Rebuttals: Do They Help Or Hurt Your Sales?

Dr. Smith,

If I come out and do a trial for my widget what would be the process for purchasing my widget?

Well we have money in the budget for your type of widget...

or

Well then we would have to submit it for the budget for the next year.

This is a typical conversation that I use to qualify a person who is going to purchase now or later.

Also, this is a great territory management question for me and keeps me from running out to a customer who really can't buy now. Not that I won't go out to that customer who isn't going to buy right now but I make sure that I can plan other calls in the area and don't just run out to the one account.

Good Selling!

Sell4alivn

Hello again James and Skip,

Was away yesterday with my two year old grand daughter... fun, fun, fun.

What do I do to make quotes from your post show up?

I'd like to respond to specific issues (ala Skip).

Thanks

Quote:

Originally Posted by ikrieger

Hello again James and Skip,

Was away yesterday with my two year old grand daughter... fun, fun, fun.

What do I do to make quotes from your post show up?

I'd like to respond to specific issues (ala Skip).

Thanks

Ike, on the bottom right hand corner of the post that you would like to quote there is a button that says "Quote", just click on that button and it automatically quotes the message, hope this helps.

~James

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Cesario

In my opinion in a big ticket sale with multiple options, that question shouldn't be asked until you've found the right fit for your particular customer, thats a hard close, and should only be used once you've meet the clients wants and needs.

If you're thinking of a more traditional close, e.g. "So, are you going to buy from me today?” that is a hard sell, and usually does end up as a disaster. I come at it from a different angle. I want them to give me the presentation. I strive to get them to look at me as a navigator, helping them to reach their destination, rather than a destination of my own. For this to work… they must tell me where they want to get to.

With that in mind… Would you please tell me the sequence of events from when a prospect arrives at the site? Do they see the property before or after your initial conversation? What goes on in the viewing? When does your sales presentation begin?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Cesario

After the warm up, I typically need the following questions answered before I can proceed with a proper demonstration:

What is your current living situation? Do you rent or own? What do you like/dislike about the place that you are living in currently? How many family members will be sharing your new house with you? What is your time frame for moving? How long have you been in the market?

What is your warm-up? Please explain how the answers to the above help you get to the real issues? E.g. Are they a lookie-loo, or are they a serious prospect?

Your sales flow chart would be helpful. I'd like to view your timeline before I offer an observation as to the type of interview questions and agreements I might use.

**************

I saw this near the bottom of your post and couldn’t resist.

(re: the "pull their credit" issue.) Here’s something I might say. I’m making it up as I write.
“Can I share something… off the record? I don't like to ask to see someone's credit report until they've narrowed down their home search to include ours. So, based on our brief conversation, how willing are you to let me pull your credit?

BTW – I “sell” various communications training packages.” The training focuses on harnessing the internal and external dialogue processes we employ when we are committed to reaching clearly defined outcomes. (It’s no where near as complicated as I make it sound) The program offers a “sales” module for those who have completed the basic Krieger Training curriculum.

So many other things I’d like to talk with you about

I could stay on this forum for hours, but my wife doesn’t want me to. It’s Sunday. I guess I’ll have to wait until later to post again. Ahhh… the power behind the “throne.” (this is how you stay married for 35 years)

P.S. Skip… I’ll respond as soon as she let’s me.

Go Lakers

Oh yeah,

Congrats on selling three properties this week. You're in a tough sector.

Hi Skip,

I love your scenario. You’ll see why in a moment.

Quote:

You're one of three window salespeople who have been called out to give a quote on replacement windows for the prospect. This is your only sales appointment for the day. Your typical appointment lasts 90 minutes.

You knock on the door and the customer comes to the door. You introduce yourself, etc.

Other than at closing, when and how do you ask the prospect if they're "ready to buy today?" In your opinion, what is the advantage of asking that question? [My opinion: They've called you out to their home, you should assume they're ready to buy today and try to button up the deal while you're there, and asking if they're ready to buy today should only happen at closing.]

Skip

OK... it may be experience or it may be pessimism, but in my opinion... if you assume that because they've called you... they're ready to buy... is a big disappointment waiting to happen.

I like to think I’m there to help them reach their outcome, and not mine. If I help them reach that outcome I will achieve my outcome anyway.

However what I'm not willing to do is give away a ton of valuable information ... for free!

Experience tells us that in most cases the prospect will most likely use your info to beat up the other bidders. (And, if you’re not out on your first call ever, you can tell when a prospect in employing the old get-free-info, “tell me more about X” ,tactic.)

Here’s why I believe the window man is really there.

He’s there because of his need to make a sale. The prospect is all set to defend him/herself against a dreaded “salesman” who needs to make a sale.

Our window salesman, and a lot of other salespeople, resort to hope and, as was referred to on this thread, puking information as their sales strategy.

The mantra seems to be, I'll spend my time... and go out, and do an estimate, or a proposal, and then hope I can get them to buy... and I think I will… especially if I get the chance to give a great presentation, tell them about the excellent service we provide, and get my priice down low enough."

This is common, and is a recipe for the same old, same old, "we'll look your estimate over and give you a call."

You threw me a softball when you used the window scenario. One of my clients is a major window replacement company in Southern California.

It took me a while to get the sales staff to repeat the following because at first they thought it seemed like a waste of time (after all, they knew their business better than I did).

“So, before I begin the estimate I'd like to ask a couple of questions so I can find out what you want to accomplish, and why. And, based on my experience, within a few minutes... we'll know if there's a fit. Is that an OK way to start?"

If they agree… begin the interview. If they don’t agree to that simple and logical request… what are the chances you’ll get the deal without low-balling?

(Here’s how I suggest you ask for the sale)

Once you have an idea of what they want and why… you can ask (and by now they will have told you their budget)..... “If I can get you all of this and come in close to budget what do you think, realistically, the chances are that we can do this work for you?"

If you conducted an effective sales interview… they will answer that question.

This approach is not only effective, but is far less aggressive than it may appear.

I remind my clients all of the time… you can say anything you want with a smile on your face.

How you conduct the interview is key to getting predictable, candid, and relationship oriented responses. It really works this way.

There are a lot of people who seem to champion a similar style of selling. I’ve got a couple of new/old angles that, in IMHO, make this approach to sales even more effective.

I gotta go back to work.

P.S. All/most sales do rely on creating and maintaining relationship, whereas clerking, an honorable profession, relies on the ability to write up an order while maintaining, rather than destroying, what ever clerk/customer relationship may exist.

I’m actually putting out a little white paper this week on a topic similar to this. What is the acceptable process for letting others on this forum know about this?

Thanks for having this conversation. I find it thoroughly enjoyable.

Ike

Quote:

Originally Posted by ikrieger

if you assume that because they've called you... they're ready to buy... is a big disappointment waiting to happen.

Ike, I don't believe a customer that calls you to come to your home to give you an estimate is ready to buy. I think they have an interest. Likely, they don't even have enough information to know if they're ready to buy, so asking them if they're ready to buy in the beginning of a sales interaction is counter-productive, in my opinion. A salesperson converts interest into revenue by helping prospects make decisions.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ikrieger

I like to think I’m there to help them reach their outcome, and not mine. If I help them reach that outcome I will achieve my outcome anyway.

In my training, I train people how to get prospects exactly what they want, so I agree with you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ikrieger

However what I'm not willing to do is give away a ton of valuable information ... for free!

Two thoughts, Ike:

1. If a salesperson is "giving away tons of valuable information" when they're in the home, instead of focusing on the customer's needs and desires, that's a recipe for disaster. But you can do both, right? They're not mutually exclusive concepts, imo.

2. Why wouldn't you want to be a conduit for information? My blog and my sales newsletters have tons and tons of free information. I give it away willingly. If people see value, they may hire me for my services at some point. I'm happy to provide this service (and these blog posts and newsletters aren't mere advertisements, by the way).

Quote:

Originally Posted by ikrieger

Experience tells us that in most cases the prospect will most likely use your info to beat up the other bidders.

Yes, shoppers do sometimes beat up on other bidders. That's okay. Not everybody is going to be an easy customer, but they can still become a customer by willingly buying from someone. Why not have them buy from you instead of somebody else?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ikrieger

Here’s why I believe the window man is really there.

He’s there because of his need to make a sale. The prospect is all set to defend him/herself against a dreaded “salesman” who needs to make a sale.

Wow, that's a defeatest attitude if I do say so myself!

Yes, some people have anxiety about salespeople. But a skilled salesperson can build trust and rapport quickly so that this anxiety is rendered harmless.

Btw, who said the window salesperson was a male? There are lot of successful female window salespeople.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ikrieger

Our window salesman, and a lot of other salespeople, resort to hope and, as was referred to on this thread, puking information as their sales strategy.

I can assure you that successful window salespeople do not resort to hope. In your mind is it either "resorting to hope" or "asking them if they're ready to buy?" Isn't there any other options of successful selling?

I agree that "puking information" is not a viable sales strategy. But I would never suggest any salesperson do that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ikrieger

The mantra seems to be, I'll spend my time... and go out, and do an estimate, or a proposal, and then hope I can get them to buy... and I think I will… especially if I get the chance to give a great presentation, tell them about the excellent service we provide, and get my priice down low enough."

I think the mantra of successful salespeople is: "I want to convert my prospect's interest in my product/service to revenue."

Quote:

Originally Posted by ikrieger

It took me a while to get the sales staff to repeat the following because at first they thought it seemed like a waste of time (after all, they knew their business better than I did).

“So, before I begin the estimate I'd like to ask a couple of questions so I can find out what you want to accomplish, and why. And, based on my experience, within a few minutes... we'll know if there's a fit. Is that an OK way to start?"

With all due respect, that's not quite the same thing as asking if they're "ready to buy". My question was, "When do you ask them if they're ready to buy?"

I would love to hear your answer to that question.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ikrieger

(Here’s how I suggest you ask for the sale)

Once you have an idea of what they want and why… you can ask (and by now they will have told you their budget)..... “If I can get you all of this and come in close to budget what do you think, realistically, the chances are that we can do this work for you?"

If you conducted an effective sales interview… they will answer that question.

Two thoughts:

1. Any successful salesperson who has sold higher ticket items in the home knows that 90% of the time the budget the customer gives you is a flat-out lie.

2. I agree with your question, I think it's great. But again, that question is NOT asking if they're "ready to buy." That's a different question.

If you truly meant what you said, that salespeople should ask their prospect if they're ready to buy, here's what would happen:

1. The company would have 8 in-home appointments per month instead of 108.

2. The company wouldn't need salespeople because there's no selling going on, just asking a closing deal up front;

3. The company would end up with probably 5 sales for the month, instead of the probably 25-30 sales they would have with the 108 appointments. (By the way, those 25-30 salespeople willingly bought because of their salesperson...thus, the value of quality salespeople. They were not coerced into buying).

4. And the company would go out of business because there's no revenue to cover expenses let alone make a profit.

Skip Anderson

Hi Skip,

Thanks for getting back to me so soon.

I'm not a defeatist at all. I'm a pragmatist. Most salespeople are in business to solve their own problems. This is not to say they've gone to the dark side of the force. It means that they have kids to feed, mortgages to pay, and college ahead.

According to your experience... Out of 100 salespeople, how many do you believe are well trained in more consultative, less AIDA sales techniques?

5%? 10%? 20%?

As kids we were taught how to do show and tell when we were in school, and that's how most people sell when they’re adults.

In the for what it's worth department... most of my clients are women.

I teach what has been described as a kinder and gentler way to sell. Women seem to find that it helps them demonstrate their capability and effectiveness without coming off aggressive or pushy. A lot of men like it too, but some find it difficult to adjust to a more compassionate, and authentic sales process.

Taken in the literal, traditional context... nothing I've suggested should work.

I mean... I suggest getting rid of your sales presentation while allowing the prospect to close themselves. Can’t get much more upside down than that.

Strangely enough, given the ongoing topic, I advise to never ask for the sale, but rather ask the type of questions that gauge your prospects’ willingness and readiness to do business. So, I guess I misspoke when I said I ask for the sale in literal terms.

But, the question I used for the window example in my last post produces a similar result, just in a different way.

The main model of the system I promote is designed to clear a pathway to yes… or uncover the no that was going to happen anyway. You don't want to create a no, but it sure is great when you can uncover a “real no” early in the sales cycle… and move on.

It takes about 8 to 10 weeks to learn this process and then you're off to the races.

Like I said, I know what I suggest seems backwards... and it works like a charm.

Maybe we'll have a chance to hash this out some more in the future.

Now I’m being admonished by my staff for spending too much time on the forum.

I love it… but duty calls.

Warmest regards,

Ike

Ike I don't sell windows but what you posted is true for what I do too. It took me A LOT LONGER than 8 to 10 weeks to learn much of what you posted.

In reading over some of these responses, I must say that I agree with Skip. I would caution any new sales people to remember that sales is a complicated discipline. We need to seek to use principles and strageties to aid us and not make it more complicated and confusing. Theories are great, but in sales it is all about results. I believe in balancing the "Why" with the "How" as that is what makes a sales person a superstar.

Rebuttals: Do They Help Or Hurt Your Sales?

Persuasion and Influence Forum