How to talk every prospect into buying today!

People seem to have a fear of being talking into doing something they don't want like buying a car they don't need. If that was possible I could see the concern. Has anyone ever heard of how to talk prospects into buying? What's the secret? -Seth

If anybody here has the secret of how to talk every prospect into buying today, I suggest you keep it, or sell it for the few billion dollars it could bring.

But back to your comment about "fear" (there's that word again.) It's discomfort over the probability of having to parry someone's attempt to pressure us into something that, for one reason or another, we are not prepared to do. It's disruptive to the harmony that most people prefer. -Ace Coldiron

To get a prospect to buy today is a never ending discussion and learning process. However, if I was to explain it into the simplest way, is to get the prospect to think the way you do.

Don't give up. -Polysquared

There are no "secrets", there is only good salesmanship.

And imo, selling is more about meeting needs and desires than it is about "talking prospects into buying." -Skip Anderson

Correct me if I'm wrong Skip,

"Talking prospects into buying" is a very old school mentality. A technique which poor sales people have been using for years and perhaps the reason why the job of a sales person is a lot harder these days (dummy customers tricked into buying and now are cautious of the profession).

If there is a "secret" it is that you need to build solid rapport and ask enough questions to understand what the customer needs. -MrCharisma

I don't know about the "old school" selling comment, Mr. C.; I'm still waiting for someone to define what "old school selling" is. I think building rapport and asking enough questions might be "old school" too.

But your point is a valid one in that the title of this thread, "How to talk every prospect into buying today" doesn't describe what selling really is, in my opinion. It's not about talking people into things. I don't know if that's old school or new school, but it's a misdirected goal imo.

Skip -Skip Anderson

I'm with Skip and Mr. C. on this.

Okay, how about this for a working definition of Old School Selling?

Old School Selling: A phrase of little value that came about as a result of confusion as to the relationship between just plain poor selling and the stereotyped, often fictional (see Arthur Miller) model of salespeople who were perceived as misguided, deceptively manipulative, and castoffs from mainstream society. -Ace Coldiron

Unfortunately, there are still people who believe you can 'persuade, cajole, convince, twist' a prospect into buying. There are prospects (many of them) that have experienced those type of salespeople even today, and have a bad taste in their mouth from the experience of often being 'overpromised by a salesperson' and then 'disappointed in the results the company delivered'.

Then other salespeople in other industries are left battling that 'bad, past experience'. It often leads to prospects 'holding their cards close to their vest, keeping pertinent information back from the salesperson' yet they want the salesperson to dilvulge all of their knowledge and insight, even pricing, and therefore turn that 'salesperson into an "Unpaid Consultant" to use their pricing to go to the competition with.

As a professional you can only work to build genuine rapport with a potential client to have them be more honest with you and in exchange be honest with them, to determine if the problems/needs they have can be accomplished through you company within the budget that the customer has established; all along making sure you are with the decision maker, who not only can but will be willing to make a decision. -Paulette Halpern

Paulette while digging through the old discussions in this forum I came across one on your topic that has potential - http://www.salespractice.com/forums/t-552.html

Paulette you cut to the core quickly with that paragraph. If I was to change any part of that paragraph I would touch on developing the need. -SalesProfessor

Paulette, as an experienced trainer representing a respected sales training program, do you agree with that perspective or not?

If so, how would you clarify "developing the need?" Would it be in the form of any of the following, or none of them?

• Embellishing the need
• Uncovering the need
• Creating the need
• Discovering the need
• Assuming the need
• Inventing the need
• Other

-Ace Coldiron

I've agreed with most if not all of what you've previously said Paulette and would like to add that every discussion you have with a prospect is being effected by 5 Filters.

Trust, Care, Like, Belief, Respect.

If your customer Likes, Cares, Trusts, Believes and Respects you... if the customer is in a position to purchase today, I see no reason why they wouldn't buy today or have a follow up session for another day. -MrCharisma

Well, I just purchased a new car yesterday from another salesman because he gave me a good deal and I liked him.

He knew I been looking for quite sometime and that "today" happened to be that day. -Polysquared

Talking somebody "into something" can't really be considered successful selling in a professional sense. If you're selling door to door and you'll never be back again, it may work.

In today's business world selling is much more of a win/win. Some of my best sales came after "not" selling. If my product/service isn't right, I don't want to force it on them. In fact I gain credibility if I'm honest and don't try to force something on them that they really don't want.

Just read OWN THE ROOM by Deborah Shames and David booth, and it really speaks to this. Authenticity is EVERYTHING today. I'm now using their tips on closing presentations. They devote a whole chapter on it. Most of us start presentations strong, but wind down slowly. Instead, I'm now ending with conviction, and a clear call to action, which in my case, is a suggestion for my prospect no matter whether they buy from me or not. WOW! This has been a great way for me to close.

Next time you're pitching, don't try to talk them into something. Rather, figure out their needs, the suggest, with conviction, the very next step they need to take to fulfill that need. -JebWalker

I've never heard a car sales person say we don't have what you need. They always try and talk you into something. -cs80918

It is better to create desire than need. People need many things but often they spend that money on something they desire.

People need to exericise, but they spend their money on other things. People need to eat right, but they often don't.

People need to save money, but many americans spend most of their earnings.

Sir you need to eat more fish, but here is your favorite steak that has been prepared by a world class chef over looking the vista that you have dreamed about, you can eat the fish later. -cs80918

Paulette is right on target. She talks about selling a prospect. As sales people it is our job to determine who is a prospect (someone who will and wants to buy) and who is a suspect (someone who either can't buy or won't buy because of a condition). She would tell you there are no bad prospects, only bad sales people!!!!! There is not a professional sales person who would try to sell a susspect through any means and on the flip side, a professional will sell a prospect through honest persuasion. -triadtraining

I agree with many of the comments here in that your approach should be focused upon establishing the prospect's/customer's need. One very effective strategy for doing so is to ask effective questions. In so doing, you don't want to inundate the customer with question upon question, but you do want to make it conversational, inserting questions and then commenting on the responses. It is very much an art rather than a science.

Ultimately, your goal in asking the questions is to get the prospect/customer to realize for themself that they DO need the product or service that you're offering. It's 10x more powerful when the client comes up with the idea- why? Because people will NOT argue with their own data. If they believe they came up with the solution (to buy your product/service) via your questioning/conversation then consider it a slam dunk!!

So think of it as "guiding" the prospect toward the sale, rather than talking them into it and you'll see great outcomes with this approach! Good luck! -CoachMaria

I agree. Great questions reveal everything you need to know and you should not inundate another by over questioning. Good Stuff!! -triadtraining

If you want someone to buy, just create a desire. If the prospects doesn't need your product or doesn't benefit from it at all, then you shouldn't be selling it to them. But if there's a need, even a little bit, you can use that need to get your prospects to want the product. Create desire by telling them everything they'll get or everything they'll miss out on if they don't get it today. -Faizalnisar

Right on! Desire is the next strongest emotion to pain!!!!! -triadtraining