the buyer, so hedoesn’tthinkyouarebeingtoopushy.Bettertosettheorderformabittoofarawayfromthebuyerthantooclose.

Whenabuyerpicksuptheorderformandlooksatit,wouldyousaythatisabuyingsignal?Whenabuyerpicksupanyvisualaid, that isapositivesignofinterest! It does notmean hewill buy, but it shows he is exhibiting curiosityaboutwhatyouare saying.At the least,he isparticipating in thepresentation,andaparticipatingbuyerhasagreatertendencytomakepositivedecisions.

Sotheorderformisonthetablethroughoutthepresentation.Yourbuyerisgivingyoubuyingsignalsbyaskingquestionsaboutfinancing,delivery,styles,andsoon.Henodsinagreementwithwhatyou’resaying.Helooksthroughthevisualaids.

Theorderformcloseisaone-twopunch:usingtrialclosequestionstoinchthebuyercloser to takingaction,andusing theorder formtoshowwhereyouwillrecordtheiranswers.

“Whenwouldbethebesttimefordelivery?”“Doyoutrackpurchaseswithpurchaseordersorchecks?”“Wouldwedelivertoyourofficeoryourwarehouse?”“Isthebillingaddressatthelocalofficeorthehomeoffice?”

As thebuyer answers thesequestions, useyourorder formas a visual aid,pointingtothesectionoftheorderformwherethatinformationwillbefilledinforfinancing,delivery,ormodelspecifications.

Youmayormaynotactuallywriteintheinformationimmediately.Youwillhavetodecidehowpositivehisbuyingsignalsarebeforeyoutakepentopaperorenterinformationonyourcomputer.Thevalueofreferringtotheorderformis that you are helping your buyer become increasingly comfortable with thewrittenagreementthatformalizeshiscommitmenttotakeaction.Whenhedoesdecidetomoveforward,fillingoutthewrittenagreementwillseemlikeasmallstep,becauseheisalreadyfamiliarwithit.

If your buyer is relaxed and positive, then when you confirm the billingaddress,fillintheaddressonyourform.Ifthebuyerdoesnotstopyou,continuefillingouttherestoftheformastheinformationyourequireisprovided.

Note:Don’texpectyourbuyertoprovidetheinformationyouneedinthesamesequencethatisonyourorderform.

Know your form so well that you can skip around it quickly and easily to addinformation.Remember:sellingisaboutmakingthebuyercomfortable—notaboutmakinghimconformtoyourneeds.

Setthefilled-outforminfrontofthebuyeranddoaquickreview.Pointtoeachpartoftheformasyouquicklyreviewit.“Wewilldelivertothisaddress.Thebillingissenthere.Thefinancingmethodis_____________.”Setyourpendown on top of the order form and point to where he will approve it. “Yoursignaturegoeshere.”

Notice thewording on that last sentence. You did not tell him to sign theagreement.Whenusing thisclose,bewaryof tellingpeoplewhat todo.Pointoutwheretheirsignaturegoes.Thensitbackandlookdownattheorderform.

You’rerelaxedandhaveapleasantexpressiononyourface.Ifyouarefeelingparticularly persuasive, nod very slowly. By looking at the order form, youimplythat theirattentionshouldbeontheorderformaswell.Keeplookingattheformuntilthebuyereitherauthorizesitorexpressesaquestionorconcern.

Ifheasksmorequestions,wheneverpossibleendtheanswertoeachquestionbypointingtotheappropriatesectionintheorderform.Forexample:

Buyer:“CanIpayforthiswithacreditcard?”Salesperson: “Is that the method you prefer to use? If so, we’ll put theinformationhere.”(Pointingtotheareaoftheorderform)

Buyer:“CanIchangethedeliverydatetonextweek?”Salesperson:“Isnextweek thebest time foryou to takedelivery?If that’sthecase,thatinformationgoeshere.”(Pointingtothedeliverydateontheorderform)

That is the order form close. Do you see how themethodology describedabove differs from the simplified version of concluding your presentation:pullingoutanorderformforthefirsttime,andaskingyourbuyertoconfirmhisaddress?Byusingtheorderformasavisualaidthroughoutthepresentation,youmakeitfamiliarandnonthreateningduringtheclose.

OTHERTYPESOFCLOSES

Therearehundredsofwaystocallforadecision.Thereisnotroominthisbooktocovermorethanafew,thoughotherresourcesforclosingstrategiesarehighlyrecommended, such as How to Master the Art of Selling (Grand CentralPublishing)andSellinginToughTimes(BusinessPlus),bothbyTomHopkins.

Apopularandsimple-to-useclosingquestionisthealternateadvanceclose.Thiscloseofferstwochoicestobuyers.Insteadofofferingthebuyerachancetoprovideayesorno answer,bothof thechoicesyouwillgive lead to a closedsale.

Forexample:

“Whichdoyouthinkisabettersolutionforyou:ProductAorProductB?”“WouldyouprefertotakedeliveryonTuesday,orwouldFridaybebetter?”“ShallweordertheseforyouinMidnightBlue,orwouldyoupreferAzureBreeze?”

Thiscloseisespeciallyeffectivewithpeoplewhodonotwanttobetoldwhattodoorhavenoideawhattheywanttodo.

Another closing strategy to use is the Ben Franklin close, which visuallyappealstobuyerswhoarenotrespondingtoyourauditorycommunication.Thiscloseisusefulforbuyerswhoareprocrastinating.Infact,yourbuyermightsay

somethinglike“I’djustliketosleeponthis,”or,“Letmeweighthefactsandgetbacktoyou.”WiseoldBenjaminFranklinusedandrecommendedmakingalistof theprosandconsofanydecision.Hisprocesshasbeencarriedforwardforhundredsofyearsbecauseitissopracticalandhelpful.

So, when a buyer suggests putting off making a decision, you would say,“John, history has proven that most great decision makers believed a gooddecisionwasonlyasgoodas thefacts.Thelast thingIwouldwant todois toinfluenceyou tomakeanunwisedecision.However, if itproves tobeagooddecision,youwouldwanttomakeit,wouldn’tyou?”

Notmanypeoplewillavoidmakinggooddecisions.“Fine.Letmehelpyou.Let’sdrawalinedownthemiddleofthispaper.On

thisside,we’lllistthereasonsfavoringtherightdecisiontoday.Then,overhere,we’lllistthereasonsagainstthedecision.Whenwearethrough,we’llcountupthecolumns,andyouwillbeabletomaketherightdecision.Let’ssee…”

You now list all the reasons for going ahead. Shoot for aminimumof sixreasons.Thenyouwarmlysay,“Now,let’sseethereasonsyoufeelareagainstthedecision.”

Younowsitquietlyandletthepotentialclientworkonthatsidealone.Afterheisfinished,say,“Well,let’sseewhatwe’vegot.”

Add up each column—just the number of reasons; do not deliberate overwhethersomereasonscarrymoreweightthanothers.Thensay,“Theanswerisratherobvious,isn’tit?”Andyouturnbacktocompleteyourpaperwork.

A reminder: When wording your closing questions, use words that createpicturesofwhatyouwanttohappen.Avoidusingwordsthatcreatepicturesofwhatyoudonotwanttohappen.Ifyousayit,yourbuyermustbrieflyprocessthatimageinordertomakesenseofyourwords.

Wordslikehesitation,delay,orcostpresent imagesofnegativeactionsyoudo not want your buyers to take. Terms like act today, take the next step,participation, and fill out the paperwork present images of actions you wantyourbuyertotake.

Noticethedifferenceintheexamplesbelow:

Negative:“Whatisyourhesitationinmakingthisdecision?”Positive:“Whatneedstohappenforyoutotakethenextsteptoday?”Negative:“Areyouthinkingit’stooexpensive?”Positive: “What are your thoughts about the value of the benefits to yourcompany?”

WRITEOUTYOURCLOSEINADVANCE

The close can be a dynamic time in the sales appointment.Many salespeoplewing their closing call to action, spontaneously creating the wording of theircloseastheysayit.Somesalespeoplearegoodatspontaneousconversation,butthetruthis,mostarenot.Mostsalespeoplegetthroughtheclose,buttheircalltoactionisfilledwithuhsandhesitationsthatwaterdownthecompellingnatureoftheirclose.

Themomentaryhesitationsyouhavewhileyouwordyourclosingcalltoactionaresimilartothehesitationssalespeopleexhibitwhentheylackrealconvictionabouttheirproduct.Mightyourbuyerthinkthatyouruncertaintyisabout choosing your words, not your conviction about your product? No. Allyour buyer experiences is the subtle, nonverbal cues of uncertainty, and shenotices thosecuesasyouareaskingher to takeaction. Internally, thatwallofsalesresistancewillstarttobuildagain.

Donot leave theassumptionsofyourbuyer tochance.Whenyouaskyourbuyer to take action, there canbe nohesitation for any reason, nouncertaintyaboutthevalueofyourproductorservice,nouncertaintyabouthowyouwordyourcalltoaction.

Howdoyouavoiduncertaintyat theclose?Word forword,writedownthefinaltwoorthreesentencesyouintendtosaytoaskyourbuyertotakeaction.Just the last fewsentences.Thenpracticereadingaloudwhatyouhavewrittenuntilyoucansayitwithconfidenceandtheexpectationthatyourbuyerwilltakeimmediateaction.

Youwillnotreadthisinfrontofthebuyerattheclose,ofcourse.Youdonotneedtomemorizeitandreciteittoyourbuyer.Thepurposeofpracticingyourclose out loud is to create an easy path to follow so that at the moment ofdecision,aconciselywordedclosewillbeconfidently spokenwitha tone thatassumesthebuyerwillnaturallytakethenextstep.

PUTTINGYOURKNOWLEDGETOWORK

Itisnotenoughtolearnaboutclosingthesale.Youarenotpaidsolelyforwhatyouknow,butalsoforhoweffectivelyyouapplywhatyouknow.Nowthatyouhave learned about closing the sale, put your knowledge to work. In theexercisesbelow,writeoutadirectclose,atrialclose,andanalternateadvancecloseforyourproduct.

Hereisasampleforsellingwidgets.

ProductorService:Widgets

Directcloses

“Howmanywidgetswouldyouliketoordertoday?”“Whatdeliverydateforthisorderisbestforyou?”

Trialcloses

“If you were to order our widgets today, how many would you needimmediately?”

“Ifyouweretopurchaseourwidgets,whatsizewouldyouwant?”

AlternateAdvancecloses

“Wouldyouliketohandletheinvestmentbycheckorcharge?”“Didyouwantthisshippedovernightorbyregulargroundshipping?”“Did you want the extra year of support or the standard ninety days ofsupport?”

Nowitisyourturn.Writeoutexamplesofthesethreetypesofcloses.Youmayfind it helpful to say your closes out loud to adjust the wording to how younaturallyspeak.

Yourproductorservice:

Directcloses

a)b)c)

Trialcloses

a)

b)c)

AlternateAdvancecloses

a)b)c)

Then,preparetousetheBenFranklinclosingstrategy.Takeapieceofpaper,draw a line down themiddle of it, and list asmany reasons for owning yourproduct asyoucanpossibly comeupwith.Themorepreparedyouarebeforeyour sales appointment, the more likely you are to turn potential clients intohappyclients.

THETWOKEYSTOEFFECTIVECLOSING

Whetheryouarejustbeginningyoursalescareeroryouareaveteran,bewareoftwo common mistakes when closing the sale. They are simple yet costlymistakes that can undo all the persuasive selling you have done to this point.Evenifyourclosewasawkwardorill-timed,effectivelyimplementingthesetwostepswillmovethebuyerforwardinthesale.

1.Remainrelaxed

Thefirstcommonmistakeasalespersoncanmakeduringthecloseistobecometense.Asmentionedearlierinthebook,hisphysiologyshiftsfrombeingrelaxedandengagingtobeingedgyorsometimespushy.

Theclosecanbea timeofanxiety foryou,becauseyouareabout togetaclearindicationofhowclosethebuyeristomakingadecision.Itcanalsobeatime of anxiety for the buyer, because she ismaking a decision about partingwithherownorhercompany’smoney.

Arelaxedbuyercanmoreeasilymakebuyingdecisions.Tohelpyourbuyerremain relaxed, it is important that you stay relaxed during the close. Why?Because throughout the sale, you have maintained a solid rapport with yourbuyer. As a result, you have been trading behaviors. If you suddenly become

tense at the close, your buyerwill follow your behavior and become tense aswell.

Imagine the irony of the buyer, whom you have almost persuaded to takeimmediate action, suddenly becoming tense and indecisive—not because ofanythingthatyousaid,butbecauseofyouractions!Yousuddenlybecametenseduring the close, and she interprets her sudden, uncomfortable feelings as anintuitive warning not to take action. So above all, you must remain relaxedthroughouttheclose.

Right now, take in a slow,deepbreath andpleasantly smile.As relaxed asyou are right now reading this book, that is how relaxed you should bewhenclosingasale.

Anxiety inbuyers isnotalwaysabout theactionsof thesalesperson.Somebuyersbecomeanxiousnotbecauseofthedecisionyouareaskingthemtomakebut because almost any decision they make creates anxiety. Deciding whatclothestoweareachmorningorwhatfoodtopulloutoftherefrigeratoratnightcreatestribulationforsomepeople.Whilethisisaninternalissueforthebuyer,youcanhelprelaxherbyremainingrelaxedyourself.

2.Remainquiet

The second commonmistake a salespersonmakes during the close is to keeptalkingafterhehasaskedthebuyertotakeaction.Thebuyerneedstimetothinkaboutthedecisionyouaskedhertomake.Aslongasyoukeeptalking,shewillnot have a chance to process all the information you gave during yourpresentation.Remainquietandgiveherachancetoconsiderherdecision.

When you continue to talk through the close, this signals to the buyerthatyouarenotfinishedgivingherinformation.

Consider the flow of questions and statements throughout the salesappointment. When the sales appointment began, you asked questions aboutareasofcommoninterest toestablishrapport.Thenyouaskedbusiness-relatedquestions to identify the buyer’s needs. During the presentation, you madestatementstoprovidetheinformationtomakeadecision.Now,attheclose,youhaveinvitedthebuyertotakeactionbyaskingaquestion.

Thebuyergrowsquietasshethinksaboutbuying.Butbeforesheisfinishedthinking,youbeginsellingagainbymakingthesekindsofstatements:

“Remember,youget10percentoffifyouactbytheendofthemonth.”“Andtheshippingisfreeifyouordermorethanonehundreditems.”“Andthepurchaseincludesoneyearofcustomersupport.”

Here’sthechallenge:theverystructureofyourcommunicationwilldistractandconfusethebuyer.Yourclosingquestionindicateditwastimeforthebuyerto make a decision. Now your additional statements suggest you’re not yetfinishedgivingthebuyerreasonstobuy.Thatleadsthebuyertounconsciouslybegintowonderifshehasenoughinformationtomakeadecision.

Aconfusedmindsays…no.Thatambiguitycancreatejustenoughconfusiontodelayadecision.Evenworse, itcan takeabuyerwhowasready tosayyesback toward indecision. That is the importance of avoiding this mistake.Remainingquietduringtheclosehelpsyouavoidlosingsalesthatyoualreadymadeduringyourpresentation.

The format of effective closing is simple.At the end of your presentation,whenyouaskyourbuyertotakeaction,takeaslow,deepbreathandrelax.Thenremainquietuntilyourbuyerrespondstoyourclosingquestion.

YES,NO,MAYBE

Once this simple format becomes second nature, you will begin to enjoy themoments of decision rather than fearing them. This is when anything canhappen.Yourbuyermayexclaim,“Yes!I’lltaketwo!”Orshemayaskquestionsor express concerns. (Those aremaybes.) Or she may say, “Never! Not in amillionyears!”Butyourbuyerwillnotsitthereindefinitelyandsaynothing.

Shewill respondbecauseof thedemandsonher timeandbecause shehasneedsthatrequiresolutions.Bythispointinthesalesappointment,herresponseswillrarelybeabsolutenos,becauseshewouldhavelikelysaidsoearlier.Mostof the time, she will say yes, ask a question, express a concern, or ask tonegotiatethetermsofthesale.

Thatbringsusback towherewebegan thisbook:when thebuyersaysno.Allthegreatsalesprofessionalshearno.Infact,fewbuyerswillsayyesthefirsttime you ask. So be readymentally and emotionally for any variation of thethree basic responses. In fact, anticipate the buyer’s response.Themain showhas begun! This is when you will earn most of your money and distinguishyourselfasatopsalesprofessional.

CASESTUDY

Scenario1:BusinessSalesAppointment

Katebelievesherpresentationisdrawingneartotheclose.While giving her presentation, Kate talked about what Mr. Stevens

wantstohappen—forhisteamstofinishtheirprojectsonschedule—ratherthanwhathewantstoavoid.Sheusedwordslikecan,could,andwant tomatchthepossibilitywordsusedbyMr.Stevens.Shematchedhisfeelingwordslikegetahandle,calm,feeling.Shesloweddownandmatchedhisruralpaceofspeaking.Shealsovariedherstyleofpresenting,usinghertablet to show slides of various widget models and, when appropriate,gesturingtoillustrateherwords.

Most important, she tied every featureofherproduct and services tothebenefitsthatwouldhelphisbusiness.WhenshediscussedfeaturesthataddedtothereliabilityofWidgetCorp’swidgets,shetieditbacktohowthey could help him avoid repeating past situations that caused costlydelaysforhisteamsinthefield.

Now Kate is ready to close. She begins by asking some trial closequestions.“Dean,youmentioned that severalofyourwidgetshavebeenunderperforming. If you were to replace your unreliable widgets, howmanywouldyoubegetting?”

“Theincidentswehavehadthispastyearinvolvedtwowidgets,butathirdwidgetisshowingsignsofextremewear.”

Kateisn’tsureifheisindicatingbuyingtwowidgetsorthree,butasageneralruleshealwaysroundsuptothenexthighestnumber.Thepurposeofhernexttrialclosequestionistodeterminewhichmodelsheisgoingtoaskhimtobuy.“Wereyouthinkingaboutthestandardmodelorthedeluxemodel?”

“Well,forourwork,thedeluxemodelmakesmoresense.Weplacetoomuchdemandonourwidgetsduringbusinesshourstotrustthecapacityofthestandardmodel.”

“Dean,doyouseewhywearesoexcitedaboutwhatourwidgetsare

doingforourclients?”“Ido.Thequalityisdefinitelybetterthanwhatwe’reusingnow.And

if your service is as good as you say it is, I will give it seriousconsideration.”

“Great! Shallwe place your initial order for threewidgets, orwouldyouratherstartwithtwo?”

Mr.Stevenssitsbackinhischairandmakessomementalcalculations.Helooksattheimageonhertablet.Helooksatsomepapersonhisdesk.

Ashethinks,Katepatientlysitswithanexpectant,pleasantexpression.She isnotsurewhathewilldonext,butshe issatisfiedwith thesellingpoints they discussed to bring him to this point of decision. She looksdownathertablettogivehimafewmomentsofprivacyashethinks.

FinallyMr.Stevens speaks: “We’re in themiddleofourbusy seasonrightnow.I’mnotsureitisagoodtimetoswitch.I’mnotgettingreliableservicenow,butforthepriceit’sbeengettingusby.”

TheclosingmomentpassesasMr.Stevensverbalizesaconcernthatisstopping him from taking immediate action. Their journey around theouter circle ends, and their journey around the inner circle is about tobegin.

Scenario2:ResidentialSalesAppointment

Bob’spresentation iscoming toanend.During thepresentation,heusesmustwordstomatchGary’sandPat’swords,likehavetoandneedto.Healso uses hearingwords like sounds good, rings a bell, and harmonize.SincePatandGarytalkaboutwhattheywanttoavoidinthefuture,Bobtalks about the actions theymust take to avoid that unwanted scenario.Bobisnotoverlydramatic.Hesimplypresentshisproductinthelightofhelping them avoid the bad future scenario they don’t want rather thandescribingthepositivescenariotheydowant.ItisnotBob’snaturetotalkthatway.Heandhiswifealwaystalkintermsofwhattheywant,notwhattheydon’twant.ButheissellingtoPatandGaryandneedstospeaktheirlanguage.

Bobuses third-party news stories to address their concerns about thewidget industry. He shows them consumer reports that rate ResidentialWidgetsnearthetopofitsindustry.HeusesacompanybrochuretoshowthefeaturesandbenefitsofResidentialWidgets’sproduct.Hisbenefitsare

designedforsituationsthatPatandGaryhavenotyetexperiencedbutareclearly concerned about. Bob keeps the written agreement directlyunderneaththecompanybrochure.Ashepicksupandsetsbackdownthecompanybrochureduringthepresentation,PatandGaryhaveaclearviewof the ResidentialWidgets written agreement.When Pat asks about thelengthofResidentialWidgets’s customer support,which comeswith thewidget,Bobshowsherwhat’swrittenintheagreement.WhenGaryasksaboutthewarranty,Bobshowsthemthesectioninthewrittenagreementspecifying the length of the warranty. As a result, by the end of thepresentation, Pat and Gary are familiar with the sight of the writtenagreement.

NowBobisreadytobegintheclose.Hestartswithseveralquestionsthatelicitayesanswer.“YoumentionedthatDianewillfinishcollegenextyearandshewillprobablybemovingoutofthehouse.”

PatandGarynodinagreement.“Andwe’ve discussed the benefits of theResidentialWidget to your

familyandtheadvantagesof takingactionsoonerrather thanlater.”Bobbrieflysummarizesthosebenefits.Again,theybothnodinagreement.

Bobpicksupthewrittenagreementandpointstothewarrantysection.“We’vediscussedthewarranty,”hesaystoGary.“Andwediscussedthecustomersupport,”hesaystoPat.Bobturnstheagreementaroundtofacehimandpicksuphispen.“NowIassumethatyouwouldwantthewidgetshippedheretothehouse?”

“Wereceiveallofourshipmentshereatthehouse,but…”PatlooksatGary.

Bob continues, “And are mornings or afternoons best to receiveshipments?”

“Well…,”Garysayswithuncertainty.BobwaitsforGarytoanswer.Bobdidnotaskadirectclosequestion,

but with the paperwork close, Bob’s objective is to continue asking aseries of trial close questions until Pat and Gary either complete thewritten agreement and say yes or they stop him from proceeding. BobguessesthatGaryhasnotrevealedthereasonsforhishesitationyet.Thesetrial closequestions are thebestway tobring those reasonsout into theopen.

Garyisatthemomentofdecision.BobsensesthatGaryishavinganinternal conversation aboutmaking a buying decision, and he gives him

timetothink.Garyfinallycontinues,“Wearenotsurethisisagoodtime.”Bob reflectsbackGary’swordswithnoemotion: “You’renot sure if

thisisagoodtime?”Patcutsin,changingthesubject.“I’mnotsureIwillunderstandhow

tobenefitfromthewidget.I’mnotverygoodatlearningaboutthesesortsofthings.WhatifsomethinghappenstoGary?”

With Pat’s question, the moment of decision passes. They havecompletedtheir journeyaroundtheouterCircleofPersuasion.Nowtheyarebeginningtheirjourneyaroundtheinnercircle.

CHAPTER10KEYPOINTS

•Ifyouwantthesale,youhavetoaskforit.•Understandandworkwiththefearsonbothsidesofthesellingsituation.

•Themainshowofthesalesprocessisnotthepresentation;it’stheclose.

•It’simportanttosummarizethepointsalreadypresentedandreceivedfavorablybythebuyerbeforeattemptingtocallforadecision.

•Directclosequestionsshouldclearlyaskthebuyertotakeaction.•Trialclosequestionsgaugehowclosethebuyeristotakingaction.•Afteraskingaclosingquestion,remainingrelaxedisasimportantasremainingquiet.

•Donotinterruptthebuyer’sthinkingprocess.

SECTION3

WhenBuyersSayNo

11.Re-establishingRapport

TheCircleofPersuasion

THEINNERCIRCLE

Congratulations!Asillustratedabove,youhavenowcompletedtheoutercircleoftheCircleofPersuasion,andyouhaveledyourbuyertoadecisionpoint.Youaskedyourbuyertotakeimmediateactiontowardthepurchase.Thebuyersaidno.Hemayormaynothavegivenyouareasonwhyhesaidno—yet.Butthat’sokay.

Thisisthepointinthesalesprocesswherethisbookactuallybegan.That’s

becauseitistheprecisepointthatstopsmanysalespeoplefrommovingforwardwithasale.Whentheyhearno,theybegintoimplementtheirexitstrategiesandstartthinkingabouttheirnextmeetings,aboutwherethey’llstopforasnackorcoffee,oraboutthephonecallsore-mailstheyneedtohandle.Inotherwords,assoonas theyhear thewordno, theystart tomentallycheckoutof thesalesprocess.

You,however,understand that there is anotherpath topursueafterhearingthebuyer’sfirstfewnos.Evenso,it’simportanttothinkaboutthenothatyoujustreceived.

It’stimeforaquickrealitycheck.

•Wereyoupreparedforanyresponse?Ordidthebuyer’snegativeresponsetrulycatchyouoffguard?

•Didyoumistakethebuyer’ssignalsforacommitmenttobuy?•Wasthereaconcernyoumissedthatisholdingthebuyerback?

Whenthebuyerissmilingandparticipating,that’sgood,butdon’tgetaheadofthegame.Youmustalwaysbepreparedforabuyertoputthebrakesonthesaleat anypointduring the salesprocess.Withpositivebuying signs,youareheadingintherightdirection,butthesaleisnotcloseduntilyoureceiveboththeauthorizationandtheinvestmentyouneedtocompletethesale.

Whatifthebuyerisnotsmilingorparticipating?Thatisnotaspleasant,butdonotbecomeprematurelynegativeanddecideduringyourpresentationthathewon’townyourproducttoday.

•Maybethebuyerdoesn’tfullyunderstandthebenefitsyet.•Maybeheisgivingseriousthoughttohowyourproductwillbenefithim.•Maybehehasdevelopedakindof“pokerplayer”styleofbuying,wherehetakesprideinnotgivingbuyingsignalsduringthepresentation.

Whateverthereasonforhisbehavior,aslongasthebuyercontinuestolisten,youstillhaveachancetoclosethesale.Remembertoalignyourbehaviorwithhis.Acoolbuyermaysuddenlywarmupwhenyoustumbleuponahotbuttonofhis. This is where paying attention to body language is so critical. In fact,nonverbalcuesareofteneasiertorecognizethanverbalones.

Note:Inremoteselling,suchasonlineoroverthephone,youmaynoticeanincreaseinthenumberofquestionsaskedoraslightchangeinthebuyer’stoneofvoice—expressingmoreinterestthanpreviously.

The silver lining to the dark cloud of a no is that any unexpected orunpleasanteventduringthesalesappointmentisanopportunitytodemonstratethatyouareatruesalesprofessional.Somebuyers,forreasonsunknown,seemto enjoy trying to fluster salespeople. When you handle their questions,comments,andevenunexpectedactionswithaprofessionalcalm,theirlevelofconfidenceinyougoesup.Expectthebestandbereadyforanything!Whenyouareprepared,theworsttheyhavetoofferisneverallthatbad.

MAYBEMEANSNO,TOO

Bearinmindthatinsteadofsayingno,somebuyerswillsaymaybe.Ascoveredatthebeginningofthisbook,youmusttreatamaybe likeanosimplybecauseit’s not a yes. A yes is when your buyer takes the actions of approving thepaperworkand/orgivingyoumoneyinexchangeforyourproduct.Amaybeandanoarewhenyourbuyerdoesnotapprovethepaperworkorgiveyoumoney.It’sthatsimple.

Becausemanysalescareershavebeenshipwreckedon the rocksofmaybe,consider that no and maybe are often the same answer given with differentwording.Manybuyers usemaybe as a polite or nicewayof sayingno.Somesalespeopledeludethemselvesintothinkingthatanyanswerbutanoisokay.Sothey hang on to the hope that if they keep talking long enough, buyers willeventuallygiveinandsayyes.

Donotallowyourselftobefooledintothinkingthatthemaybeisasalethathasalreadyoccurredbutisjustnotcompletedyet.Ifyoudo,youaremisleadingyourself.After all the time you spent arranging the sales appointment, all theeffortyou’vegivenduringthesalespresentationtoleadthebuyertoaneducatedbuying decision, the response could be that the buyer still wants to delay herdecision.Maybesareoftensignsofprocrastinators.

Tomultiplyyoursalesrevenues,youwillwanttospendthemajorityofyourtime with buyers who are able to say yes now. The rest of this section isdedicated to thestrategies toemploywhenbuyersdonot takeactionafteryou

askyourinitialclosingquestion.TheCircleofPersuasiondemonstrateshowtokeepthesalesprocessmoving

forward after hearing those nos and maybes. In fact, some maybes will bestopping points in the sales process. But you will not know that until youcompletethejourneyaroundtheinnercircle,whichwillbecoveredinthenextfew chapters. At the end of that journey, if you encounter maybes that arestoppingpoints,developaplan forcontinuing toworkwith thosebuyersuntilthey can give you a yes. Then decide howmuch andwhat type of effort youshouldputintoworkingyourlistofmaybepotentialclients.

THEGREATDISCOVERY

Remember the four steps of selling covered in chapter 4? (1) EstablishingRapport;(2)IdentifyingNeeds;(3)PresentingSolutions;(4)ClosingQuestions.

At this point in the sales process, the Circle of Persuasion provides asurprisinginsight.Whenaddressingaquestionorconcern,youperformthesamefourstepsthatyoufollowedtoleadthebuyerstothefirstdecisionpoint!Afteryouheartheinitialno,themovethroughtheinnercircleofthesamestepsgoesmuchfasterandbringsyounearertotheclose.Thisisaprofounddiscoveryformanysalespeople.

The inner circle allowsyou toknowwhen to askquestions,when tomakestatements,andwhentoremainsilent.Inshort,itprovidesyouwiththetoolstomove buyers to another point of decision with the same confidence andcompetencethatyou’veenjoyeduptothispointinthesalesprocess.

In contrast, instead of following this planned path back to a closedtransaction,mostwait-and-seesalespeopleeitherremainsilentorplayagameofquestion-and-answer ping-pong with buyers. During this verbal game, buyerstend to take control.Theymayhave saidno to the initial closing attempt, butthey are still interested enough to ask questions. This is a buying sign thatexperienced sales professionals inwardly smile at as theymove into the innerCircleofPersuasion.

Wait-and-see salespeople, however, answer everyquestion and then remainsilent,asif theiranswerwasanotherclose.Thisgivesbuyerscompletecontroloverwhathappensnextinthesalesprocess.Attheveryleast,thosewait-and-seesalespeople would benefit from learning to provide answers to the buyer’squestionsandthenfollowwithquestionsoftheirowninordertokeepcontroloftheconversation.

Asanexample,let’ssayaclientasksiftheproductcouldbedeliveredbythefifteenthof themonth.The typical salespersonwillansweryesornoand thensaynothing.Aproperlytrainedsalespersonwillturntheanswerintoacall-for-action question by asking, “Bob, if I can guarantee delivery no later than thefifteenthofthemonth,areyoureadytogoaheadandplaceyourordertoday?”Thatquestionisanotherdirectcalltoaction.“IfIcan…willyou?”

If the delivery date is the final detail keeping the buyer from makingdecisions,he’ll answer in theaffirmative, andyou’ve justmade the sale. Ifhehesitates,therearelikelyotherdetailsthatneedtobeaddressedbeforehefeelshecancommit.Butnowyouknowabitmoreabouthisconcerns.

Whenyoudon’tknowwhat’sholdingthebuyerback, it’s like tryingtoputyourarmsaroundaghost.There’snothingsolidforyoutograbholdof.Whenyou tiequestions toyouranswers thatkeepsteering theconversation towardaclosedsale,you’returningthoseghostsintosomethingconcretetoworkwith.

Aswithyourjourneyaroundtheoutercircle,persuasionintheinnercircleislikeagameofchess.Theearlymoveswilldetermine the later responses fromthe buyer. And along the way, you will discover two differences in travelingaroundtheinnercircleversustheoutercircle.

1.Eachstepintheinnercirclehappensmorequicklythanthoseintheoutercircle.

2.Whenre-establishingrapportintheinnercircle,youmakestatementsratherthanaskquestions.Moreonthatinthenextsectionofthischapterasweexaminethefirststepinaddressingaquestionorconcern.

RE-ESTABLISHINGRAPPORT

Thefirststepinaddressingaquestionorconcernafterhearingtheinitialnoistore-establishrapport.Let’sreviewwhatoccurredtotemporarilyaffecttherapportyouenjoyedduringthesalespresentation.

1.Youaskedyourbuyertomakeadecision

Formany buyers, making any decision is an uncomfortable experience. As aresult, the discomfort created by asking a buyer to make a decision cantemporarily disrupt rapport, especially when the buyer is asked to make

decisions involvingher timeormoney.Moneydecisionsareoftenemotionallycharged,drama-filled events.Mostpeoplehate topartwith theirmoney.Mostpeople also want to feel that they’ve made a good decision on behalf of thecompanyortheirfamily.Thisaddsuptoalotofpressure.

2.Youaskedyourbuyerformoney

Uptothepointofaskingforthesale,it’seasyforthebuyertofeelyou’reonherside.

•Youarefriendly.•Youaretakingasincereinterestinherneeds.•Youareeducatingher.•Youarebeingveryhelpful.

When you finally ask the buyer for money, the entire dynamic of yourinteractionwithhercan,andoftendoes,change.Mentallyandemotionally,thebuyer sees you switch from being a helpful friend to being a determinedopponentwho has designs on hermoney.Her defenses—her resistance to thesale—havebeenraised.Youhavetoovercomethatfeelinginyourbuyerbyre-establishingrapport,inessencesettlingthingsdown,beforeshe’llallowyoutotakeontheroleofhelpfuladvisoragain.

3.Yourbuyerdidnotcomplywithyourrequest

Anotherfactorthattemporarilyaffectsrapportiswhenyourbuyerdoesnottakeactionasyou requested. Inothercircumstances,yourbuyermightbeapeoplepleaser. People who enjoy pleasing others usually do not enjoy saying no toothers.

Noncompliance is uncomfortable and can temporarily disrupt your level ofrapport. In this case, the buyermay start to feel awkward in your presence—you’resomeoneshe’s turneddown.Shemaystartwanting thesalesprocess toendandhopeyouwillleave.Yourjobistoassurehershedidnotcauseyoutostopwantingtohelpherortodislikeherjustbecauseshedidn’tgoalongwithyourinitialrequest.

Note:Duringtheactualmomentofdecision,itisokayifyourbuyerisalittleuncomfortable.Shehas tocreateandaccept change inorder toown thebenefitsof yourproduct.Andchangeisuncomfortableformostpeople.

Avoidingthepainofdecisionpartiallyexplainswhythebuyerwillintroducea question or concern thatmay seemunrelated to your discussion, rather thancomingrightoutandsayingnotoyourclosingquestion.Byvoicingaquestionorconcern,shemovesawayfromthemomentofdecision.That’sokayaslongasyouknowwhereyouareinthesalesprocessandwhattodonext.Buyerswhodo this are sayingmaybe. She is interested enough to keep the conversationgoing…asopposedtosayingnoanddismissingyou.

Butwhatever thebuyer’s reasonsare fornot takingactionquickly,start re-establishingrapportbylettingherknowitisokaythatshedidnotgoahead.It’sjustasimportanttore-establishrapportasitwastoestablishitinthefirstplace.Withre-establishedrapport,thebuyerwillbemorelikelytotrustthecontentofwhatyousayasyourespondtothequestionsandconcernsthatareholdingherback.Remaininglikableduringtheuncomfortableprocessofmakingadecisionworksinyourfavor,becausebuyersliketodobusinesswithlikablesalespeople.

As during the early part of the sales call, this is a penalty situation. Justbecauseyouremainlikabledoesnotmeanthebuyerwillbuyfromyou.Butifyoubecomeunlikableduringhisdecision-makingprocess,hemayprematurelyendthesalesappointment.

Howdo salespeople becomeunlikable after the close?Theybecome tense.Their facial expressions reflect unhappy feelings of disappointment orimpatience. Even worse, they become subtly belittling, implying with theirnonverbalcommunicationthatanyonewithcommonsensewouldhavesaidyesbynow.

Thegoodnewsisthatre-establishingrapport,liketheotherstepsintheinnercirclethatwillfollow,takesjustafractionofthetimeittooktoestablishrapportintheoutercircle.Youcanre-establishrapportwithbuyerswithshortstatementssuchas:

“That’sagreatquestion.I’mgladyouasked.”“Imeanttocoverthat.Thankyouforbringingthatup.”“Iunderstandyourhesitation,Bob.Perhaps Imisunderstood that aspectof

yoursituation.”

Injustasentenceortwo,youcommunicatethatitisallrightthatyourbuyerdidn’tsayyesrightaway.Youre-establishedrapportthatbuysyouextratimeforleading the buyer back to a moment of decision. The buyer relaxes, and youmoveontothenextstepofreviewinghisneedstodeterminewhatmighthavebeenmissedonthefirstgo-around.

Inreview,whenthebuyersaysno,alwaysremaincalmandshowhimyourconfident, professional behavior.Then,work to re-establish rapportwith shortstatementsthatletthebuyerknowitisokaythathedidn’timmediatelysayyes.

Makethebuyercomfortableagain.Workyourwaybacktoaskingquestionstomakesureyouunderstandmorespecificallywhatiskeepinghimfrommakingadecisiontoday.

CHAPTER11KEYPOINTS

•Aslongasthebuyercontinuestobeengaged,youhaveachancetoclosethesale.

•Treatamaybelikeano,simplybecauseit’snotayes.•Abuyerdoesn’talwayssaynobecausehelacksconfidenceinyouoryourproduct.It’softenthathelacksconfidenceinhisownabilitiestomakegooddecisions.

•Avoidplayinggamesofquestion-and-answerping-pongwiththebuyerafterhisinitialno.

•Thefirststepinaddressingaquestionorconcernafterhearingtheinitialnoistore-establishrapport.

12.IdentifyingQuestions

TheCircleofPersuasion

Now that you have relaxed your buyer again by re-establishing a sense ofrapport,thenextstepistoidentifywhatthebuyerisreallysaying—togettotherootofwhatisreallyholdingherback.Then,youwillcreatetheoptimalsalesenvironmentforpresentingyouranswerstothosequestionsorconcerns.

In thisnext stoparound the inner circle,youhave twopotential coursesofaction.

1.Doyouchoosetobereactive,waitingtoseewhatquestionsandconcerns

thebuyerraisesnext?2.Ordoyoutakeastepback,lookatyourobjectivesforthispartofthesalesprocess,andbeproactiveaboutyouractionstomovethebuyerforwardtowardthenextmomentofdecision?

Before answering, take a moment to think about what your goal is forresponding to the buyer’s questions and concerns. Be aware that your answerwillinfluenceyouractionsandthebuyer’sresponses.

Manysalespeoplehavethegoalofprovidinginformationtoanswerquestionsand concerns. The assumption is that if the buyer runs out of questions andconcerns, then…shemust be ready to buy. In your selling experience, is thatwhatusuallyhappens?

Themorequestionsorconcerns thebuyerhas, the fartherawayshemovesfromthenextmomentofdecision.Eachofherquestionsprovidesthepotentialof leading the conversation away from the persuasive selling points of yourproduct.That’swhyasolidunderstandingofquestioningstrategiesissocriticaltosalessuccess.

Howdoyoureconcilethedesiretobeofservicetoyourbuyerbyaddressingherconcernswithyourdesiretomovehertowardthenextmomentofdecision?The solution is in having a clear purpose and strategy to accomplish thefollowing:

1.Discoverallthequestionsandconcernsthatstopthebuyerfromsayingyes.

2.Findoutifthebuyerwilltakeimmediateactionafteryousatisfactorilyaddressthoseconcerns.

Thekeytoachievingthosetwovaluableobjectivescomesdowntothisonetruth.Justbecauseabuyerasksquestionsorraisesconcerns…youdonotneedtorespondrightaway!Youcanaskquestions.Youcanencouragethebuyertocontinue talking.You can remain silent.Donot be in a hurry to jump inwithanswerstoquestionsandconcerns!

Anotherkey tohelpyouachieveyourobjectives is toconsideryourrole inthispartofthesalesprocess.Doyouseeyourselfasasalespersonanxioustogettothenextopeningintheconversationinordertosell?Ordoyouseeyourselfasa consultant helping the buyer sift through her thoughts and feelings tomake

educated buying decisions? As a consultant, you will put asmuch effort intodiscoveringthesourceofherhesitationasyoudidearlierinthesaleidentifyingherneeds.

There are five steps required to achieve the objectives listed above. Withthesefivestepsyouwillpreparebuyersforyourresponsetotheirquestionsandconcerns.Thesestepsmayoccurveryquickly.

STEP1:LISTEN!

The first step in responding to a concern is listening with the intention ofunderstanding.Oneof the firstkeys ineffectivecommunication is touseyourearsandmouthin theproperproportion.Weallhavetwoearsandonemouth.Assalesprofessionals,weshouldlistentwiceasmuchaswespeak.Togainthemostfromwhatyouarehearing,workhardtobecomeanempatheticlistener.Thatmeansyoupay totalattention towhat thebuyer is saying.Youwatchhisbody language as he speaks. You look for clues as to what is really mostimportant to him. You want to understand what questions the buyer is reallyasking.Inshort,whatarehisspecificconcerns?

Unfortunately,somesalespeoplearebetterattalkingthanlistening.Haveyoueverspokenwithsomeonewhodidnotseemtobelisteningtoyou?Thebuyerwillfeelthesamewhenyoupretendyouarelisteningbutyourthoughtsaretrulyelsewhere.

Whendiscoveringtheneedsofbuyersearlierinthisbook,youlearnedhowsalespeopleusetheirbodiestononverballycommunicatewitheyecontact,nods,and leaning toward or away from the buyers.Youwill utilize those strategiesagainatthispointinthesalesprocess.Inadditiontousingyourphysiologytoshowyouare listening,don’t interruptyourbuyer!Whywould a perfectlysane salesperson be crazy enough to interrupt a buyer who is sharing hisconcerns about buying the company’s products and services? Frequentlysalespeople are tempted to interrupt when a buyer begins making statementsbased on wrong assumptions, inaccurate facts, or a misunderstanding of theinformation in the presentation. Because salespeople hear the responses ofbuyersonaregularbasis,theyassumetheyknowwhatabuyerisgoingtosay.Do not succumb to this temptation. Interrupting buyers can alienate them,especiallywhentheymayalreadybeonedgeaboutmakingdecisionsinregardtospendingmoney.

Anotherreasontoletthebuyerfinishtalkingistoallowhimtoreleasesome

pent-upemotions.Hehaslistenedtoyourpresentation,andnowheismakingaminipresentationinresponse.Givehimachancetoexpresshimself.Hewillfeelbetterforgettinghisthoughtsoutintheopen—especiallyifhebelievesyouarelisteningtowhathe issaying.Youwill learnmoreaboutwhat isstoppinghimfromtakingimmediateaction.

Note:Insomecases,whenabuyerexplainswhat’sholdinghimback,hemayanswerhisownconcerns.Hemayrealizethatacertainpointwascovered,but thatheforgot.Allowhimthisopportunity.

This is a win-win situation for you and the buyer, though listening to hisconcerns isnotalwaysapleasantpartof thesalesprocess.Butremember,youwillhaveplentyoftimetoaddresshisinaccurateperceptions.Yourobjectiveforthispartofthesalesprocessispersuasion.Educatingthebuyerisanimportantpartofpersuadinghimtotakeaction,butifyoualloweducationtobecomeyouronly goal, you may win the battle in making your point and lose the war inpersuadinghimtotakeimmediateaction.

Another strategy to employ at this point in the sales process is to askreflectivequestions.Asdiscussed inchapter7, asking reflectivequestionswillincrease theamountof information thebuyergivesyou.Thehesitationamongsalespeopleat thispoint in thesalesprocess is that thebuyer isgivingreasonsfornottakingaction.Shouldyouencouragethat?

Useyourjudgmentbasedonwhatthebuyerissaying.Ifthebuyerisgivingyou additional information about his concerns or voicing new questions, thenallowhimtotalk.Themorethebuyertellsyouabouthisquestionsandconcerns,themoreknowledgeyouwillhavetohelphismovebacktowardamomentofdecision. By giving the buyer simple reflective listening cues, you cansignificantlyincreasetheamountofinformationhewillshareabouthisreasonsforhesitatingtosayyes.

“Whatdoyoumeanby…?”“Pleasetellmemore.”Incontrast,ifthebuyerstartssayingthesamethingsoverandover,orbrings

up unrelated subjects that move the conversation farther away from the nextmomentofdecision,askquestionsthatmovetheconversationbackontrack.

STEP2:RESTATETHEIRQUESTIONSANDCONCERNSBEFOREANSWERING

Afterlistening,thenextstepinthispartofthesalesprocessistoconfirmyourunderstanding of what buyers said with a summary of their questions andconcerns.Buyers do not always say what theymean. Not clearly, anyway.This is especially true when they are experiencing the emotions involved inmakingdecisions.

Astimebecomesmoreprecioustowardtheendofthesalesappointment,itistoyouradvantagetomakesurethatyouconfirmwhatisstoppingthebuyerfromtaking immediate action. Otherwise, youmay spend valuable time addressingconcernsthat thebuyerdoesnothave.Yourbuyermaybegintofocusonyourlackofunderstandingofhisconcernsratherthanonthebuyingdecisionitself.

Therearedistinctadvantagestorestatingthebuyer’sconcerns.

1.Itshowshimyouarelistening.2.Itallowsthebuyertohearhisownwords.Sometimesaperson’sideasdonotmakeasmuchsensetohimwhenhehearsothersrepeatthesameidea.

“TomakesureIunderstandyourquestion,youareasking…”“Soyourconcernisthat…Isthatcorrect?”Occasionally the buyerwill listen to your brief summary and correctwhat

yousay.Thatisgreatnews!

•First,heisparticipatingwithyouinadiscussion,andaparticipatingpotentialclientismorelikelytobecomeabuyer.

•Second,yougainamoreaccurateunderstandingaboutwhatisstoppingyourbuyerfromtakingaction.

•Third,youwillhelpcalmthebuyerbecausehewillrealizeyoufinallyunderstandthenatureofhisconcerns.

The most persuasive advantage of restating the buyer’s concerns andquestions is using words that minimize the negative emotions the buyer hasexpressed.Thecontentofyoursummaryconveysthesamethought,butyouusewords that reduce his strong negative emotions and amp his enthusiasm to ahigherlevel.Thisisparalleltoanearlierconceptwediscussed:sayingwhatyou

wantthebuyertodo,andnotsayingwhatyoudon’twantthebuyertodo.Onlyin thiscase,youare shaping thebuyer’swordswitha tonemoreconducive tomakingabuyingdecision!

Buyer:“Idon’tbelieveyourproduct[statebenefit].”Salesperson:“Youarenotcertainyetifmyproduct[statebenefit].”Buyer:“I’mangrythatgovernmentregulationsforceusto…”Salesperson: “You’re unhappy that government regulations require youto…”

Buyer:“Thispriceisfartoohigh.”Salesperson:“Youarewonderingifthevalueisworththeinvestment.”

How do you respond when the buyer gives you a barrage of multipleconcerns at one time? Will you have to remember every concern that ismentionedandaddresseachone?Probablynot.Whenyourbuyergivesyouhalfadozenconcernsatonce,youmaybehearinghisstreamofthought,ratherthana list of critical factors that would stop him from taking action. Some of hisconcerns, after being verbalized, will slip from his memory. The list is achallengeforhimtoremember,too!

Asyoupatientlylistentoallofthem,youwillbegintogetasenseforwhichconcerns aremore important thanothers.Perhapshe spoke about one concernmore passionately than others. If you forget to address a concern that isimportanttothebuyer,hewillprobablybringitupagain.Concernscriticaltohisdecision-makingprocessdon’tsimplygoaway.Youcanconfirmwhichconcernsyoubelievearemost importantbyaskingaquestion suchas “Youbroughtupseveral concerns; would you say the most important is…? Am I correct inunderstandingthat?”

STEP3:FINDAGREEMENT

Wheneverpossible,findanelementofagreementwiththebuyer’sconcerns.Forexample, you can agree with the buyer’s feelings without agreeing with thecontentofhisconcern.Let’ssaythatthebuyerisupsetatacostlygovernmentregulationclauseinthesalesagreementthathethinksisawasteofmoney.Eventhoughyoumaybelievethegovernmentregulationisinthebestinterestofthegeneralpublic,youcanagreethatextraexpensescanbeupsetting.

Note:Becarefulof respondingto theconcernsofbuyerswith thephrase“Iunderstand.”This phrase can be comforting and useful in conversations when you actually dounderstandwhatthepotentialclientissaying.Unfortunately,itisoftensaidbysalespeopleout of habit, whether they understand the buyer or not. Sometimes salespeople stoplisteningwhenabuyer ishalf-finished,because theydecidewhat theywill saynext.Onthose occasions, “I understand” is really condescending code for “Stop talking. I heardenoughtoknowthatwhateveryouareabouttosayiswrong.LetmetalkandI’llstraightenyouout.”

Youhavefewsecretsfromyourbuyers.Theywillsensewhenyouarenotlisteningtothem. Many buyers will feel disrespected, because you are not extending the samecourtesy of listening to their concerns that they just extended to you during yourpresentation.

Incontrast,whenyouagreewiththebuyeronsomeaspectofwhathesaid,itshowsyou are listening, and it creates a pleasant atmosphere inwhich to findagreement in the other areas that are preventing him from taking immediateaction.Remember, you have not begun toaddress his questions and concernsyet.Thatwillhappenabitlater.Fornow,youaresettingthetonebylisteningtohis concerns and validating his perspectives by finding some aspects ofagreement.

“Iagreethat…”arethreemagicwordstobeginyourresponsetoaconcern!Belowareseveralexamples.

Concern:“Idon’tthinkIneedthisproduct.”Agreement:“Iagreethatyoushouldinvestonlyinproductsthathelpyourbusiness.”

(Youdidnotagreethatthebuyerdoesnotneedtheproduct.)

Concern:“Yourserviceteamgavemebadservice.”Agreement: “We certainly agree that all valued clients deserve greatservice.”

(Youdidnotagreethatyourserviceteamactuallygavethembadservice.)

Concern:“Yourcustomerservicerepwasrudetomeonthephone.”

Agreement: “I can appreciate your concern. I agree that my company’spersonnelshouldactprofessionallyatalltimes.”

(Youdidnotagreethatyourcustomerservicerepwasrudeonthephone.)

Note: Every action you take during a sales appointment is a choice withconsequences. Ifyouchoose toengage thebuyer inadiscussionabout the factualityoftheirconcern,youwillnolongerbediscussingthebuyingdecision.Youmustdecideontheimportanceofthatdiscussion,butyoumayendupwinningthebattleandlosingthewar.Ifyoufindagreementaboutsomeaspectoftheirconcern,thatislikedeclaring“nocontest”inacourtoflaw—neitherguiltynorinnocent.Everysubjectyoudiscussduringthispartofthesalesprocesswilleitherleadthebuyerclosertoayesordistracthimfartherawayfromayes.Thebettermove is toremain focusedonsubjects thatwill lead thebuyerback toanothermomentofdecision.

It’stimetoputyournewknowledgeintoaction.Usingtheexamplesaboveasa guide, write down three concerns you frequently hear from your potentialclients.Underneath,writedownanaspectofthebuyers’concernsthatyoucanagreewith,evenifyoudonotagreewiththeiroverallconcern.

Concern#1:Agreement:Concern#2:Agreement:Concern#3:Agreement:

Onamoreseriousnote,thereisonetypeofconcernonwhichyoushouldnotseek to findagreement.On rareoccasions, integrityconcernsare spokenoforimplied by potential clients.These clientsmay question your own integrity orthe integrity of your company. As a person of integrity, selling for a qualitycompany, you should rarely encounter this type of concern. When you do,remain calm. In aprofessionalmanner, refute thepotential client immediately.Some things in life areworth standingup for. If apotential client slightsyourcharacter and you ignore the charge, she may perceive that you are in some

measureadmittingtoherclaim.Evenifsheaccusesyourcompanyandnotyoupersonally,whatdoesitimplyaboutyouifyouknowinglyworkforadishonestcompany?

An effective way to refute an integrity concern is to use the buyer’s ownwords.Herearesomeexamples:

Buyer:“Yourcompanymakesproductsthataredesignedtobreakdown.”Salesperson:“My company does not make products that are designed tobreakdown.”

Buyer:“Youareoverchargingme.”Salesperson:“Wearenotoverchargingyou.”

Thekeytotheeffectivenessofthesestatementsishowyousaythem.Lookthebuyerintheeyes.Calmly,yetfirmly,refuteherchargeinherownwords.Donotexplainanythingelse,becauseyoucannotexplainintegrity.

Manypotentialclientsaresimplyblowingoffsteam.Mosttimes,whentheyrealizetheyhavequestionedyourintegrity,theybackdown.Theymaystillhavea question about product life or pricing, but now the conversation shifts fromintegritytotypicalsales-relatedquestions.Onsomeoccasions,youmayactuallygainaslightadvantagebecausethepotentialclient,whosewordswerefueledbyemotions that are unrelated to the sale, will feel bad for questioning yourintegrity.

If the potential client does not back down, the sales appointment is over,anyway. How can you do business with someone who thinks you or yourcompanyisdishonest?Findotherpotentialclientswhobelieveinyourintegrityandthatofyourcompany.

STEP4:CONFIRMTHATBUYERSHAVESTATEDALLOFTHEIRCONCERNS

Whyis it important toconfirmthatyourbuyerhasaskedallhisquestionsandexpressedallhisconcerns?

First,byasking,youremainincontroloftheconversation.Becausemakingdecisions is uncomfortable, many of your buyers will do almost anything toavoidanothermomentofdecision.Forexample, theywillcontinue to thinkofmore questions that move the conversation farther away from another

uncomfortablemomentofdecision.Second, you help your buyer organize his thoughts.You just finished your

presentation,whichwasfullofnewinformation.Askingthebuyertoverbalizethequestionshestillhashelpshimorganizehisthoughtsabouttakingactiononyourproposal.

Third, identifying all the buyer’s questions and concerns at one time helpsyou avoid a game of question-and-answer ping-pong where the buyer asksquestionsandyouanswerthem.Averagesalespeopleviewthebuyer’squestionsasasignthat theyaremovingtowardthesale—andtheymaybe.However, inthesellinggamewhoeverisaskingthequestionsisincontrol.

Remember:awebsitecananswerquestions.Youarepaidtopersuadebuyersto take immediateaction.Sogatherall theconcernsyoucanbeforeyoubeginprovidinganswers.“Isthisyouronlyconcern,orarethereotherissueswemustdiscussbeforeyouarereadytomoveforward?Andplease,beverycandidwithme.”

If you sense that your buyer has other concerns that need to be addressedbeforehewilltakeimmediateaction,encouragehimtotellyoumore.“Myjobistomake sure allyourquestions are answered.Whatother concernsmightyouhave?”Patientlycontinuetoaskforhisconcernsuntilyousensehehasgotteneverythingoutintheopen.

Whatdoyoudowhenthebuyerstilldoesnotsaywhatisstoppinghimfromtaking immediate action?Two strategieswill encourage thebuyer to share therealreasonhehesitatestosayyes.Thefirststrategyistoquicklyreviewthefourdiscoveryquestionsyouaskedbeforethepresentation.

1.“Earlier,youmentionedthereisnooneelseyouneedtospeakwithtomakeadecision.Isthatcorrect?”

2.“Andyoumentionedthatyouhavetheabilitytomakeadecisiontodayifyoudesired,correct?”

3.“Youalsomentionedthatthefundstomakethispurchaseareavailabletoday.Isn’tthatright?”

4.“Finally,youmentionedthatthequalityofthisproductisanimportantconsideration.ForthevalueIhavepresentedtoday,istheinvestmentaconcerntoyou?”

Remain relaxed while you review the discovery questions. This isn’t an

interrogation.Youare thebuyer’sconsultantandyouarehelpinghimreachaninformeddecision.Watchcarefullyasherespondstoeachquestion.Ifheseemsuncertain in a particular area, encourage him to talk about it; for example, “Itseemsliketheinvestmentmaystillbeaconcernforyou.”

Thesecondstrategyistomoveaheadwiththefifthandfinalstepinthispartofthesalesprocess.If thebuyerbalksat thisnextstep, itwillprovideanotheropportunitytoreturntothisstepanddiscussotherunspokenconcernsthatkeephimfromsayingyes.

STEP5:CONFIRMTHEBUYER’SREADINESSTOTAKEACTION

Inthepreviousstep,youconfirmedthatthebuyerhasexpressedallhisquestionsandconcerns.That is agreat start,but that alonemaynotbeenough,becauseyoucoulddoagreatjobrespondingtohisconcernsandhestillwon’tsayyes.Therefore,thefinalstepbeforeyoubeginaddressinghisconcernsistodiscoverhowhewillrespondafteryousatisfactorilyaddresshisconcerns.

“If Icanadequatelyaddressyourconcern(s)…thenwouldyoube ready tomoveforwardwiththepurchase?”

Word that question whatever way it feels most comfortable for you or asappropriate for your specific industry. Notice that the if-then format is a trialclose question.You are not asking him to buy.You are asking if youmet thecondition(adequatelyaddressinghisconcerns),thenwouldhebereadytotakeimmediateaction?Thebuyermayhemandhawabit.Thatisokay.Takeadeepbreath,relax,andremainsilentuntilthebuyeranswers.

Whatwill this question achieve?Beforeyouhave spoken the firstword inresponsetohisconcerns,yourbuyerhasconfirmedthatafteryousatisfactorilyaddresshisconcerns,hewillbereadytotakeaction.

Even if he does not agree to take action, your questionwillmove the saleforward,becauseyouwilllearnmoreaboutwhereheisinthedecision-makingprocess.Hisanswercreatesanopportunityforyoutoreturntostepfourandask,“What other concerns need to be addressed before you are ready to make apurchase?”

Isitpossiblethatthebuyerwillthinkofadditionalconcernsafterhesaidhealreadytoldyouallofthem?Yes.Partoftheadventureofasalesappointmentisthatanythingcanhappen.Remainprofessionalandgothroughthefivestepsinthischapteragain,concludingwiththisfinalstep:askyourbuyeragainwhether,ifyouaddressthisnewconcern,hewillbereadytomoveforward.

Itmaybecomeapparentthatthebuyer’schallengeismakingdecisionsaboutanymatter.Or the buyermay begin to give excuses such as “Iwant to thinkabout it,” or “I don’t make quick decisions.” In either scenario, you wouldintroducetheultimatequestion,whichwillbediscussedinchapter14.

Nowitistimetoputyourpersuasiveskillsintoactionbywritingdownthreeconcernsyouhearmostfrequentlyandcreatingyourif-thentrialclosequestions.Thevalueofwritingdownthesekeyif-thenstatementsandpracticingthemoutloud is that youwon’t hesitate during this part of the sale.Thebuyer is filledwith hesitation. At this point in the sale, he needs certainty. Your confidentdeliveryofyourif-thenstatementswillleadhimastepclosertothenextmomentofdecisionbyhelpinghimrealizethathisconcernsareallthatisstoppinghimfromsayingyes.Belowareexamples:

Concern:“Thecompetitionofferedalowerprice.”If-then:“IfIcandemonstratetoyoursatisfactionthevalueofourservicesinrelationtoyourinvestment,thenwouldyoubereadytotakethenextstepforward?”

Concern:“Ineedtheproductsmorequicklythanyoucandeliver.”If-then: “If I can showyou howwewill deliver your productswithin thetimeframeyouneed,thenwillyoubereadytogiveusatry?”

Multiple concerns: “I’m not sure your products will make much of adifferencefromourcurrentsupplier,andrightnowwearejusttoobusytomakeaswitch.”

If-then:“IfIdemonstratedtoyouthatmyproductswillmakeasignificantdifferenceandshowedyouhowquicklyyoucouldmaketheswitch,thenwouldyoubeopentousingourlineofproducts?”

Now write three concerns you hear most often, followed by your if-thenstatement:

Concern#1:If-then:Concern#2:If-then:Concern#3:If-then:

There isnosubstituteforpractice.Youusedifferentpartsofyourbrainformentally rehearsingandverbally rehearsing thephrasesyouuseduringasalespresentation.Tobecomeyourverybestrequiresbothtypesofpractice.Practicewithothers.Ifyouarealone,makeanaudiorecordingwithyoursmartphoneandreviewit.

Thesefivestepsmeldintoonefluidpartofthesalesprocess.Usethemwell,andyourbuyerwilllistenattentivelytotheanswersyou’lldevelopinchapter13.

CHAPTER12KEYPOINTS

•Keepaskinguntilyoudiscoverallthequestionsandconcernsthatstopthebuyerfromsayingyes.

•Justbecausethebuyerasksquestionsorraisesconcernsdoesnotmeanyouneedtorespondrightaway!

•Alwayslistenwiththeintentionofunderstanding.•Buyersdonotalwayssaywhattheymean.•Aneffectivewaytorefuteanintegrityconcernistousethebuyer’sownwords.

•Beforeansweringanyquestions,confirmthatthebuyerhasgivenyouallhisconcerns.

•Useif-thenquestionstodeterminehowreadyyourbuyeristobuy.

13.PresentingAnswers

TheCircleofPersuasion

AsyoujourneytothenextstopontheinnerCircleofPersuasion,considerthatpresentinganswersinresponsetothequestionsandconcernsofbuyersisreallyaseriesofshortpresentations.

These presentations will only take a fraction of the time that your earlierpresentation took, but the purpose and methodology is the same. You areprovidingkeyinformationnecessaryforthebuyertotakeimmediateactionandsay yes. In the outer circle, you gave a full presentation that covered a widescopeofyourcompany’shistoryandcredibilityaswellasyourproducts.Now

youarepresentingnarrowslicesofinformationaboutyourproductasdefinedbythebuyer’sspecificquestionsorconcerns.

Thebigquestionatthisstepinthesalesprocessis:howmuchinformationdoyougive?Giveonlyasmuchinformationasthebuyerneedstomakedecisions.Toomuch information may bring up topics that lead the buyer farther astrayratherthanclosertomakingabuyingdecision.

Unfortunately, many salespeople respond to buyers with the intention ofmerelyansweringtheirquestionsbutgainingnogroundtowardclosingthesale.At this point in the sale, the purpose of the responses is to lead the buyer toanothermomentofdecision.So,afteranswering,confirmthattheresponsehasprovidedthebuyerwiththeinformationsheneedstomakeabuyingdecision.

Youmayask,“Didthatansweryourquestion?Great.Giventhatinformation,does itmakemore sensenow tomoveaheadwith thepaperwork?”Or, “Doesthatadditionalinformationmakeiteasierforyoutotakethenextstep?”

Trialclosequestionsattheendofyourresponsetothebuyer’squestionsandconcernsaccomplishthreeobjectives:

1. Trial close questionsmake sure that you have adequately addressed thebuyer’s questions and concerns.Do not assume that your response, whichmaymakeperfectsensetoyou,isasufficientresponsetoyourbuyer.Maybeshe didn’t hear your words clearly.Maybe shewas thinking about somethingelse.Maybeshefeelsyourresponsedidn’taddressherconcernatall.Youwon’tknow if you have accomplished this objective until you confirm the value ofyourresponsewithher.Becauseheragreementisacriticalfactorinproceedingtothenextmomentofdecision,itisworththetimetocheck.

2.Trialclosequestionscancreateanaturaltransitiontothenextmomentofdecision. When the buyer agrees that you have adequately addressed herquestions and concerns, she has cleared a path for you to request immediateaction—ineffect,toaskhertomakethebuyingdecision.

3.Trialclosequestionshelpyouavoidslippingbackintowait-and-seesellingbykeepingyoufocusedonyourobjectiveofbringingthebuyerbacktoanothermomentofdecision.

What do you do when the buyer raises multiple questions and concerns?

After addressing each question or concern, confirm with the buyer that yourresponsewas adequate, but don’t tie your response in to the nextmoment ofdecisionuntilthelastconcernhasbeenaddressed.Theconversation,minusthecontentofyourresponse,couldgosomethinglikethis:

“Youmentionedseveralimportantconcerns.Let’stakethemoneatatime.Inregard to…[giveyour response].Does thataddressyourconcern in thatarea?[Yes.] Great, you also had a question about… [give your response]. Did thatansweryourquestion?[Yes.]”

On it goes until you address the final concern: “Wehave addressed all theissues that youmentioned.What other concerns dowe need to discuss beforemovingforward?[None.]Great.Thenthenextstepis…”

Now you can lead them to the next moment of decision, which will becoveredindetailinchapter14.

COMMONSENSEREMINDERSWHENADDRESSINGCONCERNSANDQUESTIONS

1.Nevertakethequestionsandconcernsofbuyerspersonally.Manybuyershesitate tomake buying decisions. It’s not a reflection on your ability to sell.Rather they’re probably just not great decision makers. Understanding andworking with this knowledge creates the opportunity for you to earn a greatincome.

2.Neverspeakpoorlyaboutyourcompetition. If theonlywayyoucan liftyourself up is to knock someone else down, you’re in the wrong business.Demonstrating professionalism will always be more persuasive than speakingdownaboutthecompetition.Ifyouhavealegitimateconcernaboutthesafetyorfinancialwell-beingofpotentialclientswhodobusinesswithanothercompany,encouragethemtothoroughlycheckouttheothercompanyandjust leaveitatthat.

3.Embracequestionsandconcernswithappreciation.It isbetterforbuyersto tell you what is stopping them from saying yes, even if it is not alwayspleasant, than for them to remain silent and leave you guessing about how tobestpersuadethemtoownyourproduct.

4.Avoidtellingbuyerstheyarewrongorthattheydon’tunderstand.

Buyer:“Iunderstandthisproductcanrunon110voltsor220volts,right?”Avoidsaying,“Thatisincorrect.Itdoesn’trunon220volts.”Instead,say,“Theproductisdesignedtorunon110volts.Howeverwehaveanadapteravailablethatallowsthisproducttorunon220volts.”

That example is obvious, right? Unfortunately, there is a more subtle,insidious way to tell buyers they are wrong, which is commonly used bysalespeople. It is awordpattern thatmost frequentlyoccurs in thispartof thesalesprocess.Youwillrecognizeittheinstantyouseeit:“Yes,but…”

Itstartsoffsonicely.Yes…awordofagreement.Theverywordyouwishtohear from your buyer. And then comes trouble with the word but. Thedestructiveaspectsofthiswordpatternarefoundinthewordbut,whichnegateseverythingbeforeit.

Forexample,someonesaystoyou,“Thosearegreat-lookingshoes,buttheydon’tmatchtherestofyouroutfit.”Thewordbutnegatesthecomplimentaboutyourshoesandsaysyoumadethewrongchoiceinwearingthem.Doyoulikewhenpeople tellyou thatyouarewrong?No.Buyersdon’t like it,either.Yes,but… is less abrasive than directly telling someone they are wrong, but themessageisthesame:“Youarewrong.”

TheYes, but… word pattern is easy to understand in examples when oneperson says both sides of the sentence. The subtle application to sales occurswhen a buyer makes a statement and the salesperson continues the statementwith“Yes,but…”Thebuyersays,“IthinkitisbesttowaituntilIhaveenoughmoneytopaycashforyourproduct.”Thesalespersonrespondswith“Yes,butifyou buy it now, you will enjoy the reduction in overhead expenses morequickly.”The“but”spokenbythesalespersonnegatesthebuyer’sstatementandindirectly says thatwanting towait until the buyer has enoughmoney to paycashis…wrong.

Yes, but… buildswalls of resentment. Nobody likes to be told, directly orsubtly,thattheyarewrong.Instead,usequestionsandconcernstobuildbridgesofagreement.Whenyoureplace thewordbutwith thewordand,yourbuyerswillrespondmorefavorably.Youwillstillsteertheconversationintheoppositedirection,inamorepleasingmanner,thatcantakebuyersonestepclosertothenextmomentofdecision.

5.Avoid tellingbuyerswhatyoucan’tdoordon’tknow.Instead, tell themwhatyoucando.

Buyer:“Canyouextendthewarrantyanextrayear?”Avoidsaying,“I’msorry,butwecan’textendthewarranty.”Instead say, “When you handle your initial order with cash, I can extendyourwarrantyanextrasixmonths.”

6.Whenyoudon’tknow theanswer toaquestion, let thebuyerknowyouwillfindoutandgetbacktoher.Buyersdonotexpectyoutoknowtheanswertoeveryobscurequestion.

Buyer:“WhatifanElNiñostormcausesafloodonthesecondFridayofathirty-daymonth?”

Salesperson:“That’sareallygoodquestionthatIhaven’theardbefore.Letmecheckonthatandgetbacktoyouasquicklyaspossible.”

7.Never arguewith customersor showanger. If the conversationbecomesnonproductive,usetheultimatequestioncoveredinchapter14.

Nowyouhaverespondedtothebuyers’questionsandconcerns.Youhavere-presentedtheinformationtheyneedtomakebuyingdecisions.Youhavetakenthem back to amoment of decision.What do you do next?You do the samethingyoudidattheendofyouroutercirclepresentation.Youaskthemtotakeaction…again.

CHAPTER13KEYPOINTS

•Yourresponsestothebuyers’questionsandconcernsarereallyshortpresentations.

•Trialclosequestionsmakesurethatyouhaveadequatelyaddressedthebuyer’squestionsandconcerns.

•Neverspeakpoorlyaboutyourcompetition.•Avoidtellingbuyersthattheyarewrongorthattheydon’t

understand.•Don’targuewithbuyers.

14.TheKeyMomentofAskingfortheSale

TheCircleofPersuasion

Onceagain,weareatapoint inthesalewherethebuyerhastheinformationnecessary tomake an educateddecision.At this point, you’ve identified someneeds that weren’t addressed during your journey around the outer Circle ofPersuasion. You’ve given acceptable answers to all of the buyer’s questions.And,you’vecoveredallthepertinentmoneyissuesrelatedtothesale.Nowit’stimetoperformthefinalandmostimportantstepintheinnercircle.

Whenever you finish addressing questions and concerns, always end byaskingthebuyerstotakeimmediateaction.Formostsalespeople,thatisasking

forthesale.Forthosewhoareinvolvedinamultistepsale,itisaskingthebuyertotakethenextstep.

Ascoveredinchapter10,youcanneverassumeabuyerwilltakeaction.Youmustalwaysask—clearlyanddirectly—fortheactionyouwanthimtotakeonceyouhaveansweredallhisquestionsandaddressedhisconcerns.This iswhereyouonceagaintakecontrolofwhereyouareinthesalesprocess.

Directlyaskingforthesaleaccomplishesseveralthings:

1.Ithelpsthebuyerpinpointwhereheisinthedecision-makingprocess.

Asasalesprofessional,youknowthatthebuyernowhasalltheinformationhe needs in order to make informed buying decisions. But do not make theassumptionthatyourbuyerknowsthis.Youmustactivelyhelpthebuyerrealizethatheisnowatanothermomentofdecision.Rememberthethreebasicsellingactivities:makingstatements,askingquestions,andremainingsilent.Askingaclosingquestionandthenremainingsilentwillveryclearlysignal to thebuyerthathehasarrivedatanothermomentofdecision.

2.Ithelpsyouremainincontroloftheconversation.

Makingmoneydecisionscanoftenmakebuyersuncomfortable.Theirnaturalinclinationmaybetoavoiddecisionsthatinvolvethempartingwiththeirmoneyorcommittingtheirtimetosomething.Becauseofthis,ifyoudonotremainincontroloftheconversationandkeepthemfocusedonthisnextstepinthesalesprocess,buyersmaystallandaskmorequestionsorchangethesubjecttoavoidthemomentofdecision.

You are in chargehere.Like amedical doctorworkingwith a patient, youdecidethecourseoftreatment.Basedonthepatient’ssymptoms,youprescribethe appropriatemedicine.During a sales appointment, part of the prescriptionprocess is helping the buyer to understand that your product or service willrelievehissymptoms.Yourclosingquestionstellhimwhenhehasarrivedatthenext moment of decision—to accept your diagnosis and prescribed treatment.Yoursilencegiveshimtimetomakethatdecision.

Whenaskingthebuyertotakeaction,usewordsthatcreatementalpicturesofwhatyouwanthim todo,notpicturesofwhatyoudonotwanthim todo.

Whateveryousay,thebuyermustmentallyprocessit,howeverbriefly,tomakesenseofyourwords.Assuch,makesureallofyourclosingquestionsarefilledwithpositivewordpicturesofthebuyertakingownership,suchas:

moveforward buyingdecisiontakethenextstep purchaseparticipation satisfiedimmediateaction withyourapprovalasmyclient… scheduletrainingyourwarrantyincludes… scheduledelivery

As you practice writing out the last few sentences of your closing call toaction, take this list of words and phrases and actively incorporate them intoyoursalesvocabulary.

Many salespeople themselves become uncomfortable during these keymomentsofdecision,because theyfeel like they’reapplyingpressureorbeingpushy.Inshort,they’drathersquirmthemselvesthanwatchabuyersquirmovermaking a decision. But you have to overcome this hesitancy, because that isexactly what must happen. You are paid to bring the buyer to moments ofdecision.Somebuyersmakedecisionsquicklyandcalmly.Otherbuyerswrestlewiththeprocessasdescribedabove.Butbothtypesofbuyersneedthebenefitsofyourproductsandservices.

Regardless of how they handle making buying decisions, it remains yourresponsibility as a sales professional to guide buyers through the process.Themoredifficult thatdecision-makingprocess is for them, thegreater the serviceyouprovidetothemasasalesprofessional.Youarehelpingthemtofindsoundsolutions to the challenges they are having. You are helping them rationalizeowningthebenefitsofyourproductorservice.

So during those moments when the emotions of decision making areheightened, take inaneasybreath,maintainapleasantexpression,and remainquiet.Letthesilencedoitswork.

Oncethedecisionismade,theseverysamebuyerswillloveyouforhelpingthemthroughthedecision-makingprocess.Asapersonofintegritysellingforacompanythatoffersvaluableproductsandservices,youwillbecomeoneoftheirtrustedbusinessadvisorsinyourareaofexpertise.Thetougherthebuyersaretoclose,themoreloyaltheywillbecomeonceyoudoagoodjobofservingtheir

needs.Keepthatinmindwhenyou’reremainingquietandallowingthebuyertomakehisdecision.

Doyouseehowtheprocessyoufollowintheinnercircleismoreenjoyableandprofitablethanmakingapresentation,answeringabarrageofquestions,andthen waiting to see what the buyer does next? This is why top-performingsalespeople find sales interesting, fun, and profitable. They take the necessaryactionsthroughoutthesalesprocesstoincreasetheprobabilityofayesresponsefromtheirbuyers.

IFTHEYNEEDALITTLEMOREENCOURAGEMENT

Whatdoyoudowhenyouhaveaddressedallthequestionsandconcerns,askedthebuyer tomakeadecision,andremainedsilent…butyourbuyerstillwon’ttake immediate action? The buyer doesn’t ask you to leave, yet she doesn’tauthorizeyourwrittensalesagreement.What’snext?

TheCircleofPersuasion

Whenyoubelieveyouhavegiventhebuyersalltheinformationtheyneedtomakeinformeddecisionsandthereisnothingmoretobediscussed,itistimetoasktheultimatequestion.Theultimatequestionwillputastoptogoingroundin

circles with people you know would benefit from your product but who justwon’tmakeacommitment.

What is the ultimate question you can ask your buyer to take her fromnoactiontoimmediateaction?Itwouldbesomethingalongthelinesofthis:“Whatneeds tohappenforyou to take thenextstep today?”Or,“WhatelsecanIdotodaytohelpyoustartenjoyingthebenefitsofthiswidgetthatyouseemtolikesomuch?”Useyourownwords,butbepreparedtoask.Otherwise,youandthebuyercouldenduprehashingthesametopicsuntilcobwebstakeover.

Now,themostimportantwordintheultimatequestionistoday.Whatneedstohappen today for the buyer to say yes?Not nextweek.Notwhen they arefeelingmore comfortable aboutmakingabuyingdecision.Today,whatwouldneedtohappenforthebuyertomakeabuyingdecision?

As with any other closing question, remain silent after you ask. The firstpersonwho talks owns the product. If it’s you, the productwill likely stay inyourhandsor inyour company’swarehouse.Butwhen thebuyer speaks first,she iseithergoing toown itherselforgiveyoua reasonwhyshe’snot ready.Eitherway,you’restillinthegame.

The ultimate question is an open-ended question that requires the buyer touseherimaginationtoidentifyasolutionthatallowshertosayyes.Often,youwillbepleasantlysurprisedbytheanswersyourbuyercomesupwith.

“Icouldusethecompanycreditcard.”“IfIcanreachtheownerbyphone,shemaygiveapproval.”“IwillputhalfdowntodayifIcanpaythebalanceinthirtydays.”“Perhapsthepurchasingmanagercanauthorizethis.”“IfyouinvoiceusinJanuary,wecouldputthisinnextyear’sbudget.”

If the buyer does not agreewith the solutionyouhavepresented, or raisesanotherconcern,restatetheultimatequestion.Youwouldn’tbequitethisblunt,butthepointofyourultimatequestionisthis:“Youlikethesefeaturesandyouwant thesebenefits.What is the reasonyouarenot takingactionnow?”Craftyourultimatequestioncarefullyusingyourownwords,butdopreparetouseit.

Usingabaseballanalogy, thisfinalquestionisafreeswingof thebat.Youhavedevotedyourtimeandenergytomeetingwiththebuyer.Youhaveaskedeveryquestionanddeliveredeverystatementneededfor thebuyer tomakeaneducated decision. Now you are using an open-ended question to give your

buyeronelastchancetobrainstormhowshemightmakethepurchasetoday.Putthesameeffortintocreatingyourultimatequestionasyoudidinpreparingtherestofyourpresentation,andyou’llgetmoreyeses.

At thevery least, theultimatequestionwillopenup thedoor toapossiblenegotiation situation with your buyer. That sometimes does occur. She mayanswerwithwhat-iftypesofquestionssuchas:

•“WhatifIweretoorderthreewidgetsinsteadoftwo?Wouldyoubeabletocomedownonyourunitprice?”

•“Whatifweneededtospreadtheinvestmentoutoveralongertimeperiod?”

Whenbuyers respondwith anythingother than “I can’t really thinkof anywaywecoulddothis,”restassuredthesalesprocesshasnotended.Ithasjusttakenadetourintonegotiation,whichwillbecoveredinthenexttwochapters.

WHENNOTRULYMEANSNO

How do you conclude your sales appointment when all avenues have beenexhaustedandthebuyerstillhasnotmadeacommitment togoahead?Beforeyouleaveanonsalesituation,besuretodothefollowing:

a)Conciselystate:

•thecustomer’swishes/issues,•yourcompany’ssolution,•thereasonthebuyerhassaidsheisnottakingaction,and•theconsequencesofnottakingaction.

b)Asktheultimatequestiononelasttime.

Yourgoalhere is toknowmorewaysofasking for thesale than thebuyerknows how to sayno. “What can we do to get you started with our solutiontoday?”Everyonceinawhile,thebuyerwillrealizethesellinggamehascome

to an end, and she will start having second thoughts about losing out on thesolutionyoupresented. In somecases,askingonemore time is justenough togetheroffthefence.

c)Assureyourbuyeryouarealwaystheretohelp,evenifit’snottoday.

You have journeyed all this way with your buyer. During the salesappointment,youlearnedmoreabouther thanmostofherothervendorshave.Donotburnthebridgesthatyouhavebuilt.Assureyourbuyerofyourroleasaconsultantforthatdayinthefuturewhensheisreadytofindasolutionforherchallenges.

d)Knowinyourheartthatyouhavedoneyourbest.

Any time you have followed all the steps in theCircle of Persuasion, youshould feelgreat about the professionalway youworkedwith the buyer. If abuying decision cannot or will not be made that day, schedule a follow-upcontact.Ifyourbuyerwon’tagreetomeetingagain,askforpermissiontomakeafollow-upcall.Evenifherresponse isvague,nowis thebest timetosetherexpectationsforyourfollow-upcontacts.Keepthedooropen.Youneverknowwhenshewillchangehermindorhavehercircumstanceschangeinthefuture.Inthemeantime,spendyourtimewithbuyerswhoarereadytobuynow.

Beconfidentineverysalesscenario:

•Whenbuyershavequestions,educatethemwithproductknowledge.•Whenbuyersmisunderstand,discoverthesourceofthemisunderstandingandclarifytheinformation.

•Whenbuyersareupset,politelyseektounderstandwhy.•Ifbuyersquestiontheintegrityofyourcompany,calmlyrefutethemusingthesamewordstheyuse.

•Whenbuyershesitate,makeiteasytotakethenextstep.•Whenbuyersprocrastinate,explainthedisadvantagesofwaiting.•Whenyouarenotsureofananswer,setatimetoreconnectwiththebestsolution.

Because you are a student of persuasion, you enjoy the confidence ofknowingyouwillsooncloseanothersale.Anonsaleisnottheendoftheroadforyou. In fact,youhaveprobably learnedsomevaluable lessons from it thatyoucancarryforwardinyourcareer.

Inthesellingscenariosbelow,youwillfindexamplesofusingthefourstepsoftheinnerCircleofPersuasion.

CASESTUDY

Scenario1:BusinessSalesAppointment

KatefinishesherpresentationandasksMr.Stevenstotakeaction.Afteramomentofthought,hesays,“We’reinthemiddleofourbusyseasonrightnow. I’m not sure it is a good time to switch. I’m not getting reliableservicenow,butforthepriceit’sbeengettingusby.”

Katewaitstomakesurehehasfinishedverbalizinghisconcerns.“Iamgladthatyouraisedthosetwoimportantconsiderations.Tomakesureweareon thesamepage,”she replies,usingwords thatmatchedhis feelingwords,“youareconcernedaboutupgradingyourwidgetsinthemiddleofyourbusyseason?”

“Yes.Oneof the teams is tiedup in a long-termproject for thenextseveralmonths.Theotherteamistravelingonshortnoticetoserviceoneofourclients’unexpectedneeds.”

Then Kate rewords Mr. Stevens’s indirect concern about price andgettingbyonhiscurrentequipment.“AndyouhaveaquestionaboutthedifferenceinvaluebetweentheservicesofWidgetCorpandyourcurrentprovider?”

“Iwouldn’tputitthatway,”Mr.Stevenssayswithagrin.Hewantstolightentheconversationastheycontinuemovingawayfromthemomentofdecision.

She smilesathishumorandcontinues. “Dean, I’ll address these twoquestionsinasecond.Isthereanythingelsethatweneedtodiscussbeforeyouarereadytoupgradeyourwidgets?”

“No,notreally.”Kateisn’texcitedtohearthe“notreally,”butwithtwoofMr.Stevens’s

concerns in play, she decides to continue. “We certainly agree that it isimportant tomakedecisions that support your current busy season.Andwebothagreethatfundingisanimportantconsiderationwhenmakinganinvestment inyourcompany.SoifIcanaddress thesetwoconcerns inasatisfactorymanner, thenyouwouldbeokaywithmovingforwardtoday

onupgradingyourunreliablewidgets?”“That’sabig if,”hesaysjokinglyabout thechallengingnatureofhis

concerns.“I understand. And if I can, then you are ready to move forward,

right?”Mr.Stevensshrugs.“Sure.”“That’sgreat.”Katepicksupher tabletandmoves to thepage inher

electronicpresentationthatshowsthecapabilitiesofWidgetCorp’sonlinetraining program and twenty-four-hour support line. “Given that yourtravelingteamscanaccessouronlinesupportfromanywhereintheworldviatheInternet,doesthatalleviateyourconcernsaboutyourteamsquicklygettinguptospeedonthenewwidgetsduringthebusyseason?”

Mr. Stevens considers her words. “My boys are pretty independentwhen it comes to figuring out the challenges on a job. So if they haveaccesstotheinformation,theycouldquicklymakethechanges.”

“WouldyouagreethatWidgetCorpcanquicklydeliverthatsupporttoyourteamswhenneeded?”

“Sure.”HisnonchalantagreementconvincesKatethatMr.Stevensisonboard

inthisarea.“Nowfortheelephantintheroom,”Katebegins.Mr.Stevenslaughs,assheintended.“AfterwhatwediscussedduringthepresentationaboutthequalityofproductsandservicesofferedbyWidgetCorp,doyoureallybelievethatthelocalindependentcompaniesgivethesamelevelofservice?”

“Well,IliketheWidgetCorpname,butreally…”Wantingtobepolite,Mr.Stevensfudgesonhisanswer.

She asked the question to introduce doubt, not to elicit a particularresponse.Shecouldexplainmanyfeaturesthatprovidevalue,butfirstshewants to give Mr. Stevens some additional motivation for choosing avalue-basedcompanyoveraprice-basedcompany.“Weprovidevalue inmanywaysthatourlower-costcompetitorsdonot.Doyoukeepacopyofyourwidgetagreementhereinyouroffice?”

“Yes,”heanswerswarily.“Wouldyoupleasetakeamomenttolookatit?”Shequicklyadds,“I

don’tneedtoseeit.IamfamiliarwithABCWidgets’agreement.”Indeedsheis.AsMr.Stevensaskshisassistanttobringinacopyofhis

currentagreement,sheremembers thehoursof timeshespent reviewing

allofhercompetitors’writtenagreements.Shelearnedallthesmall-printdetailswheretheprice-basedcompaniescutcorners.Infact,inthefileboxinhercar,shehasacopyofanABCWidgets’agreement.

Whenhisassistantbringsinacopyoftheagreement,Katecontinues.“Look on page two. Should be the third or fourth paragraph down.Youwillseethesectiononinsurance.Youmaybeinterestedinreadingwhatitsays.”

ThirtysecondsofsilencearebrokenbyMr.Stevens’svoice.“What?!I’mnot naming themadditional insured.And I’mcertainly not going tohold them harmless regardless of their actions. What kind of companyexpectsyoutoholdthemharmlesseveniftheycausedtheproblem?Whydidweagree—”Heflipstothedateonthefinalpage.Hisvoicereturnstonormal volume. “Oh, I remember.We were in danger of losing a hugeaccountinCanada.Iwasoutofthecountrywhenouragreementexpired.Itold my office manager to handle it. I guess I didn’t carefully read theagreementwhen I returned.Hmm.”He sets the agreement down. “Well,that’sgoodtoknow.There’snoclauselikethisinyourcontract,right?”

Kate looks directly into his eyes. “We believe that if we create asituation,thenweshouldberesponsible.Ifyoucreateasituation,thenyoushouldberesponsible.”

Mr.Stevensnods.“Ibelievethat,too.”Kate believes she scored big points on that.Mr. Stevens understands

the insurance liability,andshe thinks it is timefor thesecondclose.“Soyou now have additional information that addresses your two concerns.Doesthatmakeiteasierforyoutomoveforwardtoday?”

“Yes,itdoes.”“Great,”Katesayswithasmile.“Let’sgetstartedwiththepaperwork.”Mr.Stevensfurrowshisbrowandstaresattheceiling.“IfIbuymore

thanonewidget,whattypeofdiscountwouldIget?”His negotiation request is not the response Kate desires, but she

welcomesitasbeingonestepclosertogettingayes…

Scenario2:ResidentialSalesAppointment

Bob isusing thepaperworkclose tomovePatandGary toamomentofdecision.Gary hesitates, and thenPat raises the question, “I’m not verygoodatlearningaboutthesesortsofthings.Whatifsomethinghappensto

Gary?”Themoment of decision ends, andBob shifts to the first step in the

inner circlewithoutmissing a beat. “I’m so glad you brought that up. Imeanttocoverthatingreaterdetailduringmypresentation.”

Patfeelssheepishforadmittingherlimitedknowledgeaboutwidgets,but she visibly relaxes when Bob affirms her concern as an importantquestion.

He continues by restating her question to make sure he understandswhat she is asking. “You are askingwhat youwoulddo to benefit fromyourwidgetifsomethinghappenedtoGary?”

“Yes,”Patreplies.“NowbeforeIgettothat,whatotherconcernsorquestionsdoweneed

to discuss before you are ready to take the next step in getting yourwidget?”

Patdoesnotseemtohaveanyfurtherquestions.BoblooksatGaryandwaits.Garyshiftsinhischair.“I’mnotsurethisisagoodtime.”

To confirm that he understands, Bob restatesGary’s statement. “Youarenotsureifitisbettertoactnoworlater?”

“Iguess.”“Timing is an important consideration.Let’s discuss that.Whatother

questionsorconcernsdoweneedtodiscussbeforeyouarereadytomoveforward?”

PatandGaryshrug.“Okay,” Bob continues. “So if I satisfactorily address Pat’s question

aboutknowinghowtousethewidgetandGary’squestionaboutthebesttimetotakeaction,youwouldbothbereadytomoveforwardtoday?”

“Probably,”Patsaysquietly.Garyremainssilent.Bob can easily see Gary’s nonverbal hesitation. He asks again for

Gary’sagreement.“Gary?”“Idon’tknow…,”Garysaysquietly,stillshakinghishead.“Ilikeyour

product,don’tgetmewrong.It’sjustthat…”“Whatisit,honey?”Patasks.“Well,it’sDiane’stripthissummer.Andmybusyseasondoesn’tbegin

untilMarch,attheearliest.”“OurdaughterisgoingtoEuropethissummerforastudyprogramwith

theuniversity,”Pat explains. “Theywant the fullpaymentby theendofthismonth.”

“Spending time inEurope sounds exciting,”Bob says, using anotherhearingword.

“Soisthepricetag,”repliesGary.“Sixty-sixhundredplusairfare.Bothneedtobepaidthismonth.”

“I’mgladyouexplainedthat.”BobreallyisgladthathefinallylearnedthesourceofGary’shesitation.“SowithpaymentonDiane’stripduethismonth,youareconcernedaboutcashflow?”

Garynods.“Well,Icertainlyagreeonthewisdomofplanningyourcashflow.Is

this your only concern, or are there other issueswemust discuss beforeyouarereadytomoveforward?”

GarylooksatPatandsays,“Ithinkthat’sit.Itmakessenseforustobecarefulduringourslowseason.”

“Great. So if I can adequately address your concern about cash flowduringyour slowseason, thenwouldyoube ready tomove forward thisevening?”

Gary nods, but Bob interprets his nonverbal communication asnoncommittal.Unsatisfied,Bobpressesforaverbalresponse.IfGarydoesnot agree that this is the only concern preventing him from takingimmediateaction,thenrespondingtohisconcernwillnotleadtothenextclosingmoment.Bobsmiles.Heisabouttocashintherapportcapitalhehas built so far during the sales appointment. “Gary,” he begins in anunderstanding voice, “are there other concerns that we need to discussbesidescashflow?”

“No,”Garysays,thistimemoredefinitively.“I realize cash flow is an important concern to you both,”Bob says,

includingPatattheendofhisstatementtotakesomeofthespotlightoffGary, “so if I can adequately address your concerns about cash flow,wouldyoubereadytomoveforwardtoday?”

Bobmaintainshispleasantexpressionandcontinues tomatchGary’sposture.Theanxietyofdecision-makingisintheair,anditisevidentonGary’sface.Onceagain,PatlooksatGary.

“Yes,”Garysaystersely.EnthusiasmcreepsintoBob’svoiceashesays,“Ihavesomesolutions

you may find quite attractive.” He picks up the Residential Widgetsbrochure from the kitchen table, once again fully exposing the writtenagreement. Bob opens the brochure to the page that shows Residential

Widgets’ support line center, where their trained staff walks customersthrough each step of using a widget. Gary switches his cell phone tospeakerphonemodeandcallsthesupportlinecenter.Awoman’sfriendlyvoice answers and Gary introduces Pat. The call line specialist gives abriefsixty-secondoverviewofhowthesupportlinecenterhelpscustomersquicklygetup to speedonusingawidget.Garyends thecall, andPat’sbeamingsmileshowsherresponse.“Thatwasgreat.Thankyou,”shesayswithenthusiasm.

Satisfied that Pat’s concern has been addressed, Bob turns to Gary.Overthenextfewminutes,heexplainsindetailtheResidentialWidgets’financingprogram.WhenGarydemursattheideaofgoingintodebt,Bobmentions the option of paying one-third down now, one-third when thewidgetarrivesinMarch,andthebalancethirtydaysafterthat.Garyseemsreceptiveto thatoption,andBobdecides it is timetocloseagain.“Doesthatoptionaddressyourconcernsaboutcashflowbetweennowandyourbusyseason?”

“Thatdoesmakeiteasier,”Garysays,castingaglanceatPat.“Sowhatwe are talking about is one-third as an initial investment,”

Bobsummarizesashepicksupthewrittenagreement.Heturnstothefinalpageandbeginswritinginablankboxinthe“Conditions”section.“One-thirddown.Another thirdwhenyoureceiveyourwidget.The final thirdthirtydaysafterthat.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Bob can see Gary and Pat silentlycommunicating with each other. He continues looking at the writtenagreementforafewsecondstogivethemextratime.Whenhelooksup,hebeginsthefinalpartofhisclose.“Soif thatmakessensetoyou,let’sputtherestoftheinformationdownonthepaperwork.”

Severalmomentsofsilencepass.Bobisrelaxedandhasnointentionofspeakinguntiloneofthemreplies.Patbeginstofidget,butGaryremainsstillashelooksatthedatesontheagreementforeachone-thirdamount.Finallyheshakeshishead.“Thepaymentsaretooclosetogether.Canwehavesixtydaysbetweenpaymentsinsteadofthirtydays?”

Inwardly,BobsmilesasGary’snegotiationrequestmovesthemnearertothenextmomentofdecision…

CHAPTER14KEYPOINTS

•Youmustalwaysask—clearlyanddirectly—fortheactionyouwantthebuyertotake.

•Whenaskingthebuyertotakeaction,usewordsthatcreatepositivementalimagesofwhatyouwanthimtodo.

•It’salwayscriticallyimportanttoasktheultimatequestionbeforegivinguponthesale.

•Ultimatequestionsopenupthedoortopotentialnegotiations.•Ifabuyingdecisioncannotorwillnotbemade,scheduleyourfollow-upcontact.

15.PreparingforNegotiationRequests

TheCircleofPersuasion

Negotiationisanimportantyetfrequentlyneglectedpartofselling.Asaresult,salespeople sometimes become involved in negotiations with their buyers butdon’t even realize what’s happened. Buyers make negotiation requests, andsalespeople—still in the mind-set of responding to concerns—mistake thenegotiationrequestsformoreconcernstoaddress.

Whilethetwooftensoundsimilar,thereisaprofounddistinction.Whenbuyersraiseobjectionsorconcerns,theyindicatethattheywillnotdo

business with you until the concerns have been adequately addressed.When

buyers present negotiation requests, they indicate that they want to dobusinesswithyou…butwithdifferentterms.

Most often, their requests concern the financial investments, value, or timeconstraints,suchas:

•Theywanttopaylessforyourproductorservice.•Theywanttoreceivemorevalueforyourstatedprice.•Theywantatimeconsideration:overnightdelivery,workcompletedbyacertaindate,workdoneduringcertainhours,ortomakethepaymentsovertime.

Negotiationrequestscancomeatany timeduringa salesappointment.Oftentheycomewhenyouleastexpectthem.You’retalkingaboutonesubject,and suddenly the buyer will make a negotiation request about a completelydifferentsubject.

Buyer:“Canyouincludethatdemomodelforfree?”Salesperson:“Youmean the $2,500 demomodel I am showing you rightnow?”

Buyer:“Yep.It’sused,right?”

Seriously…buyerswillask:

“CanIgetanextramonth’sonlinesupportincludedforfree?”“Canyouextendthewarrantyanextrayearaspartofapackage?”“CanIpayhalfdownnowandthebalanceupondelivery?”

Thoseareexamplesthatassumetheunmentionedfirstpartoftheirsentence,which is “If I buy from you…” Notice how those three examples alter yourperceptionwhenrestatedwiththeunmentionedassumption.

“If Ibuy thisfromyou,canIgetanextramonth’sonlinesupport includedforfree?”

“If Ipurchase thisproductfromyou,canyouextendthewarrantyanextra

yearaspartofapackage?”“IfIamabletocomeupwiththemoneytobuythisfromyou,canIpayhalfdownnowandthebalanceupondelivery?”

KeepthephraseIfIpurchaseintheforefrontofyourmindduringyoursalespresentations. If it fits well on the front of a question your buyer asks, she’saskingyoutonegotiate.

Nowcomparethosenegotiationrequeststotheseconcerns:

“Thiscoststoomuch.”“Ihavetothinkaboutit.”“We’rehappywithourcurrentsuppliers.”

Theseconcernsindicatethatthebuyerhasnotfoundagreementwithyouontheinvestment,theneedtotakeimmediateaction,orthevalueofyourproduct.Thatissignificantlydifferentfromwhenthebuyerasksyouabouttermsofsale.

Sothefirststepinanegotiationisrecognizingwhenyourbuyerhasinitiatedone.

Anegotiation request is a closingquestion from your buyer! Sometimesthebuyer’snegotiationrequestcomesintheformofadirectclose:

“Willyouincludeanextrawidgetinthedeal?”“Willyouloweryourpriceby10percent?”

Sometimesthebuyer’snegotiationrequestcomesintheformofatrialclose:

“IfIweretobuytoday,wouldyouincludeawidgetinthesale?”“IfIweretobuyseveralunits,wouldyouloweryourpriceby10percent?”

Asstatedabove,buyersoftenomittheopeningphraseIfIweretobuy.Youmust listen carefully to catch their subtle signals.Your buyer is attempting tocloseyou!Yes,youhavetofindagreementonthepeskytermsofthesale,butisn’t that amore enjoyable, profitable task than trying towarmupa frowningbuyerwhoobjects thatyourproduct costs toomuch?Some salespeople resent

negotiationrequests,especiallywhenthoserequestscomerightattheendofthesalesappointment.Theyespeciallyresentnegotiationrequestswhenbuyersareresponsive and it looks like they are about to close the sale. Then comes therequestformore:

“CanIgeta10percentquantitydiscount?”“Canyouincludeanextrawidget?”“Canyoudeliverbyseveninthemorning?”

Neverfear!Negotiationrequestsareactuallygreatbuyingsigns!Theymeanyourbuyerisconsideringthepossibilityofowningandsheistryingtoworkoutthe details in a manner that makes sense to her or makes her feel morecomfortable.Youhavesuccessfullytakenyourbuyeroffthefenceofindecision.Youstillhavetodosomeworktoclosethesale,buttheoddshavesignificantlyshiftedinyourfavor.

FOURSTEPSOFPREPARATION

Preparing foranegotiationmeanspreparing for thepossibility thatduringanysalesappointment, thebuyermayaskyou toalter the termsofsale.Youdon’tknowwhichtermsofsaletheywillaskyoutomodifyorwhentheywillmaketheirnegotiationrequests.However,bydeterminingyourparametersinthefourareasdiscussedbelow,youwillbefullyprepared.

This chapter and the next are not meant to be an exhaustive look atnegotiation strategies that detail complex negotiations most salespeople neverencounter. Instead, they are designed to explain the foundational elementsinvolvedineverysalesnegotiation.

Knowyourstartingpoint

Thefirststepinpreparingforanegotiationis todetermineyourstartingpoint.What is thebest investment andwhat is thebest packageof features that youwill present to the buyer to start a negotiation? If your pricing is set by yourcompany, that simplifies things.But if youhaveany flexibility indeterminingtheinvestmentforyourproducts,thenyoucanchoosewhattypeofprofitmargin

andfeaturestoinclude.Factorsforchoosingyourstartingpointinanegotiationinclude:

a) How much profit does your company need in order to remain asustainablebusiness?

Mostcompanieshaveminimumprofitrequirementsaswellassalesrevenuerequirements. If you lower the amount enough and add enough extra features,you can sell prettymuch anything. It’s sadbut true that some salespeople canmakesalesonlybygivingtoomuchaway.However,theymaykillthegoosethatgivesthemthegoldeneggsofincome.

If you frequently lower your prices below the amount needed by yourcompanytomakeenoughprofittoremainsustainable,yoursalesrevenueswilleventuallybeviewedasa liability,andyoumayfindyourselfmakingacareeradjustment. It’s wiser and healthier for your bank account to improve yoursellingskillsinstead.

b)Howmuchdoyoupersonallyneedtosellinordertoqualifyforyourquotasandbonuses?

Youwanttocreateawin-winforyourclientsandyourcompany,butyoualsohavetheresponsibilitytomakeenoughincometotakecareofyourselfandyourloved ones. Remain aware of how close you are to meeting your quotas andqualifying for bonuses. Sometimes a fewmore orders can lead to a lot moreincome,andyourimprovednegotiatingskillscanmakethathappen.

c)Asbestyoucan,determineifyourbuyerisanegotiator.

Somebuyersfeelit’stheirobligationtonegotiateinordertofeelgoodaboutany purchase. The first time you do business with a buyer, this may be achallenge to determine. For example, you work your numbers for priceconcessionsandextravalue.Youenthusiasticallygo to thebuyerandexclaim,“LookathowlowIgotthisforyou!”

Thebuyersays,“Sothat’syourbestprice?”Yougasp.“No,youdon’tunderstand.Isavedusbothtimeandworkedthis

down to my very best price already. This is 10 percent less than I’vereceivedpermissiontosellthisproducteverbefore!”

Thebuyersays,“That’sgreat.Canyougiveme5percentmoreoffifIpaycash?”

Youtakeinadeepbreath.“Thisismyverybestprice.Ididthenegotiatinginadvanceforyouandgotanamountthatyoucouldnevergetbygoingtomy company directly or through the company reps. This is an awesomeinvestment.”

Thebuyernods.“Callmewhenyoucangolower.Inthemeantime,I’llkeeplooking…”

Thatscenarioneedstohappenonlyoncebeforeyoulearnthatsomebuyerswilltakeimmediateactiononlyaftertheyhavebargainedwithyou.Bargainingisjustpartofthebuyingprocessforthem.

Asa result,never startwithyour lowestamount.However,be sure to startwith a fair investment, because buyers have a way of knowing when you’vesuggested a starting amount that is unrealistic. Give buyers a good startingamount,butleaveyourselfroomtonegotiate.

Negotiating can rub some salespeople the wrong way. They don’t like towaste time in a negotiationwhen they can simply give their best numbers upfrontandsaveeveryone’stime.Ifyouexperiencesimilarfeelings,youhavetwochoices:

1.Recognizeandacceptthestartingpointofyourbuyer.Somebuyerswanttonegotiate,andthatispartoftheirbuyingprocess.Byparticipatingintheirbuyingprocess,youarehelpingtoserveyourbuyer’sneeds.

2.Donotnegotiate.Drawalineinthesandatthestartandsay,“Thisismybestprice.Ifyouwantit,that’stheamountandtermsofsale.”That’salsoaformofnegotiation…butokay,you’rebasicallysayingtothebuyerthatthebuyingprocesssheneedstofeelgoodaboutdoesn’tmattertoyou.Inthissale,youwouldratherhaveyourwayandnotnegotiate(asthebuyerdefinesnegotiation)thandobusinesswithher.

Knowyourendingpoint

Howmuchareyouwilling toconcede inpriceandvalue inorder toclose the

sale?Knowing your absolute limits provides youwith a surprising amount ofpeaceofmind.Ifyouknowhowfaryoucanbend,youwon’tfearbendingtoofar. You avoid the anxiety of closing a sale you are later ashamed of, or ofhearingyourboss reprimandyoufor losing thecompanymoney.Andyoucanusethatknowledgetoletyourbuyerknowthatatacertainpointyourhandsaretied.Youcanstillbethefriendlyexpertadvisorandlet“uppermanagement”beviewedassettingverystrongpricingguidelines.

It is generally better to err on the side of a higher amount.Remember ourdiscussioninchapter9abouthowtosellvalueratherthanprice?Whybecomeentangledinanunprofitablesalethatcouldcausedaysorweeksofchallenges,whenyoucangooutandfindanotherbuyerwhoappreciatesand iswilling topayforthevalueofferedbyyourproducts?

Makesurethereisenoughmoneyinvolvedineachtransaction.Youmaybepleasantly surprised towatch how tracking clear objectives draws you towardtheachievementofthoseobjectives.Buyersoftengiveyouwhatyouaskfor.

•Ifyouexpect50percentdownonalargeprojectthatcostsseveralhundredthousanddollars,buyerswilloftengiveyouthat.

•Ifyouexpectabuyertotakeimmediateaction,hewilloftenmakeadecisionduringthesalesappointment.

Knowwhat’snegotiable

Manysalespeopledon’tnegotiatewiththeirbuyers,becausetheydonotrealizehowmanynegotiablepointstheyhaveattheircommand.Ifyourcompanysetsthetermsforpricingoroffersalimitedchoiceinstyle,size,orcolor,itcouldbeeasytoassumeyouandyourbuyershavefewoptionsfornegotiating.Thefactisthatmostsalespeopledohaveareasinwhichtheycannegotiate.

Now isagreat time tomakea listofwhat is trulynegotiable inyour sale.Let’sstartwiththeeasyitems:

•Ifyousellaproduct,whatarethemodels,sizes,colors,andotherfeaturesthatareavailable?•Whichofthoseitemsarerequestedmostbyyourclients?•Whichitemsarethemostdifficultforyourcompanytoproduce,eitherbecauseoftheeffortneededtoproduceitorthescarcityofmaterialsto

makeit?•Ifyousellaservice,whatarethevariouslevelsofserviceyouoffer?

Next,listyourinvestmentoptions:

•Doyouhavesaleseventswithlowerinvestmentsorend-of-the-monthspecials?

•Doyoumatchcompetitorpricing?•Areyouoryourmanagerauthorizedtoadjusttheamountscharged?•Canbuyersgetadiscountiftheypaycash?•Ifbuyerspurchasewithanin-housecreditprogramoracreditcard,doesthataffectprice?Howdoesthedeliveryofyourproductaffectthemoniesinvolved?

•Isthereascheduledpriceincreasecomingsoon?•Isyourpricingdirectlyaffectedifbuyers:•requestrushordersordelayedorders?•purchasemultipleitems?•purchasetodayratherthannextweek?•putdownadepositandyourcompanyholdstheorderforanamountoftime?

•purchaseusinganinstallmentplan?

You definitely want to be familiar with every option available from yourcompany.

Otherareaswherebuyerstendtonegotiatemayincludewarrantyorcustomerserviceoptions:

•Canyouadjustthelengthofthewarrantythebuyerreceives?•Canyouadjustthelengthofcustomersupportaccess?•Aretherelevelsofcustomerserviceyoucanofferinperson,overthephone,oronline?

Preparationwill prevent you from becoming lost in a negotiationwith notknowingwhatactiontotakenext.Whenabuyermakesanegotiationrequestanddoes not agree to your response, youwant to have other options to offer.The

more options you have, the easier it is to find agreement on a win-winopportunity.

Here’sasamplelistofnegotiablepointsinasale:

•guaranteedeliverybyrequesteddatewhentheydecidetoday•schedulingcompletionofworkbeforethebuyer’sbusyseasonwhenhemakesalargerinitialinvestment

•extendedwarrantywhenthebuyerchoosesthedeluxemodel•higherlevelofcustomersupportwhenthebuyerpurchasesmultipleitems•freeshippingwhenthebuyerpurchasestoday•lockindeliverydatewhenthebuyerinveststoday•giveadiscountwhenthebuyerpurchasesbeforetheendofthemonth•avoidanupcomingfeeincreasewhenthebuyerapprovesanagreementandgivesaninitialinvestmenttoday

•10percentlesswhenthebuyerpays100percenttoday•guaranteeavailabilityofyourmostpopularmodelwhenthebuyerownstoday

•freeupgradewhenthebuyerauthorizesthepaperworktoday•anextramonthwhenthebuyerinvestsinaone-yearserviceagreement

Nowitisyourturn:whatisyourwrittenlistofnegotiablepoints?Itisadvantageoustomakealonglist,becauseyouneverknowwhenoneof

thosepointswill come inhandy.Thegreatnews is that fromyour long listofnegotiation points, you will discover that two or three items are the mostimportanttoyourcompanyandtoyou.

For example, if you sell a large-ticket item that most buyers own aftermaking severalmonthly investments, then a concessionmost advantageous toyourcompanymaybeasking fora larger initial investment.By increasing theinitial amount you receive from buyers, you will reduce your company’sreceivables.Thevalueofthatliquiditytoyourcompanymaybeworthgrantingthe negotiation requests from your buyers. Realizing this, asking for a largerinitial amount couldbeyour response tomanynegotiation requests fromyourbuyers.

Belowarethreesituationswhereyoucouldusethesamenegotiationpointofa greater initial investment to move the buyer closer to the next moment ofdecision:

Buyer: “Can you complete the work by June 1, when our busy seasonbegins?”

Salesperson:“To do that, we would have to bring in a team from out oftown.Mymanagerswouldbemorewillingtocoverthatextraexpenseifyouincreaseyourinitialinvestmentto75percent.”

Buyer:“Canyou include thedeluxematerials inyourwork insteadof thestandardmaterials?”

Salesperson: “Because that would involve direct out-of-pocket expensesfromoursuppliers,itwouldrequire100percentdownfromyou.”

Buyer:“Your competitor is charging 15 percent less for the same work.Whatcanyoudoonprice?”

Salesperson:“Ifyouareabletoputdown75percentontheorder,thatwillgive my manager some wiggle room to get closer to the competitor’snumber.”

The circumstances were different in each sales scenario, yet the samenegotiationpointwasusefulinreachingawin-winagreement.

Another exampleof a frequently usedpoint of negotiation that is useful inmultiple selling scenarios is asking thebuyer to take immediateaction.Beloware two selling scenarios in which the same negotiation point of takingimmediateactioncanbeusedtoreachawin-winagreement.

Buyer:“CanIhaveanextrayearofextendedwarranty?”Salesperson: “If you are ready to move forward today, I will see if mymanagerwouldapprovethat.”

Buyer:“CanyoudelivertheproductonNewYear’sDay?”Salesperson:“Thatwill requirespecialarrangements,but if youauthorizetheagreementtoday,Iwillhavetimetogettheapprovalsneededforyourrequest.”

Somakea long listofnegotiationpoints,becauseyouneverknowwhenaspecificnegotiationpoint fromyour listmaybe theperfect solution toclosea

sale.Andfromthatlist,beonthelookoutfortwoorthreenegotiationpointsthatyoumayusemostfrequentlytocloseasale.

Knowwhentowalkaway

Atsomepoint,itmakessensetowalkawayfromanegotiation.You’vereachedyourbottomlineandexploredalltheoptions.Thebuyerjustwon’tbudge.

From the company’s perspective, there is an opportunity cost to consider.Many companies have only so much capacity at a given moment, in eithermanufacturing,accesstogoods,ortheabilitytoprovideservices.Totieupthosepreciousresourcestofulfillasalewiththinmarginsmaycostthecompanytheprofitsofanotheropportunitythatmaycomealonginthenearfuture.

Andfromapersonalperspective,youalsoneedtodecidewhentowalkawayfromasalethatdoesnotmakesense.Asyourconfidenceinyoursalesabilitiesand knowledge about your company grow, you will becomemore aware andmorediscerningaboutthetypesofsalesyouaccept.Maybeyouareatapointinyoursalescareeroronaneconomiccyclewhereyouneedeverysaleyoucanget. Necessity-driven, break-even sales will not lead you to a profitable salescareer.Evenworse,theymaypresenttemptationstobendyoursellingethics.

Whenyoubecomeclearaboutwhattypesofsalessituationsmakesenseforyour company or yourself, your buyers will respond to your certainty.Whenbuyersaskifyoucanloweryourprice10percentandyourespondbothverballyandnonverballywithanabsoluteNO,theywillsensethereisnobudgingonthispoint.

Anotherfactortoconsideraboutwalkingawayfromanegotiationiswhetheryou have to deal with a difficult buyer after the sale. If a sale is extremelyprofitable,thentakethemoneyandtakeyourlumps.Butifthesaleisabreak-even situation, consider whether you want to spend the next days, weeks, ormonths of your life working with an unpleasant client. The most demandingpeople—those who haggle you down to the last penny—are usually the leastappreciative clients.Hopefully, these types of buyers are theminority in yoursalescareer,butconsider this:bullies respectpushback.Theydon’t like it,butthey respect it. Themore a buyer tries to bully you into granting negotiationrequests,themoreyouneedtostandyourground.Sobepreparedandenjoytheconfidenceoffirmlycommunicatingyourboundaries.

THEKEYADVANTAGESOFPREPARATION

1.Preparationkeepsyoufrompromisingmorethanyoucandeliver.Duringafast-pacedsalesappointment,youcanbesofocusedonclosingthesalethatyougiveawaymorevaluethanmakessenseorisnecessary.Ifyouhadmoreclearlydefinedyourboundariesinadvance,youmighthaverespondeddifferentlytothebuyer’snegotiationrequests.

2.Preparationgivesyouachancetoworkwithwhatisreallyimportanttothebuyer.Thisallowsyouthechancetoconsiderseveralwaystomeettheneedsofyourbuyerinwaysthatareadvantageoustoyouandyourcompany.

3.Preparingforanegotiationfreesyou to listenmoreclosely towhatyourbuyer is really saying,becauseyouaren’tmakingcalculationsaboutwhatyoucan or can’t negotiate. Missed clues equal missed sales. When you arepreoccupied,itishardtonoticethesmallcluesthatthebuyergives.

Manysalespeople,becauseoflackofpreparation,arewait-and-seenegotiators.Whenabuyermakesanegotiationrequest,await-and-seenegotiatorrushes tothe bottom-line investment, thenwaits and seeswhat questions or negotiationrequests the buyer will present next. Wait-and-see negotiators are reactiveinstead of proactive. But they are great to buy from. Just ask and you willreceive!

Buyer:“Canyougivemeabetterprice?”Wait-and-seesalesperson:“Sure.Does5percentlesssoundbettertoyou?”Buyer:“Yep.Howaboutfreeshipping?”Wait-and-seesalesperson:“Icantakecareofthat.”Buyer:“Fantastic.Canyouextendthewarrantyforanotheryear?”Wait-and-see salesperson: “Uh, I’m only allowed to give an extra six-monthwarranty.”

Buyer:“I’lltakethat.CanIputdownhalfnowandtherestlater?”Wait-and-seesalesperson:(shrugs)“Okay.”Buyer:“Whatisyourverylowestprice…?”

That’sagreatsalesscenariowhenyouarebuying.That’snotsogreatwhenyou are selling. So when you prepare for a negotiation, even for just a fewminutesbeforethesalesappointmentbegins,severalgoodresultswilloccur:

1.Youwillrecognizethenegotiationrequestsofyourbuyermorequickly.2.Youwillbetterunderstandthecontextofthenegotiationrequests.3.Youwillbereadytoaskforaconcessioninreturn.4.Youwillhavemoreconfidencetoaskforwhatyouwantanddrawthelinewhenyou’veconcededallyoucangive.

The better your buyers are at negotiating, themore theywill respect yourconfidenceasanegotiator.Preparationisthepaththatwillleadyoutobecomingaconfidentnegotiator.

CHAPTER15KEYPOINTS

•Negotiationrequestsmeanbuyerswanttodobusinesswithyou,butunderdifferentterms.

•Preparingforanegotiationgivesyouconfidenceandwinstherespectofyourbuyers.

•Preparingawrittenlistofnegotiationpointsinadvancefreesyourattentiontonoticeimportantcluesfrombuyersthatwillhelpyouclosethesale.

•Youmayusetwoorthreenegotiationpointsfromyourwrittenlistmostoften.

•Neverstartanegotiationbyofferingyourlowestpossibleprice.•Knowingyourendingpointandwhentowalkawayallowsyoutosetboundarieswithconfidence.

16.HowtoNegotiatewithBuyers

Nowthefunreallybegins.Yourbuyerpresentedanegotiationrequestandtheodds have now shifted in your favor. How did that happen? Your buyer hasjumpedoff the fenceof indecisionand isnowactively“tryingon” the ideaofpurchasingyourproduct—withdifferentbuyingterms,ofcourse.Soallofyourselling skills must be ready to be used to find agreement with the buyer.Remember, the advantage is yours because you are more prepared for thisnegotiationthanyourbuyeris.

THE#1MISTAKEINNEGOTIATING

Whatwouldyouguessisthemostfrequentmistakesalespeoplemakeduringanegotiation?It’sdroppingthepricetooquickly.Salespeoplefrequentlymakethismistakebecause they think,Thereason thebuyerhasn’tboughtyet is that thepriceistoohigh.IfIlowertheprice,thenshewillbuy.

The easiest path of action is always to lower the amount. Lowering theamountmay close a few sales, but itmaynot lead to the best opportunity foryour company, nor will it consequently create the most wins for your salescareer.Be careful about developing this habit. In the long term itwill have anegativeeffectonyourcareerandincome.

Howdoyouavoidthemostfrequentmistakeinnegotiating?Thesamewayyou avoid the most frequent mistake in addressing concerns. You treat anegotiationrequestlikeagameofchess.Yourinitialreactionjustafterthebuyerfirstmakesanegotiationrequestwilldeterminethesuccessofyourlateractions.

Let’sgothroughthenegotiationprocessstep-by-step.

a)Remainrelaxed

You are just on the verge of a sale.Youmade the presentation and asked thebuyertotakeaction.Thebuyerraisedsomeconcerns,buttheyarethegoodkindofconcernsthatareriddledwithbuyingsignals.Youfeelcertainyouareabouttoclosethesale,andthenthebuyersays:

“CanIchooseacustomfinishfortheproduct?”(Ugh!Yourcompanydoesn’toffercustomfinishes.)“Canyoushipyourproductintwodaysforthisweek’sconvention?”(Ugh!Arushordertakesfivedaystoassembleandship.)“Canyouknock15percentoffthepricetomatchyourcompetitor?”(Ugh! The competitor is a local, nonunion company with no nationaloverheadcosts.)

Whenabuyermakesanegotiation request thatyouknowyoucan’t fulfill,remainrelaxed.Breathe.Infact,takeadeepbreathrightnow.Asrelaxedasyoufeelreadingthisbook,that’showrelaxedyoushouldfeelwhenabuyermakesanegotiationrequest.

Why is this important? Early in the sales appointment, you verbally andnonverballyestablishedrapportwiththebuyer.Becauseyoucreatedrapport,youbegantotradebehaviors.Tradingbehaviorsworkedtoyouradvantagewhenyoumade your presentation. You sat up to start your presentation. The buyerfollowedyourbehaviorandalsosatup.Youleanedforwardtodemonstrateyourproduct. Your buyer followed your behavior and leaned forward to view thedemo.

But if the buyer raises a concern or makes a negotiation request and youbecometense…thebuyerwillfollowyourleadandbecometense.Whatisthesolution to trading unwanted behaviors? Be prepared for negotiation requestsand remain relaxed.Remember that a negotiation requestmeans that the salesprocessiscontinuing—ithasn’tbeenstoppedwithano.

b)Clarifythebuyer’srequest

Whenabuyermakesanegotiationrequest,salespeoplefrequentlyrespondtotherequestratherthandiscoveringtheneedbehindtherequest.Theyrespondtothe

symptom rather than discovering the root cause. When you discover theintention behind the request, youmay be able tomeet the buyer’s need by adifferentavenuethatismoreadvantageousforyourcompanyandthebuyer.

Asaprofessional, it isyour responsibility tomakesureyouunderstand thenegotiation request, so you can employ your knowledge and experience toprovide thebestchoicesavailable.Sobeforeyourespond,ask thebuyersomeclarifyingquestions:

Buyer:“Canyouincludeanextramonthofon-sitetrainingifwebuy?”Salesperson: “We certainly want to provide all the training support youneed.Whydoyouthinkyouwillrequireadditionaltraining?”

Buyer:“I’mnotsureifourpeoplecanreallylearnhowtouseanewsystemwithonlyonemonthoftraining.”

Salesperson:“Soyourconcern ismaking sureyourpeoplehaveadequatesupportaftertheinitialmonth’strainingisfinished?”

Buyer:“Yes.”Salesperson: “Okay. What if we provide you with unlimited free phonesupportforthesecondmonth?Wecouldwalkyourstaffthroughanysmallquestions that may arise after they’ve been using the new system for amonth.Wouldthatgiveyourpeopletheadditionalsupporttheyneedandmakeyoumorecomfortableaboutmovingahead?”

Bydiscoveringtheintentionbehindthebuyer’snegotiationrequest,youmaybeabletomeetthatneedinamannerlesscostlytoyourcompany.

c)Askforsomethinginreturn

Whenabuyerasksyouforaconcession,alwaysaskforaconcessioninreturn.Why is this important? First,what you request from the buyer determines thevalueofhernegotiation request.When sheasks for a concessionandyou justgiveittoher,thenhowdoessheknowhowvaluableitistoyou?

•Ifyoulowertheamountwithoutaskingthebuyertogivesomethinginreturn,couldthebuyerconcludethatyouareoverchargingher?

•Ifyouincludefreeshippingwithoutaskingforsomethinginreturn,could

thebuyerconcludethatyoushouldhaveincludedfreeshippinginyouroriginaloffer?

Whenyouaskthebuyertogivesomethinginreturn,yousendthemessagethat your concession is worth the value of what they will give you in return(buying immediately, making a larger initial investment, ordering the moreexpensivemodel).

Second,yourrequestforsomethinginreturntendstoslowdowntheflowoffuturenegotiationrequestsfromthebuyer.Shemustthinkforseveralmomentswhether she iswilling to grant your request.Her thoughts are redirected fromwhatshewantsfromyoutowhatsheisabletogiveyou.Whenthebuyerhastogive up something of value in order to receive her negotiation request, itencourages her to think twice before making the next negotiation request. Itsendsthesignificantmessagethatthisisnotaone-waynegotiationinwhichthebuyer can keep asking, asking, asking for more concessions withoutconsequence.Andthat’spowerful!

Thinkhowdifferentlytheconversationinthelastchapterwouldhavegoneifthesalespersonhadresponded to thebuyer’s request like this (forcomparison,theearlierresponsesareinparentheses):

Buyer:“Canyougivemeabetterprice?”Salesperson: (“Sure.Does5percent lesssoundbetter toyou?”)“Itmightbepossiblewitha larger initial investment.Howmuchadditionalwouldyoubewillingtoputdown?”

Buyer:“Howaboutfreeshipping?”Salesperson:(“Icantakecareofthat.”)“Ifwecan,areyouwillingtoplaceyourordertoday?”

Buyer:“Canyouextendthewarrantyforanotheryear?”Salesperson:(“Uh,I’monlyallowedtogiveanextrasix-monthwarranty.”)“Ifyoupurchasetoday,wemaybeabletoprovidealongerwarrantyatalowerannualinvestment.”

Buyer:“CanIputdownhalfnowandpaythebalancelater?”Salesperson: (“Okay.”) “That is not usually an option. However, if youapprovethepaperworktoday,wecanacceptasplitinvestmentwithonlya2percentfeeonthebalance.”

Buyer:“Whatisyourverylowestprice?”

Salesperson: (Quotes the absolute lowest price) “Do you plan to moveforwardtoday?”

Buyer:“No.”Salesperson:“Then let’s revisit that question when you are ready to takeaction.”

Doyouseehoweachanswermakesthebuyermorehesitanttokeepaskingfor future concessions?To receive the concessions, the buyer had tomake anadditional investment, take action today, buy a longer warranty, and pay a 2percentcharge!Therewasnofreelunch!

Thethirdreasontoalwaysaskforsomethinginreturnisthatthepersonwhoasks the questions controls the conversation. You still have to respond to thebuyer’snegotiationrequest,butnowyourresponseisonyourtermsratherthanthebuyer’sterms,becauseyouaredirectingtheflowoftheconversation.

Alwaysaskingforaconcessioninreturnisagoodhabittodevelop.Pickout thenegotiationpointsofgreatestvalue toyouandyour company,

and make them your standard response to concession requests. You will besurprisedhowoftenyouwillgetwhatyouaskforinexchange.

d)Offeradditionalvalueratherthanlowertheprice

While theprevious step is a habit to be formed, this step is a discipline to bepracticed. Agreeing with buyers to lower the investment in your product isusuallytheworstoptionandshouldalwaysbethelastresort.Whyisitbettertoaddvaluetoyourofferratherthanreduceprice?

Thefirstreasonisthatyourcompanycanusuallyoffertheadditionalvalueatwholesale. The value your buyer perceives on that added value is retail. Forexample,youcangivethebuyera10percentdiscount,oryoucangivethebuyeran extra 10 percent in product that may cost the company only 5 percent inactualcost.

Anotherreasontoofferadditionalvalueratherthanreducetheamountisthatitmaintainsyourpricingstructureforfuturesalestothissameclientorreferredsales.Whenyougetareferralfromabuyerwhoreceivedarock-bottomprice,thatwillprobablybeyourstartingpointforallthepeoplethatbuyerwillrefertoyou.Youmaybeabletoincreasetheamounttoreferralswithacost-of-materialsincrease, but that probablywill notmatch the 10 or 15 percent that you gave

awayinpricereductiontoclosetheinitialsalewithyourbuyer.In that example, if you had offered 10 or 15 percent more value in extra

features,youwouldenjoytwoadvantageswiththereferralsfromyourbuyer:

1.Extrafeaturesarehardertoexplainthanprice.Priceisaneasycomparison.Thebuyer says to thepeoplehe referred toyou,“Hey, Ibought someproductfromABCCompany.Iworkedadealfor$50each.Talktotheseguysandseeifyoucanwork thesamedeal.”Gettingagoodprice isabraggingpoint for thebuyer to tell someone, showing how he got the upper hand during thenegotiation.

But featuresareoften specific toeachbuyer.Yourbuyer says, “Ineed twomonthsofextraonlinesupporttogetmyteamthroughourbusyseason.”Whenyouclosethesalewithyourbuyer’sreferral,itisnotthereferral’sbusyseason,sothereferraldoesnothavetheexactsameneeds.Thereferralmaystillaskforthefreemonths,butthatgivesyouwiggleroomtomeetthereferral’snegotiationrequestwithdifferentnegotiationpoints.

2. Itmayhelpyou reachhigherbonus levels in theamountof incomeyouearn. It’syour job topayattention to thevariousfeestructuresaroundeachofyour products and their features. First and foremost, those features need to bewhat’strulybestforyourbuyer.Justrealizethatsomeofthosefeaturesmayalsoearnyougreaterfees.

e)Apriceconcessionisthelastoption

Youarenearingtheendofthenegotiation.Youhaveworkedthroughyourlonglist of negotiation points and tried to build a win-win opportunity by holdingyourpriceandgivingmorevalue.Thebuyerlistenedtoyouroffersbutdidnotagreetobuy.

Beforeconcedingprice,firstsecureanagreementfromthebuyerthatifthepriceislowered,thebuyerwilltakeimmediateactionandbuyfromyou.Noticethewordif—youhaveaskedaconditionalquestion.Youdidnotagreetolowertheprice.Youdidnotsayitwasevenpossible.Thisisatrialclosequestionthatsimplyexploresapossibility.

Byansweringinthepositive,thebuyerprovidesastrongindicationshewillbuyifyoumeetthatnegotiationrequest.Thinkthatthroughforamoment.You

havenotsaidthatyouareabletolowertheprice,butshehastoldyouthatifyoucan,shewillbuy.Thatisthetypeofnegotiationthatwillclosesales!

Whyisitimportantforyoutosecureagreementfromthebuyertobuybeforeyoulowertheamount?Ifyoudonot,youcouldendupinabid-downsituation.Thebuyersays,“Yourbidisat$4,100andyourcompetitor’sbidisat$3,600.”Yourespondbyhavingaconversationabouttheadditionalvalueinyourproductandservices,butregardless,thebuyerdoesnotrelent.“Matchthecompetitor’spriceorIwillbuyfromthem.”

Yousenseit isanultimatum,soyougobacktoyourofficeandbeg,plead,andbargainyourwaydownto$3,600.Whew!Youe-mailthebidtothebuyerthe next morning. That afternoon, you call to schedule a time to pick up theapproved agreement and a check. “Hey, I’m so excited Iwas able to talkmymanager into matching that competitor’s amount,” you begin. “It was not aneasyconversation.Butwegottheamountdowntowhereyouwanted.Whatisagoodtimeformetostopbyandtakecareofthepaperwork?”Thereisapause.Thebuyersays,“Well,earlierthisafternoon,thecompetitionloweredtheirpriceto$3,300.”

That’scalledabid-downsituation.Thebuyerusesyourcompetitiontoforceyou into a lower bid. Then the buyer uses your matching bid to force thecompetitiontoreducetheirbid.Backandforthitgoes,theamountplummetingwith each round—probably to zero, if you and the competition are foolishenough to keep playing the bid-down game. And why wouldn’t the buyercontinue toplay thegame?Thebuyer’s intention is to get the lowest possibleamountshecan.

What shouldyoudoaboutbid-downsituations?That is agreatquestion todiscuss with your sales manager: How much does your company want thatparticularsale?Howmuchprofitisyourcompanywillingtoconcedetogetthatbusiness?Thephilosophyofsomecompaniesistomakealmostanyoffer.Othercompanieswillacceptonlysalesthatmeetcertainprofitguidelines.

If timesareslow,sometimesacompanywill takea loss (asdefinedby thecompany accounting department) on a job just to keep peopleworking and togain a client who will hopefully make additional purchases in the future. Somake sure you clearly understandwhen andwhy your companywants you towalkawayfromasale.

Taking that as a given, if you are selling a value-based product against aprice-based product, trying to compete on price is a recipe for an unfulfillingsales career. When selling value, you can avoid bid-down situations by

establishing your value proposition early in the sales appointment with thediscoveryquestionaboutpricing:“Isthelowestpriceyouronlyconsideration,orisqualityalsoimportant?”Youwanttohearthebuyersaysomethinglike“Priceisimportant,butwealsowantthequalitytobegood.”

If you received a similar answer earlier in the sale, this is a great time toremindbuyersoftheirearlierwords.“I’msorry,I thoughtyousaidearlier thatyouwereinterestedinbothpricingandquality.”

“Well…yes.”“Do you feel it is reasonable to pay the same for two different levels of

quality?”“Um…”Remaincalmbecause that earnsyoumorenegotiating timewith thebuyer.

Sincerely ask about the buyer’s previous statement with the intention tounderstand.Youwanttodiscoverwhatsheisthinkingatthispoint.Ifyourbuyersuggestsyourvalue-basedproductshouldbepricedthesameasyourprice-basedcompetition,thenyouprobablydidn’tpersuadeherverywellaboutthevalueofyourproductduringthepresentation.

Thesecondwaytoavoidabid-downsituationistorefusetoparticipate.Let’sreplay the example above. The buyer says, “Your bid is at $4,100 and yourcompetitor’sbid is at $3,600.Match the competitor’spriceor Iwill buy fromthem.”

Yourespondwith,“I’llbegladtoseewhatwecandoforyouaboutloweringyour investment.However, toensuregettingyou thehighest-qualityproduct, Imaynotbeabletomatchthecompetitor’sbid.”

Manybuyersaresoconditioned todeal inprice, theyarecaughtoffguard.“Well,uh…whynot?”yourbuyerasks.

Thatisyouropportunitytoaffirmthevalueofyourproducts.“Becausetherearetoomanywaystocutcornerswhenthemoneyistight.Wedon’tbelieveincuttingcorners.Wechargeenoughtodothejobrightthefirsttime.”

You’ve just planted a seed of insecurity in the buyer’smind. She starts towonderwhatshe’llloseinqualitybyplayingthepricegame.Youjustresetthefocus of the conversation from price back to value. If she is still in theconversation,shewillprobablysay,“Howlowcanyougo?”

“I’llcheckonitandgetbacktoyouasquicklyaspossible.”Whatyou’vejustdone here is to stall her frompurchasing from the competition. If she’s reallyinterestedinhowlowyoucango,shewillwaitforyouranswerbeforemakinganydecisions.

Thebuyermaydecidethatvalueisamoreimportantfactorafterall.Orthebuyermaygoaheadandbuyfromthecompetitor.Butonethingthebuyerwon’tdo isbiddownyourcompanyandnegativelyaffectyourability tomoveyourproductatahigheramountwithotherpotentialclients.Youoptedoutofthebid-downsituation,protectedyourmarginstructure,andmadeapowerfulstatementtothebuyeraboutthevalueofyourproducts.Moreimportant,youhavemadeapowerful statement to yourself about the value of your products. Mostsalespeople “talk the talk” about the value of their products, but their actionsbetraytheirlevelofconvictionwhenbuyerssqueezethemonprice.

Whatifyouarenotsureabouthowtorespondtoanegotiationrequest?Whenbuyersmakeanegotiationrequestthatrequiresresearchorpermission

fromyouroffice,thecommonsenseansweristoletthebuyerknowthatyouwillcheckandgetbacktoherasquicklyaspossible.Butintheexcitementofasalescall, common sensedoesnot always carry theday.Donotpromise somethingyouarenotsureyoucandeliver.Even though itmay interrupt the flowof thesalesappointmentanddelaythesale,itisbettertomovewithconfidencethantooverpromiseandrecontactthebuyerwithnewsthatyoucan’tdeliver.

WRAPPINGUPTHENEGOTIATION

There are several possibilities you may encounter toward the end of anegotiation:

1. As you are negotiating, the buyer may express another concern orquestion.

“Sotellmeagainwhyyournewsystemisbetter.”“I’mstillnotconvincedyoucandeliveritintime.”“Myownerprefersthecompetitor’sequipment.”

That takes your conversation back to the inner circle. That’s okay. Thepersuasion process flows back and forth between negotiation and addressingquestionsandconcerns.Becauseyounowknowhowtorecognizeboth,youareabletorespondaccordingly.

2.When you have covered all of your possible negotiation points and thecustomer still won’t budge, how do you respond? Ask the ultimate question:“We’vebeendiscussingmanypossibilitiesduringourtimetogether.Whatwouldneed to happen for you to take action today?” After you ask this question,remainrelaxedand…wait.Don’tsayaworduntilthebuyerspeaks.Whetheritis fiveminutes or an hour, remain silent. If the quiet time is long enough, bepreparedforthebuyertoactlikeheforgotthequestion.

“Arewedone?”“I’msorrytorepeatmyself,butIaskedyouwhatwouldneedtohappenfor

youtotakeactiontoday.”Again remain silent. Remember, there are three basic activities in selling:

making statements, asking questions, and remaining silent. After you ask thebuyer to take action, remain silent until the buyer speaks again. Silence issimple…butit’salsopowerful.

3. Deliver a summary. When all else has been discussed, including theultimatequestion, and it is time towalk, concisely stateyourcase.And finishwith something like this: “My company is all about delivering quality. If youwant the benefits of the value that is built into our products, then this is theamount.”

Say itkindlybutsay it firmly.Andeven ifyoudon’tget thesale,youwillwalk away from the sales appointment knowing that you explored everypossibilityinaprofessionalmanner.Ifyouthinkthebuyerwillchooseaprice-driven company that does not offer quality products or services, thenmake anote in your calendar to followup in a fewweeks.The buyerwill appreciateyourfollow-up.Occasionally,if theprice-basedcompanyhasdroppedtheball,thebuyerwilllooktoyourcompanytogethimbackontrack.

CASESTUDY

Scenario1:BusinessSalesAppointment

Longbeforethesalesappointmentbegan,Katehadlistedhernegotiationpointsinpreparationforallherappointmentswithpotentialclients:

•extendwarranty•extendonlinecustomersupport•includetwoovertimeservicecallseachyear•breakpaymentsintothirds•freeannualwidgettests•eliminateadministrationclosingfees•customizedcolorswhentheclientpayscash•freeshipping•expressshipping

Kate typically offers these negotiation points on the condition that apotentialclientwillmakeanimmediatebuyingdecision.

During their journey around the inner circle, Kate discovered Mr.Stevens’s concerns, and she got his agreement that if she could respondsatisfactorily to his concerns, then nothing elsewould prevent him fromtaking action today. Then she responded to each of his concerns,confirmedthathewassatisfied,andonceagainaskedhimtosayyes.

Mr.Stevensfurrowshisbrowandstaresattheceiling.“IfIbuymorethanonewidget,whattypeofdiscountwouldIget?”

Katereplies,“Howmanywereyouthinkingof?”“I’vegot three teams that couldbenefit fromamore reliablewidget.

WhatcouldyoudoifIboughtthreewidgets?”“The investment would remain the same, but I may be able to get

permissionfrommyofficetoextendyourwarrantyforthosethreewidgetsby sixmonths. Theywould probably consider that extension if you are

planningtomoveforwardtoday.”Katesenses thathehassomeother topicshewants todiscuss,soshe

doesnotleadhimtothenextmomentofdecision…yet.“Whatelseshouldwetalkabout?”

Heconsidersherquestion.“Extrasupportwouldbehelpful.Ittakesawhile for some of these guys to get used to the features of a newerwidget…”Suddenlyhechangessubjects.“Whydoeseveryonechargesomuchforwidgetannualinspections?”

Kate grimaces in empathy. “You know better than anyone thechallengesthatcanbecausedbywidgetsthatdon’tperformproperly.”

“Alltoowell,unfortunately.Butreally,$500perwidgetforanannualinspection?Youguysarekillingme.”

“Complyingwithgovernmentregulationscanbecostly,”Kateagrees.Mr.Stevensfrowns.Heexpectedhertopushbackonhisverbaljaband

justifyWidgetCorp’spricingofinspections.Hegivesherafewmomentsto offer lowering the price but she simply looks at him in silence. Hecontinues,“Whatcanyoudoonthepricingofyourannualinspections?”

“Dean, I have a lot more leverage in asking my office to authorizerequestswhenIknowthatyouarereadytomoveforwardtoday.”

Heweighsherwords.“Iamthinkingaboutacoupleofwidgets.”“Before,youmentionedthree,”Katesayswithoutemotion.Realizinghowcloselysheislisteningtohiswords,Mr.Stevensspeaks

more deliberately. “If I bought three widgets, would you include theannualinspectionsforfreewiththeservicecontract?”

Earlier in thesalesappointment,whenKate learnedhowmany teamsMr.Stevenshadinthefield,hergoalbecametoenrolleveryteam’swidgeton aWidgetCorp service agreement. She shifts the conversation in thatdirection.“Currently,youhavesixteamsinthefieldusingwidgets.Ifyouupgradeyour threeunreliablewidgetsandgiveus the serviceagreementonallofyourremainingwidgets,thenmycompanywillbemoreinclinedtoincludetheannualinspections.”

Mr.Stevensshrugs.“Iamnotopposed to that.We’reonamonth-to-month contract because I am not happy with their service. So you aresayingyouwillgivemefreeannualinspectionsonallsixwidgets?”

“Ifyoumoveforwardontheinvestmentinthreenewwidgetsandgiveus the service agreement on all your remaining widgets.” She uses thephrase“allyourremainingwidgets”becausesheisnotcertainhowmany

widgets he plans to own in the near future. Whatever the number, shewantstheserviceagreementoneverywidget.

AfewmomentsofsilencepassasMr.Stevensconsiders thesavings.Kate keeps her body relaxed and remains ready to respond to Mr.Stevens’sreply.

Hiseyesnarrowashegiveshisnextnegotiationrequest.“Butwestillhave themonthly service fee towork out.You charge $80 amonth perwidgetmore than our current provider.Multiply that times six teams…that’s$480amonth.That’stoomuch.”

Katecouldremindhimofthedelayshisteamsexperiencedwiththeircurrent widgets that cost him thousands of dollars in billing time.However, shebelieves thatwould take theconversation farther fromthenext closing moment rather than nearer to it. Instead, she chooses toremindhimthat theyarenowclosertoanagreementthanbefore.“Ifweprovidefreeannualinspectionsoneachofyourwidgets,that$500savingsdividedbytwelvemonthswouldequatetoover$40amonthinvalueperwidget.Thatbringsuswithin$40ofyourcurrentprovider.”

Mr. Stevens nods in agreement. Kate believes she is closing in ongetting a yes, so she presses on. “How much do you pay monthly forphonesupportwithyourcurrentserviceprovider?”

Mr. Stevens picks up the competitor’s service agreement and startsglancingthroughthepricingsection.KateknowsthepricingisnotintheagreementbutallowsMr.Stevenstodiscoverthatforhimself.“Ah,that’sright. Our local widget company doesn’t provide phone support,” heexplains to Kate as he phones his assistant for the pricing. “As youprobablyknow,it’sprovideddirectlybythemanufacturer.”

Kate most certainly knows that. And she knows how much themanufacturerchargesfortheirphonesupport.

Mr.Stevens’sassistantgiveshimtheanswer.“What?Ithoughtitwas$15amonth.Whendidtheyraiseit?”

Kate suppresses a smile. The manufacturer raised the cost of theirmonthly phone support four months earlier. She heard similar reactionsfromotherpotentialclientsonseveraloccasions.

Mr. Stevens sets the phone down. “We pay $25 a month for phonesupport.”

Kate gives him a few moments for the math to sink in before shecontinues. “Because we manufacture our widgets in-house instead of

dependingonathird-partymanufacturer,ourphonesupportisincludedinour monthly investment. So really, with the $40 saved in annualinspectionsandthe$25amonthyouwillsaveinnotpayingforthird-partyphonesupport,wearereallyonly$15aboveyourcurrentprovider.”

ShecanseethatMr.Stevensisbeginningtowaver,buthismindisstillchurning.

Mr.Stevens looks down at theWidgetCorp image on her tablet andweighsthevalueshehaspresentedduringtheirappointment.Hehatestheideaof payingmore eachmonth in service fees, but hehates thedelaysandcostsofwidgetdowntimeevenmore.Hedecidesthatifheisgoingtopaymoreinmonthlyservicefees,hewantstogetafinalbitofadditionalvalue. “Getme down to the same price asmy current provider, and I’llmaketheswitch.”

Again,Katesuppressesasmile.Mr.Stevensisfinallyreadytoreachanagreement.Shementally reviewsher listofnegotiationpoints.Basedonwhat he said earlier, she chooses her negotiation point to close the gap.“Howmanyovertimeservicecallsdidyouhavelastyear?”

“Hmm.I’dhave toresearch that.Usuallyourguyswork8:00a.m. to4:00p.m.,butsometimesincomingweatherdemandsthatwefinishthejobthat day, so we’ll work into the evening.” He chuckles. “Of course,wheneverateamisworkingovertime,theirwidgetalwaysbreaksdownat4:01p.m.,whenovertimeservicecallsbegin.”

Kate smiles at his joke. It is a brief break in the tension of decisionmaking.

Mr. Stevens continues, “I don’t know. Maybe a half dozen times ayear.”

“Soaboutoneovertimecalleachyearperwidget?Howmuchdoyoupayinovertimeservicecalls?”

“Now you are asking some painful questions,” he says, half joking.“Somethinglike$285anhour.”

“Withaminimumtwo-hourcharge?”“Thatsoundsright.Geez,you’reruiningmyday,”headdsdrily.Shesmilesagainandcontinues.“Soeachovertimecall,ataminimum

oftwohours,costsatleast$570.Multiply$570timessixovertimecallsayear,andyouarepayingseveralthousanddollarsinovertimecosts.”

Shewaits forhisagreement,whichhefinallygiveswithanodofhishead.

“Earlier, you said that if I work with you on the $15 per monthdifference in service fees, then you would be ready to move forwardtoday.”

Henodsagain.“Theremainingdifferenceof$15amonth timessixwidgets is$90a

month. Multiply that times twelve months…” She takes out a writtenagreement from her bag and turns it over. Using a pencil, she does thecalculationon thebackof theWidgetCorpagreement sohecan see themath.“Thatcomesto$1,080ayear.Areweagreedonthatamount?”

“Yes.”Kate begins her close. “If you agree to three newwidgets today and

enroll all of yourwidgets on our service agreement, thenmy office canauthorizethreefreeovertimecallsperyearonanyofyourwidgets.Thatincludes the widgets you purchase from us and any of your existingwidgetsthatyoucontinuetouse.”

She turns the written agreement over, and in the Special Conditionssection she neatly prints, Three free overtime calls per year with thepurchaseofthreenewwidgetsfromWidgetCorp.Asshewrites,shesays,“That’sover$1,500ofvalue,anditmorethancoversthe$15amonthperwidgetthatyourequested.”

She turns the written agreement around so he can read it, but shedeliberatelydoesnotpushthewrittenagreementinhisdirection.“Isthatwhatweagreed?”

Katesitsbackinherseatandremainsrelaxed.Mr.Stevenslooksatherhandwrittennotesandsaysnothing.Thenhereachesoverandpicksuptheagreement. Turning to page one, he begins glancing through theparagraphsuntilhereturnstohernotesintheSpecialConditionssection.

“Sophonesupportisincluded,”hesays.“Youwillgivemefreeannualinspections.Andyou’llgivemethreefreeovertimecallsperyear.CanIhavesixovertimecalls,oneforeachwidget?”

Kateappealstohischaracterandbeingamanofhisword.“Youaskedme to work with you on the remaining $15 per month to reach anagreement.I’veexceededthat.Isthiswhatweagreed?”

Hethinksforseveralmomentsandmakeshisfinaldecision.“Well,wearereadyforsomebetterserviceforourwidgets.WhatdoyouandIneedtodo?”

“Ifyouwouldpleasegetmetheregistrationnumbersonyourcurrent

widgets, I’ll fillout the restof the information foryourauthorizationonthewrittenagreement.”Shelooksatthewrittenagreementinhishandsasshe speaks. Taking her nonverbal cue, he hands her the agreement andpicksupthephonetocallhisassistantfortheregistrationnumbers.

Kate quickly fills in the service agreement for all of Mr. Stevens’swidgets as well as the written order for the three new widgets. Herexpression is pleasant as she fills in the written agreement, but herthoughtsremainfocused.Sheissuccessfullyclosingthissale,butshehasonemoretasktocompletetopavethewayforfuturesales…

Scenario2:ResidentialSalesAppointment

Bob’spre-preparedwrittenlistofnegotiationpointslookslikethis:

•pay10percentdepositnow,therestondelivery•freeupgradeswithcash•companyfinancingplan•customizedfeaturesallowcontroloffinalamount•qualifyingfortaxcredit•freedelivery•purchaseextrawarranty•caponannualpremiumincreases•canpassservicestoheirs•preferredmembersserviceline

Bob has journeyed around the inner circle with Pat and Gary. Heconfirmed that learninghowtousewidgetsandcashflowwere theonlyreasonstheywerenotreadytotakeimmediateaction.Theyagreedthatifhe adequately addressed those concerns, they would take action today.Afterpresentingtheoptiontopayinthreeinstallments,Bobasksthemtotakeaction.

ThenGaryasks,“Canwehavesixtydaysbetweenpaymentsinsteadofthirtydays?”

Insteadof immediatelyresponding toGary’snegotiationrequest,BobdecidestofindoutmoreaboutGary’sintentionforhisnegotiationrequest.“Let’s talk about that. What is your concern about making a payment

everythirtydays?”“My busy season begins in March, but with our billing cycle, the

paymentswereceivefromclientsdon’tstartcominginuntilearlyMay.”Bobconsidershiswords.“Youareconcernedyouwon’thavethefunds

availabletomakeapaymenteverythirtydays?”Gary grimaces. “Well, we have the funds, but I am not comfortable

withcuttingthingstoocloseduringtheslowseason.”Bobnods.Earlierintheappointment,BobaskedGaryandPatifthey

had the funds available to make a buying decision. Gary seeminglyindicatedthattheydid,andheconfirmeditagainjustnow.ThequestioniswhetherGarywants to tap intohisavailable funds.Bobwants toclarifythe nature of Gary’s cash flow concerns. “Is your concern about atemporarycashflowsituationthismonthortheavailabilityofthefundsinthecomingmonths?”

“Thismonth is particularly tight, but untilmybusy season starts,weliketomakesurewehaveenoughonhandtopaythebills.”

Bob is about to speak when Pat asks, “How much is the servicepolicy?”

Bobgivesherthemonthlyamount.Pat continues, “We’re going to have this formanyyears.Howmuch

willtheservicepolicybe,forexample,tenyearsfromnow?”Bobpoints to the terms in thewritten agreement. “Dependingon the

rateofinflationinthemarketindexofthebasicmaterials,itcanincreaseupto4percentayearduringthecourseofyourfive-yearservicepolicy.”

“Fourpercent?”Patdoesthemathinherhead.“Thatcouldbeupto20percentinfiveyears!”

Bob replies without emotion, “If the price index of basic materialsrises, then that ispossible.Wewouldsimplybepassingon thematerialsincrease.”

Patmurmursdisapprovingly.“Thatseemslikealot.”“Ifthatrateofinflationoccursinthematerialsindex,itcouldbealot,”

Bobagrees.Hebelievesthattryingtoconvinceherthat4percentisnotalot would take her and Gary farther from the next moment of decisionratherthannearertoit.Heacknowledgedheremotionsandwaitsforherresponse.

“Um…”Patfurrowsherbrow,notsurewhattosaynext.Sheexpectedhimtotellhera4percentannualincreasewasnotabigdeal.“Imean,can

youdoanythingaboutthat?”“Sure,” Bob replies casually. “If you agree to a ten-year service

agreement, we can authorize a 2 percent cap adjustment on the serviceagreement.Thatmeansthecostofyourservicepolicycan’tbeincreasedmorethan2percenteachyearforthenexttenyears.”

Patnods inapproval.Garyadds,“I’mfinewith that.But Istilldon’tthinkIamreadytomoveforwardnow.”

Gary looks atPat,whose expressionhas clouded. “Sixty-sixhundreddollars thismonth forDiane’s program! Then there is the airline ticket.Andthenatleasttwomonthsuntilregularincomefromthebusyseason.Maybewecandothislaterthisspring.”

PatlooksresignedlyatBobandsaysnothing.GaryturnstoBob.“Wereally like your product.Andwe dowant to buy awidget. It’s just notgoodtimingforusrightnow.”

BobconsciouslyrelaxeshisbodyashelistenstoGary.Itseemedliketheyweremovingclosertothenextmomentofdecision,butnowthey’restuck again on cash flow. Bob has explored the cash flow issue fromseveral angles, and there are only two arrows left in his quiver tomoveGaryandPat to thenextmomentofdecision.Thefirst is todefine theirbasicoptions.

“Look,thisisalong-termdecision,”Bobbegins.“Theimportantthingthis evening is making the best decision for both of you. So let’ssummarize what we’ve discussed tonight. You basically have threechoices.Thefirstchoiceistodecidenottoinvestinawidgetatall.Earlierthisevening,wetalkedaboutthedifficultiesthatmaycauseinthefuturefor your family.” Normally Bob uses the word challenges, but toemphasizehispoint,heusestheworddifficulties.

Bob continues, “The second choice is to take the next step today toinvestinyourwidget.Youhavesaidonseveraloccasionshowyourfamilywillbenefitfromthat.”

Theybothnod.“And you’ve expressed your appreciation for the features of the

ResidentialWidget.”Againtheynod.Bob sighs. “The third choice is to simply put off the decision. The

advantage is that you will have extra cash on hand through your slowseason. The disadvantage is that you are both busy people. Behind the

upcomingbillsforDiane’striparemorebills.Therearealwaysmorebills.There are alwaysmore reasons to put off getting awidget. That iswhyover60percentoffamiliesfacethedifficultiesofgettingcaughtwithoutawidget.Andwhen that timecomeswhenyour familyneedsyourwidgetthemost…allthetemporaryreasonsthatdistractedyoufromgettingyourwidgetwillseeminconsequential.”

Bob gives Pat andGary a fewmoments to absorb the three choices.Theyhave reached thenextmomentofdecision,andBob isprepared topatiently wait for their response. Gary slowly shakes his head. “I don’twanttospendthemoneywithDiane’stripcomingdue.Thisisjustabadtime.”

Boballowsafewsecondsofsilencetopass.Loweringhisvoiceabit,he employs the final arrow in his quiver by asking them the ultimatequestion.“You’vesaidonseveraloccasionsthatyouaresoldonthevalueofowningawidget.”Hepausesastheybothnodinagreement.“Sowhatwould need to happen for you to move forward today on getting yourwidget?”

Bob asked that question with an authentic concern to discover atransaction that works for them. With that state’s three-day right ofrescissionregulation,heknowsthatpressingPatandGaryintoasaletheyreallydon’tbelieveinwouldmostprobablyendwithacancelledorder.PatandGaryhaveboughtintothevalueofowningawidget.Theyhaveaccessto thefunds topurchaseawidget.WhatBob ishelping themwith is theemotional process of making a decision. Pat seems to have made herdecision.Garyishavingachallengemakinghisdecision.

Bob sits back in his chair waiting for their response. The pleasantexpression on his face reflects his satisfaction in leading Pat and GarythroughtheentireCircleofPersuasion.

Sometimes,couplesatthispointinthesalesappointmentrespondwithasolutionallowingthemtosayyes.Butmanytimes,couplessayno.IfPatandGary’sanswerisno,Bobwillarrangeatimetofollowup.Becauseoftheirpositiveresponsetohisproduct,hewillalsoaskforreferralsbeforeheleavestheirhomethatevening.

Garyislookingdownathishands.“Idon’tthinkweshoulddoit.”Patasks,“Whatifweborrowedfromthetrustaccount?”Garylooksup.“What?”“Thekids’trustaccount.Whydon’tweborrowthisfirstpaymentfrom

theirtrustaccount?Weareallowedtoborrowonceayearontheirbehalf.After all, they will ultimately benefit the most from the widget. We’llmakethesecondpayment.Thethirdpaymentwon’tbedueuntilafterthebusyseasonbegins.We’llpaybackthetrustaccountthissummer.”

Gary considers her suggestion. “That couldwork.”He looks atBob.“Doyouacceptpersonalchecks?”

“Personalchecksandmajorcreditcards,”Bobreplies.Patadds,“Ifweuseourcreditcard,wecangetairlinepoints.”Gary thinks for several moments and picks up the sales agreement.

“We’ll make the first payment from the trust account… but thirty daysfromnowistoosoonforustomakethesecondpayment.Canyoumakeitforty-fivedays?”

They have returned to Gary’s original negotiation request. Bob hassome flexibility in this area, and his negotiation point is getting Gary’sagreement for immediate action. “If you move forward today with thewritten agreement, I will get permission from the office to deliver yourwidget in forty-fivedays rather than thirty.Thatwill allowyou tomovethesecondinvestmentbackfifteendays.Doesthatmakeiteasierforyoutomoveforward?”

GarylooksatPat,whoissmiling.Shesays,“Okay.Let’sdothat.”“Ifyouhavethecreditcardhandy,I’llfinishpreparingtheagreement,”

Bobsays,noddingatthewrittenagreementinGary’shands.GaryhandsBob thewrittenagreementand reaches forhiswallet.As

BobasksPat toconfirmtheshippingdetails,hefocusesonfilling in theagreementcorrectly.Butheknowsonelasttaskliesahead…

CHAPTER16KEYPOINTS

•Remainrelaxedwhenthebuyermakesanegotiationrequest.•Alwaysdiscovertheintentionofthebuyer’srequestbeforeresponding.

•Keepcontrolofthenegotiationbyaskingforaconcessioninreturnforwhatyouareoffering.

•Alwaysoffermorevaluebeforeofferingtolowertheamount.•Asalastresort,alwaysgetagreementfromthebuyertotake

immediateactionbeforeyouagreetoreducetheamount.•Toavoidbid-downsituationsonvalue-basedproducts,letthebuyerknowyouwillworkonreducingtheamount,butyouwillnotmatchthecompetitor’sprice.

•Negotiationscanquicklyswitchbacktoaddressingconcerns.Bereadyforboth.

•Ifyournegotiationendswithoutagreement,alwaysasktheultimatequestion.

SECTION4

TheBuyerSaidYes

17.WhenBuyersSayYes!

TheCircleofPersuasion

Thebuyersaysyes!Ah… the feeling of satisfaction when you realize your efforts have been

rewarded with a positive response from your buyer. Buyers say yes in manyways:

1.Thebuyerdirectlysaysthatshewillbuy.

“Yes,I’llbuyit.”“Okay.Writeitup.”“I’lltakethree.”

2.Or,sheindirectlysaysshewillbuybyaskingconfirmationquestionsthatpresupposethesale.

“SoyouwillhavetheproducttomebyFriday?”“SoIcanusemycreditcardtopurchasetheproduct?”“Soyou’regoingtoextendmyonlinesupportforayearifIpaycash?”

3.Thebuyernonverballyindicatesshewillbuywithanodoftheheadoradeep sigh as she relaxes and sits back in her chair. She reaches for a pen toapprovethepaperwork.

YOUDIDYOURJOBWELL

•Youdemonstratedrealconvictionaboutthevalueofyourproduct.•Youestablishedrapportandbecamethekindoflikablepersonwithwhomyourbuyerwantstodobusiness.

•Youidentifiedherneeds,includingthebuyingdynamicsthatallowhertobuytoday.

•Yourpresentationwasgearedtoherspecificneeds.•Youaskedforherbusinessinacompellingmanner.•Youremainedrelaxedandsilentuntilsheresponded.•Youcompetentlyjourneyedaroundtheinnercircleandbroughtherbacktoamomentofdecision.

Andnow…she’ssaidyes.How do you respondwhen a buyer says yes?Do you jump up and down,

pumpyourfist,whoopandholler,andsetofffireworks?“Really?Youmeanit?Gosh-golly!That’s great. Imean, uh… let’s see. Paperwork.Hmm.Let’s startwith…”

That’s a bit of dramatization—but ask yourself, do you nonverbally showsurprise?Doyoureyesgetbigwithastonishment?Doesanuncontrollablesmile

breakoutonyourface,asifyou’djustgottenaskedtothebigdancebythemostpopularkid in school?Ordoyoucalmlybeginattending to thebuyingdetailswithquietexpectation?

When the buyer says yes, be sure to remain warm and friendly and calm.Affirm your pleasure in a professional manner. A slight nod of your head inacknowledgmentisfine.Apleasantexpressionofappreciationisgood.Aquickverbalaffirmation—“Fantastic”—simplyspoken,withthecalmexpectationthatyouappreciateherbusinessandherdecisivenessinmakinganeducatedbuyingdecision.

Many average-performing salespeople picture themselves givingpresentationsandansweringquestions,buttheydon’tthinkbeyondthemomentwhen the buyer says yes. But how you respond after the buyer says yes hasprofound implications for your future business with her and anyone she mayrefertoyou.

After the buying decision has been made, you may notice that the buyervisibly relaxes. The anxiety of decision making subsides, and a mental shiftoccurs as the buyer begins seeing you as her consultant and service providerrather thanas a salesperson. It is toyour advantage tomake the samekindofpsychologicalshift.

Also,noticethatyouareseeinganothershiftintheebbandflowofrapport.Earlyinthesalesappointment,youestablishedrapportandmaintaineditthroughthe presentation. When you asked your closing questions in the outer circle,rapport may have been temporarily affected. When you began your journeyaround the inner circle, you quickly re-established rapport and maintained itthrough addressing the buyer’s questions and concerns.When you closed thesecondtime,rapportmayhavebeenaffectedatthenextmomentofdecision.

Nowthatthebuyerhassaidyes,itistimetore-establishrapportonceagainasyoutakecareofthebuyingdetails.Yourtonecontinuestobefriendly.Yourfacial expressions aremore relaxed. As youwork through the buying details,you’venowassumedtheroleoftrustedadvisor.

Yournextstepis toverifytheaccuracyofall theinformationrelatedtothesale.Youwilloutlinewhathappensnextforthebuyerasyournewclient,suchas:

•howthebuyercanexpecttobetreated,•howtoreachyouandyourcustomerserviceorsupportdepartmentwithanyquestionsthatarise,

•whenyou’llnextbeintouchwiththebuyer,and•howoftenyou’llbeincontactwiththebuyertoassuresheremainssatisfiedwithherdecision.

Makingtheinitialsaleisaprocess.Butkeepingclientssatisfiedisaprocessaswell,andjustasimportant.

Attendingtothedetailsofthesaleislargelyindustryspecific,buthereareafewprinciplestoconsider.

AFTER-THE-SALEPRINCIPLES

1.Time.If,bythispointinthesalesappointment,thebuyerisrunningshorton time, use your judgment to determine which key buying details have thehighest priority. For example, getting authorization and payment may berelativelyquick,butwritingupspecificdetailsof theproductorfillingout thepaperwork for shipping addresses and times of delivery may take longer.Determine ifother employees—suchas anassistant in thebuyer’soffice—canhelpwithnonessentialdetails.Perhaps thatoptionmightbewise to suggest tothebuyerafteryou’vereceivedtheauthorization.

Note:Whencompletingthenonessentialbuyingdetailsafterabuyersaysyes,thebuyer’stime should be given extra priority. If in doubt, simply ask, “Jim, getting the rest of theinformation required to arrange delivery of your order will take about another fifteenminutes.Doyouhavethetime,orshouldImeetwithyourassistantabouttheselastfewdetails?”

2.Receivingtheinvestments.Becarefulaboutreachingovertooquicklyandtakingthebuyer’scash,check,orcreditcard.Thereisafinelinebetweenbuyersgivingyouthemoneyandyoutakingitfromthem.

For example, you are sitting across from a buyer who approves theagreement,writesacheck,andthenleavesthecheckandagreementonthetablewhere she signed it. It’s usually best to not reach across the table, take theagreementandcheck,andpull themback towardyou. It isbetter toerron the

sideof caution and let themoney remainon the table until the buyer actuallygivesittoyou.

Most buyerswill not place significant importance on this detail.However,youmayencounterafewwhodoplaceimportanceonyouractionsatthispoint.Alwayserronthesideofcaution.Afteralltheworkthatyou’vedonetogetthesale,youdon’twant to riska smalldetail like thisdistractingbuyers from therelievedfeelingsofmakingawisebuyingdecision.Donothingthatcouldcausethemtoquestionyoursincerityinservingtheirneeds.

3. Organized paperwork. One subtle thing that reveals your level ofexpectancy and your professionalism is how organized you are with yourpaperwork.Ifthebuyersaysyesandyoustartriflingthroughyourpocketsandnotebooklookingforapen,thatmightcommunicatethatyouaredisorganized.Ifyouhave to run toyourcar togetawrittenagreement, thatdoesnot reflectwell on your expectancy for this presentation or your professionalism.Beforeyou begin the sales appointment, invest thirty seconds in checking all of yournecessary closing materials. Mentally picturing the appointment from start tofinishwillhelpyoumakenoteofwhatyouneedathandtobemostprepared.

4. Be prepared for buying questions. Another aspect of organization isfamiliarizing yourselfwith the answers to questions frequently asked after thebuying decision has been made. If you don’t know the answers to questionsaboutbasicfeatures,deliveryoptions,orfinancingoptions,thatwillnotreflectwellonyou.Theoccasionalquestionsaboutodddetailsmay require research,butbuyerswillexpectyoutobepreparedforquestionsthatarefrequentlyaskedbyexistingclients.

Okay, let’s assume the basic buying details have been settled. You’vereceived the necessary authorization and investment. The paperwork has beencompleted.Youarefinished,right?Packyourbagsandheadoutthedoortoyournextsalesappointment.

Notsofast.You’vedoneagreatjobingettingthissale,andthatiscauseforcelebration.Therewillbeplentyoftimeforthatcelebrationlater.Butrightnow,don’twalkawayfromtheopportunity tomultiplyyoursalesefforts.Youhaveonemore task tocomplete thatwillmake future journeysaround theCircleofPersuasionmucheasierandmuchquicker.We’llcoverthatinthenextchapter.

CHAPTER17KEYPOINTS

•Buyersmaysayyesdirectly,indirectly,orwithasimplenod.•Remainwarmandfriendlywhilecompletingthesale.•Verifytheaccuracyofallthenecessaryinformation.•Continuetobeawareofanytimeconstraintsonthebuyer.•Waitforthebuyertodirectlyhandyoutheapprovedpaperworkandinvestment.

•Tellyournewclienthowshecanexpecttohaveherneedsserved.

18.EarningtheRighttoEvenMoreYeses

TheCircleofPersuasion

You began this sales process by selling the buyer onmeetingwith you.Youused your well-honed sales skills to work your way around the Circle ofPersuasion.You’ve demonstrated a high degree of professionalism.Therefore,you’veearnedtherighttogainmorethanjustthisonesalefromyournewclient.Your relationship should be comfortable enough at this point that you canconfidentlyaskforreferralsorqualityintroductions.

Here’sthetruth:peoplewhoarereferredtoyouaremuchmorelikelytobuy.That’s because the person doing the referring is usually a liked and trusted

associate or relative. If you haven’t done so already, incorporate the step ofaskingforreferralsintoeveryclientcontactyoumake.Doingsowillpracticallyguaranteeyouasuccessfulcareer.

Averagesalespeoplewon’ttakethisstep.Why?Anxietyaboutaskingbuyersfor toomuch keeps salespeople from getting referred leads from new clients.You justasked them tobuy.Youasked them to filloutawrittenagreement tosettlebuyingdetails.Nowyouareaskingthemforsomethingagain!Geez,whendoesallthisaskingstop?

The underlying cause of the above anxiety is found in our discussion inchapter5aboutwhetherthebuyer’snostartedwithyou.Yourlevelofconvictionabout the value of your products and services becomes apparent this one lasttimeinthesalesprocess.

•Howdoyoufeelaboutaskingsomeonetobuy?Areyouaskingthemtodosomethingforyou?

•Howdoyoufeelaboutsettlingthedetailsforthesaleandthepaperwork?Areyoufearfulthatbuyerswillchangetheirminds?

•Howdoyoufeelaboutaskingbuyersforreferrals?Doyoufeellikeyou’reimposingonthem?

Takeamomentandturnthisperspectivearound.Lookatreferralsfromyoursatisfied buyer’s point of view. He has been seeking solutions to somechallenges. He received an effective, value-based solution that makes his lifemoreproductiveandenjoyable.People love to tell their friendsandcoworkerswhentheyfindagreatsolution.Andhefoundagreatsolutionatafairamountwithyou,right?

Youhaveestablishedsomethingnewincommonwithyourbuyer.Youbothhave thedesire tohelpothersbenefit from the solution to the samechallenge.Your buyer is now going to tell others about the solution to his challenges,anyway.Whynotalsohavethebuyertellaboutthepersonwhobroughthimthesolution?You!

SETTINGUPTHEREFERRAL

A thriving referral business doesn’t happen by accident. Below are severalsuggestionsforsettingupaneffectiverequestforreferrals.

Exceptionalbuyingexperience

Thismay seem obvious, but the best way to set up asking for referrals is byprovidinganexceptionalbuyingexperience.Thatmeansthebuyerenjoysyourlevelofprofessionalismandthequalityofyourproduct.

Itisimportanttonotethatdeliveringanexceptionalbuyingexperiencealonewillnotautomaticallybringyoureferrals.Youmuststillaskforthem.

Wait-and-see salespeople, as they do with most parts of the salesappointment, make getting referrals a separate part of the sale. On occasionswhentheycloseasale,theyturntothebuyerandsay,“Onelastthing.Whoelsedoyouknowwhowouldbeinterestedinthisproduct?”

It is the first mention of referrals in the entire sales appointment. Does itwork?Sometimes,becauseanythingworksoccasionally,butformostpeopleit’stoo abrupt. That reflects on the power of asking, not the effectiveness ofspringinga request for referralsuponbuyerswithoutwarning.Thequestion iswhetherthatstrategyisthemostproductiveandthemostenjoyablewaytoaskforreferrals.Theanswerisno.

AfrequentthemeoftheCircleofPersuasionistoapproachsaleslikeagameofchess.Intentionallyuseyouractionsearlyinthesalesappointmenttoachieveyourobjectiveslaterinthesalesappointment.Settingupthereferralfollowsthissamestrategy.Throughout thesalesprocess,appropriatelymentionreferralssothatthebuyerlearnsearlyonthatprovidingreferralsisanexpectedpartoftheirbuyingexperience.

Buthowyoucanintroducetheideaofreferralsinanaturalmanner?Theprocessofgettingreferralsorintroductionstoqualifiedpotentialclients

beginsthemomentyoumeetpeople.Youmustbelikeadetectiveandlookforcluesastothesmallgroupsofpeopletheyknow.Andasnoted,therighttoaskfor the introductions should be set up in the very beginning and continuethroughoutthesalesprocess.Herearesomewaystodothis:

1. When introducing your company: “John, you may not have seen atremendousamountofadvertisingaboutourcompany.Wehavechosentofocuson building our business primarily by word-of-mouth recommendations fromsatisfied clients. Sowhenwe have done the job, and you are happywith ourcompany and the benefits of our product and service, youwouldn’t have anyreservations about providingmewith introductions to a few other people youknowwithsimilarneedstoyours,wouldyou?”

2.Whendescribingthelevelofserviceyourcompanyoffers:“Ourobjectiveis to provide such exceptional service that you can’t wait to refer us to yourcolleagues.”

3. When telling a story or giving a testimonial: “A client referred me toSheila,anofficemanagerwhosaidhercompanyhadachallengewith…”

Whenyou sayaword, then thebuyermustmentallyprocess it.Whenyoumention referrals several timesduring the salesappointment,youaredirectinghismindtoprocesstheideaofreferralsandforeshadowingyourfuturerequestforhisreferrals.

RAPPORTANDREFERRALS

One last time,we return to the importance of havingwell-established rapportthroughoutthesalesprocess.Wearenowpastthepointofdecision.Thetensionofmakingadecisionisgone.Physically,youmaynotmoveaninch,butinyourthoughts, words, and actions, you make an important shift in your businessrelationship.Yourwordsandyournonverbalcommunicationsthatreinforcethismentalshifthelptakethebuyerfartherawayfromthemomentofdecisionandfartherintoyourrelationshipashisprovider.

Howcanyounonverballysupportthatshift?Asyoupleasantlyyetefficientlywrapup the details of the sale, use your tonality andphysiology to return thebuyer to the relaxed, rapport-building atmosphere you created before thepresentation began. If the buyer asks postsale questions about using yourproducts and services, answer them and encourage other questions. Notappearingeagertoleavecommunicatesconfidenceinyourbeliefthatthebuyermadetherightdecision.

ASKINGFORREFERRALSATTHECLOSE

Asweexaminethedetailsoftheprocessofaskingforreferrals,wewilllookattwoscenarios.Thefirst isaskingforareferralat theendofyourpresentation.Thiswouldbedone inaconversationalmanner just like the restofyour salespresentation.Followthesestepstocompleteaneffectiverequestforreferrals:

Step#1:Isolatefacesfor thebuyertosee.Bringupsmallgroupsofpeople

she knows.You have paid attention andmade notes during your conversationwithyourbuyer.Someofwhatyounotedincludedanygroupsororganizationsthebuyerparticipates in.Withconsumersales,youwouldnote thementionofanyfriendsorfamilymembers.

Start your referral request like this: “Mary, you mentioned that youparticipateinanetworkinggroup.Whenyouthinkaboutyourfellowmembers,whocomestomindashavingsimilarneedsasthoseyouexpressedheretoday?”

Step #2: Capture those names. Ideally, you would jot them on a notepad.Jumpingtoenteringthemintoyourcontactdatabaseisabitbrusque.

Step#3:Askqualifyingquestions:“Whatwasittheysaidordidthatbroughtthemtomindjustnow?”Notethebuyer’sanswers.Thisisgreatinformationthatwillprovideyouwithconversationstarterswhenyoucontactthereferrals.

Step#4:Askforcontactinformation:“What’sthebestwayformetoreachthem?”Iftheclientdoesn’thavecontactinformationathand,remainpatientandsuggestwhere shemight find it: “If you spoke recently, perhaps youhavehisnumberinyourphone.”Thisisanespeciallygoodsuggestiontomake,becausewhileshe’sscrollingthroughherphonelist,shemightcomeuponsomeoneelsewhowouldbeagoodcandidateforyourproduct.

Step#5:Askhertocallandintroduceyou.Don’tbalkatthis.Thereisaverygoodreasontomakethisrequest.“Sinceyou’resohappywiththebenefitsourproductwillbeprovidingyourcompany,wouldyoumindmakingaquickcalltoletJonathanknowthatyouhavefoundasolutionthatmighthelphimaswell?”Fewpeoplewillfeelcomfortablemakingthattypeofcall.That’sokay,becauseyou’regoingtorelieveanydiscomfortthisquestioncreates.

Step#6: If thebuyershowsnervousness,askforpermission just tousehername.Mostbuyerswillbesorelievedtobeoffthehookonmakingthatcallthattheywilljumpatthisstep.Oncetheyagree,promisethemyouwilldoyourpart:“Mary, because you have askedme to reach out to Jonathan, I promise Iwillcontacthimandgivehimthehighest-qualityservicepossible.MayIhaveyourpermissiontouseyournamewhenIcontacthimbymail[orinperson]?”

ASKINGFORREFERRALSLATERINTHERELATIONSHIP

The second scenario is asking for referrals during the course of your ongoingbusinessrelationship.Whenisthebesttimetoaskforareferral?Anytimeyoudeliver outstanding service to your client, it is a great time to ask him forreferrals. Another time is when you help a client resolve a challenge. When

clientsarehappy,confirmthevaluethatyoubringtothemandremindthemthatyouappreciatetheirreferrals.

Theprocesswilllooksomethinglikethis:

A.Makealistofyourtopsatisfiedclients.Callorseethemjustafteryoudosomethingforthemthattheyreallyappreciate.

B.Duringyourconversation,askthemtoaffirmthattheyvalueyourservice.Forexample,“Howdidthe[serviceyouperformedorproblemyousolved]helpyou?”Or,“Areyouhappywiththeserviceweprovidedforyou?”

Mostofyour topclientswillbedelightedwithyourproductsand services.Whentheyexpresstheirsatisfaction,continuewiththenextstepinthereferralprocess.

Note: If they are dissatisfied, STOP the referral process and immediately address theirchallenges!Itmakesnosensetoaskforareferraliftheyareunhappywithsomeaspectofyourcompany’sproductorservice.Moreimportant, this isanopportunitytodemonstrateexcellenceinservice.

Anunhappyclientiscertainlynotyourfirstchoice,butconsidertheopportunity.Atnotime during your business relationship will you have a better opportunity to show yourclientsthatyouaretrulytheiradvocateforqualityservicethanwhenthereisachallenge.Talkischeapwhenallisgoingwell.Itisyouractionswhenserviceisnotatoptimallevelsthatdemonstratestoyourclientsthatyoudoprovideexceptionalservice.

Afterthestorm,youwillbepleasantlysurprisedhowmanyclientswillrewardyouwithloyaltyandreferrals.Daysorweekslater,whenthesituationhasbeenfullyresolvedtotheclient’ssatisfaction,beginthisprocessagain.

C.Affirmthatyouvaluetheclientasacustomer.“Youareavaluedcustomer.Wetrulyappreciateyourbusiness!”

D.Remindtheclientthatreferralsareanimportantpartofyourbusiness.“Asyouknow,abigpartofmybusinessisprimarilybuiltonreferralsfromsatisfiedclientslikeyourself.”

Note:Ifyourclientsarebusinessownersthemselves,doyourbesttobringthemreferredleadsaswell.

E.Askforthosereferrals.“Whoelsedoyouknowwhowrestleswithchallengessimilartothosethatwehelpedyouwith?”

Whenyouaffirmtheexperienceofhelpingthebuyerwithhischallenges,youprovide a reason to ask for his referrals.You arenot asking them togiveyoumorebusiness.Youaresimplyaskingthemfornamesofpeoplewhofacesimilarchallenges.Thatshiftsthefocusofthebenefitfromyoutoyourbuyer’sfriendsandassociates.Clientsareemotionallyattached to thatchallenge.Thereliefoffindingarealsolutionisapowerfulemotionalincentivetoofferpossiblerelieftoothers.

Let’sbringthelastfewstepstogethersoyoucanseeitataglance.“Didthe[serviceyouperformedorproblemyousolved]bringvaluetoyou?

[Yes.]Fantastic!Weappreciateyourbusinessandconsideryouoneofour topclients.Asyouknow,mybusiness isprimarilybuiltonreferralsfromsatisfiedclients like yourself. Who else do you know who wrestles with similarchallengesthat[youractionsthatday]wouldsolve?”

This statement, likeyour closing calls to action, needs tobewrittenout inyour words and practiced out loud until it becomes second nature. Clientsrespond better to confident requests. Like with your closing questions, anyhesitationinyourwordingwhileyouareaskingforreferralscanbeinterpretedbyabuyerasalackofconviction.Therealityisthatthisisthelogicalnextstepofaction.Youhaveprovidedthebuyerwithvalue,andyourbuyerslikesharingvalue-filledopportunitieswithothers.

F.Listen!

Donotinterruptclientswhentheyarethinkingofthenamesoftheirreferrals.Allow them a fewmoments of thought. In someways, this is like remainingquietaftertheclose.Thesameruleapplies.Thefirstonewhospeaks…well,ifyouspeakfirst,youmaynotgetanyreferrals.

Why would salespeople interrupt buyers who are about to give them thenamesofsomevaluablereferrals?Onereasoncouldbethesameuncomfortablesilencethatsalespeopleexperienceattheclose.Anotherreasoncouldbeafear

thatclientswon’tgivethemanynames.Ifyoufollowthestepsaboveandarecarefulwiththewordingyouusetoask

for referrals,very fewclientswill sayno.Thebuyermaynotgiveyounamesright away, saying hewants to think about it or that hewill get back to you.Whileprocrastinationisnotyourfirstdesiredoutcome,it isstillawinforyoubecauseyouhaveintroducedtheideaofreferralsintothebuyer’sthoughts,andhehasnowverbalizedhiswillingnesstoconsidergivingnamestoyou.

One way to kick-start the process is to ask about people that the buyermentionedduringthesalesappointment.Doyourememberallthequestionsyouaskedwhen establishing rapport and identifying his needs? Sometimes duringthatsmalltalk,buyerswillmentionnamesofcolleaguesandformeremployeeswhonowwork forothercompanies.Doyou rememberhow takingoccasionalnotes during that time showed that you were listening? Well, if your notesincludethenamesofcolleaguesandformeremployeeswhonowworkatothercompanies…thenyouhavepotentialreferralsyoucanaskaboutbyname.“YoumentionedJohnworksatABCCompanynow.Wouldheknowwhomakesthepurchasingdecisiononthistypeofproduct?”

Whenaclientbeginsgivingyouthenamesofhisreferrals,encouragehimtogiveyoumorenamesbyyournonverbalactions.

1.Writedownthenamesheprovides.Thatshowsyouare listening.Andithelpsyourememberthenamesofthereferralslater.

2. Do not interrupt your client with questions. If you are not sure of thespellingofaname,jotdownyourbestguessandkeeplistening.Aslongasyourclientcontinuesgivingnames,continuetoremainsilent.

3.Giveyourclientsomenonverbalencouragement.Onceyoubeginwriting,keeplookingatyourpaperwiththeexpectancyofwritingmorenamesuntiltheclient finally stops.Slowlynodyourhead inencouragementat thementionofeachname.Remainrelaxedandmaintainapleasantexpressionashegivesyounames.

4. Don’t ask for the contact information on each name until he finishestalking.Oncetheclientstopsgivingyounames,youcanaskaboutspellingandcontactinformation.Ifbythispointinthesalesappointmentheisrunningshort

ontime,askiftheclient’sassistantcouldgiveyouthecontactinformation.

G.Ifpossible,contactthereferralstheclientprovidesthatsameday.Thereareseveraladvantagesfortakingimmediateaction.

•Thenamesarefreshtoyou,andyourexcitementwillbeatapeak.•Ifthereferralcontactstheclientaboutyourcall,yourclientwillbemorelikelytorememberyourconversation.Butifyouwaittwoweeksoramonthtocall…whoknowshowmuchyourclientwillremember?

•Contactingthemimmediatelyletsyoufollowupwithyourclientmorequickly.

H.Letyourclientknowtheoutcomeofyourcontactinghisreferrals.Ingeneral,peopleliketobehelpful.Ifyouhelpafriendorassociateofhisresolveachallenge,theclientdoingthereferringwillfeellikeaheroandbeveryinclinedtogiveyouothernames.

Besuretosendthereferrerathank-youe-mailorhandwrittennoteafterhegives you the leads.Then, send anothermessage after you have contacted hisfriends and associates.Lettingyour client knowwhat happened shows that hedidnotwastehistimegivingyoureferralswhomyoudidn’tfollowupwith.Thatencourageshimtogiveyoumorereferrals.Thisisespeciallytruewhensomeofthefirstbatchofreferralsalsobecomeyoursatisfiedclients.

I.Callyourclientsregularlytoprovideserviceandtoaskforthenamesofmore referrals. Many events occur during the course of a year. Peoplechangepositions.Yourclientsmayhavemetnewpeoplewhohaveaneedforyourproductsandservices.

J. During your postsale follow-up, remember to use some more subtlereminders about referrals. On your business cards and in your e-mailsignatures,remindyourclientsthatyouappreciatetheirreferrals.Togetherwith theotherstepsdescribed in thischapter, thosesmall reminderswillbe enough for satisfied clients to forward your e-mail or give yourbusinesscardtoapotentialclient.

AWAYOFLIFE

Thebottomlineisthatgettingreferralsisjustanotherpartofthecompletesalesprocess. It should be deeply ingrained in your nature to constantly be on thesearch for others whose needs you can serve. This is much better than theobjectiveofwait-and-seesalespeople,whosegoalistogiveagoodpresentationandthenseewhathappensnextfortherestofthesalesprocess.

Ifgettingthesalehasbeenyourfocus,itistimetothinkbigger.Eachbuyerrepresents thedoorway tomultiple sales. Insteadof limitingyourself toonesale, consider setting your ultimate objective for each sales appointment asgetting referrals that lead to multiple sales. That means providing a salesexperiencepackedwithsomuchvalue,deliveredinsuchalikablemanner,thatbuyerswanttoreferyoutootherpeoplewithsimilarchallengesanddesireswhoareintheirsphereofinfluence.

COMINGFULLCIRCLE

With active referrals from your buyers, your journey around the Circle ofPersuasion is complete. Your next journey around the Circle of Persuasionbeginsagainwiththebuyer’sreferral.Thistime,onthestrengthofthereferral,youbeginfromastrongerpositionthanwithnonreferredpotentialclients.Thisis the life of top-performing salespeople, going full circlewith buyers beyondclosingthesaletothereferralsthatleadtothenextsalesappointment.

There isadeepprofessionalsatisfactionatbeinggoodatwhatyoudo.Thepurposeofthisbookhasbeentohelpyoumoreclearlyidentifythestepsofthesalesprocessandprovidehands-onknowledgethatenablesyoutocompletethatcircularjourneyquickly.MayyouemploytheCircleofPersuasiontoexceedallofyoursalesperformancegoalsandenjoythefruitsofaprosperoussalescareer.

Andnow,justtotakecareofsomeextrabusiness…

CASESTUDY

Scenario1:BusinessSalesAppointment

Mr.Stevenssaidyestobuyingthreewidgets.Kateisfillinginthelastofthe registration numbers, and the written agreement is ready for hisauthorization.HerplanistofinishthepaperworkandaskMr.Stevensforreferrals.ThenMr.Stevens’s intercombeeps.Hepicksupthephoneandlistens.Withafrown,heturns toKateandsays,“Mylunchappointmentarrivedearly.Importantclients.Whatelsedoweneedtodohere?”

Kate lays the written agreement on his desk. “Just need yourauthorizationhereanddownthere.”

Mr. Stevens pulls the written agreement closer to him and signs hisnameinthetwoareasKateindicated.“Anythingelse?”

“I’llorganizethepaperworkandleaveacopywithyouradministrativeassistantoutfront.”

“Fine,” he says as he stands. “Looking forward to receiving somereliablewidgets.”

Kategathersher things.“Weappreciateyourbusiness.Thankyouforyourtimethismorning.”

Three months later, Kate stops by Mr. Stevens’s office for a routinefollow-upcall.Aftergreetinghim,sheannouncesthepurposeofherbriefvisit.“IwantedtostopbyforamomentandmakesurethosereplacementpartsgottoyourteaminCanada.”

That isKate’sprimary reason for stoppingby.Shealsohas a secondobjectiveofaskingMr.Stevensforreferrals,butsheknowsthat thefirststep ingettingreferrals ishavingahappyclient.Mr.Stevens is indeedahappyclient,andhisexpressionshowshispleasure.“Theysuredid.Iwasamazedhowquicklyyoureceivedthepartsforacompetitor’swidget.”

“Widget Corp keeps a stocked warehouse for last-minute needs justlike this.The trickypartwasgetting it throughcustoms in timeforyour

team.Thatwasquiteanadventure.”“Ihaveexperiencedthatadventureonmorethanoneoccasion.Thanks

forgoingtheextramile.”“You’re welcome. Is every other aspect of Widget Corp’s service

meetingorexceedingyourexpectations?”“Yes.I’mgladImadetheswitch.”Katehasquicklyre-establishedrapportandconfirmedthatMr.Stevens

is content with Widget Corp. Now she is ready to pursue her secondreasonforstoppingby.“Youareavaluedclient.Asyoumightexpect,asignificant portion ofWidget Corp’s new business is developed throughthereferralsofsatisfiedclientslikeyou.Whoaresomeofyourcolleaguesthatareburdenedwithsimilardelayscausedbyagingequipment?”

Kate remains silent, treating her request for referrals like a closingquestion.Infact,itis.Relaxedandwithapleasantexpressiononherface,shewaits for his reply.Mr.Stevens looks at her blankly as he thinksofpossiblenames.Shifting inhischair,he looksdown toone side.Slowlyshakinghishead,hesays,“Nonamescometomind.”

SheremainssilentafewmomentslongerandMr.Stevenscontinues,“Imean, there are other executives that I meet with quarterly in ourprofessional association. Do you already do business with any of thosemembers?”

Kate encourages his thinking in that direction. “During our firstmeetingafewmonthsago,youmentionedworkingonaprojectwith”—she looks at her notes—“DonPeters.Do you think he iswrestlingwithsome of the same types of delays that you faced before Widget Corpbecameyourserviceprovider?”

“That’sagoodquestion.Onourlastprojecttogether,oneofhisteamsmight have experienced some problems.”With humor,Mr. Stevens tellsthestoryofthatteam’sstruggletostayonschedulewithhisteam.

Whenhefinishesthetale,Kateasks,“Yourememberhowcostlythosetypesofdelayswereforyourcompany?Wouldn’tDonappreciatehavingaccesstothesametypeofsolutionsyouhadtogetyourteams’productionbacktocapacity?”

“Probably.”“Who else besides Don do you know in that association whomight

appreciateaccesstoadditionalwaystoincreasetheirproductivity?”Forthenextseveralminutes,Mr.Stevensprovidesnamesofseveralof

hiscolleaguesinhisprofessionalassociation.Eachnameisaccompaniedbyastoryabouttheowner.

Kate writes down each name and then listens to the story withoutinterrupting.WhenMr.Stevensstops,Katequicklyconfirmsthenamesofthecompanieshis referralsworkwith.“Thankssomuch,” shesayswithsincerity. Kate guesses that Mr. Stevens has the closest businessrelationshipwithDonPeters.“WhenIcalleachof thesebusinesses, is itall right to let them know howWidget Corp has provided some usefulsolutionsforyou?”

“Sure.TellthemDeanStevenstoldyoutogivethemacall.”Kate stands. It is the middle of the business day and she did not

announcehervisit.Shecanfindthecontactinformationforeachcompanyon her own, and as such, she does not want to take any more of Mr.Stevens’stime.“Asalways,weappreciateyourbusiness.”

By the end of the next business day, Kate has contacted all of thepeopleonthelist.ShesendsanotetoMr.Stevensthankinghimagainforthereferralsandupdatinghimonthenamesofpotentialclientswithwhomshehasarrangedappointments.

Scenario2:ResidentialSalesAppointment

Bob has filled out the written agreement and received the last of theauthorizationsfromPatandGaryforthepurchaseoftheirwidget.Asheisorganizing thepaperwork to leave for them,he asks, “Asyouexpressedhowrelievedyouaretofinallygetthisdone,I thoughtaboutyoursister,whoyoumentioned having a conversationwith aboutwidgets.Who aresomeoftheotherfamily,friends,andworkassociateswhoareconcernedaboutthepotentialriskstotheirfamiliesofnothavingawidget?”

Overthenextseveralminutes,BobjotsdownonablanksheetofpaperthenamesthatPatandsometimesGaryprovide.Aftereachname,heasks,“Whatwasittheysaidordidthatbroughtthemtomindjustnow?”ThatoftenleadsPatandGarytoprovideoneortwomorenames.

ThenBobasksPat,“What’sthebestwaytoreachyoursister?”Onebyone,hegoesthroughthenamestheyhavegivenhim.Iftheydonotreadilyhave the contact information, Bob moves on. Finally he asks, “Sinceyou’resorelievedtohavethebenefitsourproductwillbeprovidingyourfamily,wouldyoumindmakingacoupleofquickcalls to letyoursister

and theSmithfamilyknowthatyouhavefoundasolution to thewidgetissue,andthatitmightbehelpfultothemaswell?”

Patsaysthatsheisplanningontalkingtohersisterlaterthatnight.Sheoffers to talk with the neighbors across the street the next day. Gary,however,isuncomfortablecallinganyofhisworkassociates.

“I understand,” saysBob. “May I have permission to use your namewhenIcontactthem?”

Gary is so relieved to be off the hook onmaking those calls that hewelcomesthissuggestion.Bobgathershisthings.“Thankyouforinvitingme into your home this evening. Congratulations on taking action toprotectyourfamilyinthismostimportantmanner.”

WhenBobwalksout tohis car, it isdark.Before startinghis car, helowersthewindowsandlistenstothebreezerustlingthroughthetrees.Hefeelsdrainedyetexhilarated,knowingheprofessionallyservedtheneedsofhis buyersby successfully journeyingwith themaround theCircle ofPersuasion.

Thosejourneyswithpotentialclientsdon’talwaysendwithayes,buthealmostalwaysfeelsgreatabouttheserviceherendersinhelpingthemmakeinformeddecisionsthataregoodfortheirfamilies.Buttonight,thebuyerssaidyes…andtheygavehimthenamesofseveralpeoplehewillcall tomorrow to arrange future appointments.With a sigh, he starts hiscar,andhisthoughtsturntohisownfamilywaitingathome.

CHAPTER18KEYPOINTS

•Referralsfromyoursatisfiedbuyersaremorelikelytobuy!•Yourjobisnotfinishedjustbecausethesaleiscompleted.•Profitfromyourbuyers’tendencytotellothersaboutfindingasolutiontotheirneeds.

•Introducetheideaofprovidingreferralsthroughouttheentiresalesappointment.

•Helpclientsthinkofwhoelsemighthavesimilarneeds.•Askqualifyingquestionsaboutthenamesthatwereprovided.•Alwaysletclientsknowtheresultsofcontactingtheirreferrals.

CIRCLEOFPERSUASIONCHECKLISTPreparation

BusinesscardsPenBreathmintsRelaxedandfocusedImaginedesiredresponse

EstablishingRapportSmileHandshake/greetingMatchloudness,pacingClearlyenunciatewordsMatchphysiology

IdentifyingNeedsAskopen-endedquestionsListenwithphysiologyAvoidinterruptionsAvoidprematuresellingAskdiscoveryquestions

PresentationAssumptivetoneofvoiceMatchwordpatternsEffectivelyusevisualaidsConnecteachfeaturetoabenefitSellthedeepervalue

ClosingquestionsUsetrialclosequestionsRemainrelaxedRemainsilentReadyforyes,no,maybe

InnerCircleRe-establishrapportListenwithphysiologyFindagreementClarifyquestion/concernConfirmtherearenootherquestionsIfyouanswer…thentheywillbuyConfirmanswerisadequateCloseagainafteransweringquestionAskultimatequestion

NegotiationWrittenlistofnegotiationpointsKnowstartingandendingpointsRemainrelaxedwhenbuyermakesrequestClarifybuyer’spurposeofrequestOffervaluebeforereducingpriceCommittoactionbeforepricereductionAskultimatequestionbeforewalking

Yes!CalmlyshowappreciationOrganizedtoattendbuyingdetailsAwareofbuyer’stimeBuyerknowswhattoexpectnext

ReferralsForeshadowreferralexpectationsRe-establishrapportafterbuyingdecisionDonot interruptbuyergivingreferralsGetcontact infolater if timeisshortQuicklycontactreferralsFollowupwithbuyeraboutreferrals

AbouttheAuthors

TomHopkins

TheBuilderofSalesChampionsTomHopkinscarriesthestandardasamastersalestrainerandisrecognizedastheworld’sleadingauthorityonsellingtechniquesandsalesmanship.

More than fourmillion salespeopleon fivecontinentshaveattendedTom’shigh-energy live seminars.Tompersonally conductsmore than thirty seminarseach year, traveling throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, NewZealand,Singapore,Malaysia,Taiwan,Europe,andthePhilippines.

Tomgothisstartattheyoungageofnineteeninthefieldofrealestate.Afterfailingmiserablyhisfirstsixmonths,hediscovered thatsuccessfulselling isalearnedskill.Hebecameanavidstudent,makingsellinghishobby.Bytheageof twenty-seven, he achieved millionaire status, having sold more than 1,553homes.

With his strategies in great demand, Tommoved into the field of training,holdingseminars,andcreatingbroadcast-qualityvideosystemsandhigh-qualityaudio recordings as well as writing books. His proven-effective methods andstrategiesforsellinghavebeeninhighdemandfornearlyfortyyears.

TomistheauthorofHowtoMastertheArtofSelling™,whichhassoldmorethan1.6millioncopiesworldwide.Hehasalsoauthoredsixteenotherbooksonthetopicsofsellingandsuccess.

BenKatt

Ben’s background includes a curiousmix ofmultiple sales formats, speaking,sales training, consulting, and entrepreneurship. His sales experience includesgroup sales, business to business, residential sales, telephone sales, and artauctioneering. He has spoken in more than one hundred cities in the United

States, Canada, Europe, and Australia. He provides sales consulting andorganizational behavior consulting for national and regional corporations.Benand his wife have traveled to more than fifty countries on six continents,climbingthehighestmountainsontwoofthosecontinents.

OtherbooksbyTomHopkins

HowtoMastertheArtofSellingTheOfficialGuidetoSuccess

MasteringtheArtofSellingRealEstateLowProfileSelling

SellItToday,SellItNow,co-authoredbyPatLeibyTheCertifiableSalesperson,co-authoredbyLauraLaamanSellingforDummies

SalesProspectingforDummiesSalesClosingforDummies

HowtoMastertheArtofSellingFinancialServicesSellinginToughTimes

OtherbooksbyBenKatt

JoyfulRelationshipsThePowerofPersuasivePreaching

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Contents

CoverTitlePageWelcomeDedicationAcknowledgmentsIntroduction:

WhatYouCanExpecttoGainfromThisBook

SECTION1TheBuyerSaysNo

1.TheBuyerSaidNo2.WhatNoReallyMeans3.LostintheSale

SECTION2TheCircleofPersuasion

4.TheCircleofPersuasion5.DidtheBuyer’sNoStartwithYou?6.DidYouEstablishandMaintainSufficientRapport?7.IdentifyingNeeds8.DiscoveryQuestions9.LoweringtheBuyer’sResistanceduringYourPresentation10.AskingClosingQuestions

SECTION3WhenBuyersSayNo

11.Re-establishingRapport12.IdentifyingQuestions13.PresentingAnswers14.TheKeyMomentofAskingfortheSale15.PreparingforNegotiationRequests16.HowtoNegotiatewithBuyers

SECTION4TheBuyerSaidYes

17.WhenBuyersSayYes!18.EarningtheRighttoEvenMoreYeses

CircleofPersuasionChecklistAbouttheAuthorsOtherbooksbyTomHopkinsNewslettersCopyright

Copyright

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