From Brad McDonald, Operations Director at Sandler Training
Are you capable of making one single positive change to your selling behavior?
When you last went shopping for a big-ticket item, were you a bit nervous, did you have any concerns? Probably so. We usually worry, at least a little bit, that we might make a buying mistake. Am I getting the best price? Are they taking me to the cleaners? Will my friends tell me I could have gotten a better deal?
Fear may be the most powerful motivator affecting your buyers’ decisions. However, in their effort to maintain an image of power and control, buyers will be reluctant to share their true anxieties and concerns with you. You’ll increase your sales production when you help buyers discover and overcome their fears, show that you are sensitive to those issues, and then lead those buyers to the conclusion that your product will replace their fear with peace of mind. Here are some fears that can haunt your prospects as they go through the buying process.
Fear of the unknown. People sometimes don’t like what they have, but they know what they have. Many prefer the security of a painful status quo over the risk of an unknown future.
Fear of regret. To prevent buyer’s remorse, deal with it at the time of the sale. After you’ve completed the paperwork, have one more conversation with your new customer. “George, you’ve just made a big decision and a big purchase. I want to make sure you’re not having any doubts about the decision you made here today.”
Fear of losing self-esteem. Everybody wants to feel OK about themselves. Setting forth this premise reminds me of an event that occurred 15 years ago: A friend laughing at me when I told him how much I had paid for a new car and I quickly felt NOT OK about myself. It was hard to enjoy my car after that. Making a wrong decision - real or perceived - can cause self-esteem to plummet.
Fear of relinquishing control. Buyers want to feel in control and maintain the upper hand in the sales process. If you interfere with this control you will elevate their fear. People feel manipulated when they’re “sold” something. When it’s their choice, buyers remain committed to a purchase decision.
Deal with your prospect’s fears, honestly and openly in a sales call and you will eliminate many of the stalls, objections, and put-offs that can later halt a sale.
Interested in becoming more successful in sales? Click here to learn about the 2017 Sandler Annual Sales and Leadership Conference in Orlando, FL, March 9 & 10
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