As a salesperson, your job is to break down your prospect’s resistance by creating a great experience throughout the sales process. However, less successful salespeople often fail to establish a rapport, making buyers think, ”how do I get this person off of my phone!”
The best reps have developed strategies for lowering a prospect’s resistance. This post will explore some causes of buyer resistance and look at four strategies to lower resistance from your first contact.
Sales Resistance Defined
In sales, resistance is one of the most frustrating elements of the process. Resistance is often born out of skepticism, frustration, or unfamiliarity. Here are some of the most common resistant points you’ll experience during your career.
• Prospects are Skeptical – Odds are your prospect doesn’t have a lot of background on your company, product, or service, so they may not trust you out of the gate.
• Prospects are Reluctant to Change – If a prospect is happy with the solution they’re currently employing, why do they need you?
• They Don’t Like Your Sales Process – Sometimes, a prospect simply doesn’t like your process. Your message may rub them the wrong way; your outreach might be too frequent or too scarce.
Overcoming Sales Resistance
Here are some tips for breaking through a prospect’s resistance.
• Drop the Cliches – Most sellers begin their call with cliches which immediately turn off a prospect. Drop the sales-y statements and increase your success rate.
• Let Them Know You Understand Their Business – A prospect’s resistance is often rooted in suspicion. They don’t know you; why should they trust you? Describe how industry peers or businesses of similar scale have seen success with your solution.
• Keep Your Focus on the Prospect – Sales calls are always about the buyer, not you! Remember, your buyer is focused on what’s in it for them.
• Don’t Assume Anything! – Be careful about making broad claims – if your prospect doesn’t know you, they will look for holes. Replace assumptive language with examples and questions to get your prospect talking.
Ultimately your job as a salesperson is to focus on two key elements:
- Your buyer’s needs and goals (not yours!)
- Starting a conversation (get them to open up – don’t start by selling)
Focusing on these two elements will help you to relax and put your prospect at ease. Instead of resistance, you’ll get a warm and productive response.
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