| As a business owner or sales professionals we put | | | | have a fear. It could be the fear of wasting money, |
| customer service as one of our top priorities. After all | | | | fear of looking stupid to co-workers or any other |
| if a prospect isn't happy prior to making a purchase | | | | number of fears. Get to the root of their real problem |
| they certainly won't become a customer! Unfortunately | | | | to save you time and get closer to the sale. |
| many prospects know this and so they end up abusing | | | | Stop Answering Questions |
| you for help. | | | | You can answer questions, once the prospect has |
| There are prospects out there that will waste | | | | signed on the dotted line to become a customer. |
| countless hours of your time. They will ask you | | | | When they are merely a prospect I challenge you to |
| question after question about your product or service | | | | stop answering their questions. To get closer to the |
| offering, the competition, and maybe even schedule | | | | sale requires that you become the interviewer. The |
| appointments with you. Sadly these prospects rarely | | | | only way to be the interviewer is when you are in |
| buy. They are just happy to waste your time and | | | | control and asking the questions. It sounds challenging |
| always come up with an excuse like "it's not in the | | | | at first; however, the more control you take the better |
| budget right now, but I see the value or", "let me run | | | | your conversion rate will be. |
| this by "X person" and then we can get going". | | | | Take for example the world of copier sales. This |
| To eliminate these time wasters and get to those who | | | | cut-throat price battle has just a few major |
| will make the right decision of investing in what you are | | | | competitors many times business owners shop on |
| offering I invite you to consider the following: | | | | who can be the cheapest. When a prospect calls a |
| Be Less Helpful | | | | copier salesman they often ask the following question: |
| Being less helpful doesn't mean, be rude. Being less | | | | "How much does XYZ copier cost?" |
| helpful simply means being helpful on your terms. Stop | | | | Salesman: "Great let me look that up for you, while I do |
| wasting time researching the competition for your | | | | have you just started researching copiers?" |
| client, or putting together endless spreadsheets of | | | | Immediately the salesman puts himself in control by |
| analysis, get to the root of their problem. The prospect | | | | asking a question! The more questions the salesman |
| only continues to ask for information because they | | | | asks the better chance he has at the sale. |
