Maximum Selling

…some salespeople are reluctant to ask for the sale because they are afraid to hear the word “No.” Becky explained how a few of the Oak Leaf salespeople were not able to achieve the level of success they wanted because of their fear. Subconsciously, they were willing to give up income in order avoid possible rejection. Rob recognized himself doing this. He had a difficult time with the whole issue of rejection. In fact, he was often tempted not to close at all. On the other hand, Bob was likely to close too early. He would jump the gun and ask for the order before completing the other steps that naturally lead to the close. Becky explained, “Prospects say no for all kinds of reasons. Rarely do they say ‘No’ because they are rejecting you as a salesperson. Certain prospects have a stronger need for our products than others.” Getting a ‘No’ can be a good thing. Becky said, “Being told ‘No’ from a prospect is a hundred times better than hearing ‘maybe.’ Prospects often have a hard time sharing with us the ‘bad’ news they already know.” Many prospects hope we will just fade away so they do not have to deal with a confrontation. Allow them to ‘save face’ at the same time they are saying ‘No’.”

Rob knew that even the best salespeople do not always close the sale. His training has taught him that one of the keys to sales success is to filter through and identify those most likely to buy. Top performers can determine strong prospects based on their need and ability to purchase. Rob remembered one of the coffee meetings after work with Bob and Becky. He had just been told “No” three times that day. Rob took it very hard until Becky pointed out that perhaps he was trying to close the wrong people. By dealing with unqualified prospects, Rob was unable to avoid rejection. Often times, lower level prospect contacts are easy to get appointments with but may not have the power to make decisions. As a result, Rob was not getting a lot of direct contact with key decision-makers.