"If you don't design your own life plan, chances are you'll fall into someone else's plan. And guess what they may have planned for you? Not much." The Process Greetings!
A reader emailed me in response to a trial close (or temperature-checking question) he had seen in one of my newsletters or books. It was, "It's a pretty good offer ... what do you think?"
His comments:
"You know how much I like your sales tips and advice. I use and teach it every day, so you understand I'm not picking on you. Be that as it may, your line above is weak. The answer could be a 'no' or 'I don't know, what else can you do?' I suggest 'There's a lot of real value in this offer, how do you feel about it so far?' I always want to know how they feel, not how they think."
I believe I wrote a tip years ago actually recommending saying the same thing: asking people how they feel vs. think, supposedly because you'll get a better answer. But now that I'm older, wiser, and with thinner hair, I've revisited that thought and come up with another view. Realistically, would someone actually go through a thought process where they say, "Hmmm, he asked what I think, therefore I won't say how I really feel, and I'll give a different answer."?
I doubt it.
The most important factor here is what led up to the question that put them into that frame of mind, at the very instant the question is asked. Let's face it, the closing or commitment question simply gets them to divulge their mindset -- at that moment -- it doesn't change it.
As salespeople--or in any role we play as communicators, now that I think about it--there's not one technique that magically and instantly alters someone's total state of mind like a hypnotist. (Although I get questions every day from people who are searching for it.)
No, the real key to sales and persuasive success, on the phone or face-to-face, is in the entire PROCESS. Using the context of the professional sales call, that process involves,
1. Your Opening. The result of a good one is putting someone in a positive, receptive frame of mind and moving them to the questioning phase of the call.
2. Questioning. Here, we help move them more into a frame of mind where they not only give us information, but also think about their problems, pains, or desires. Then they are much more likely to be receptive to our next step.
3. Recommendation. Just like a doctor, we prescribe the appropriate solution for their situation. But notice, it comes after the questioning.
4. Commitment. This is where we simply validate everything that has taken place up to this point. Theoretically, if we've done a stellar job thus far, they would volunteer the sale--which does happen, albeit not often enough for any of us. Therefore we still do need to ask. But if I were a new salesperson starting out, I wouldn't focus all of my self-improvement time on learning "closing techniques" at the expense of the other steps in the process. After all, if a person went up to a stranger in a bar, it wouldn't make much difference whether he said, "How would you feel about marrying me?" or "What would you think about marrying me?"
On the other hand, if they were dating for quite some time and the person was wildly in love with the other, it wouldn't matter how the question was ultimately phrased, as long as it was asked.
Don't get me wrong, incorrect word usage can cause your sales demise, and I've helped lots of people make plenty of money by choosing the right words to evoke the emotions and actions they are looking for. But successful sales is using the right words, within the process. Do that, and I'm confident that you'll...
have your best week ever!
Art QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"Experience is not what happens to you. Experience is what you do with what happens to you."
Aldous Huxley
CONTACT INFORMATION and REPRINT PERMISSION
Contact: Art Sobczak
President, Business By Phone Inc.
Editor and Publisher, TELEPHONE SELLING REPORT newsletter
13254 Stevens St.
Omaha, NE 68137
(402)895-9399
Fax (402)896-3353
Or, e-mail to arts@businessbyphone.com
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