Part 5: “She’s So Cold”
In Part 4 of this series, we discussed how listening is such an integral part of the sales process. Most clients just want to be heard. They want to know that you understand their challenges and that you have a solution to relieve their pain. Showing up for a meeting with a self-focused agenda and not taking the time to really understand your clients’ needs will never lead to a strong, long-term relationship.
“I’m so hot for her, I’m so hot for her, I’m so hot for her and she’s so cold …” – Emotional Rescue, 1980
We all know what it feels like to uncover that perfect client. You know the one … tons of potential new business that no one on the team has ever been able to close. The account got moved to you because your Manager believes “you are THE ONE” to close the deal. Of course, you’re the one to close this business – you’ve got this! You get the appointment, meet with the decision maker to understand needs, you present a solution, and BOOM – you know this deal is in the bag! In fact, you’ve already started spending your commission check. You then call to get the appointment to sign the contract and suddenly, your contact is not returning your calls, emails, or texts … crickets! Panic sets in – more calls, more emails, more texts, and still … crickets! What just happened? How can a prospect go from hot to cold so quickly?
More often than not, this is a result of the salesperson not understanding the behavior style of the decision maker and failing to present the information in a way that they can understand, digest and feel confident in making the decision. This is one of the most difficult habits for salespeople to adopt – recognizing how to present information in a way that resonates with a prospective client.
Learning to pay attention to cues that tell you about a decision maker’s behavior style can go a long way in helping you land that sale. A couple of things to look for include:
- How does the decision maker greet you? Are they warm and talkative, or distant and cool? If the decision maker is distant and cool, this might be a clue that they need data to help them make their decisions. It might also help to “tone down” your enthusiasm and try to speak about your products in terms of “facts” versus “feelings.”
- What sort of questions do they ask? Are they more general in nature, or specific? If a decision maker asks questions that are more general in nature, they probably are more relational in their decision making. They’ve done the research, have a high level of understanding of the options, and are really looking for the company that’s the best “fit.”
There are a lot of resources out there to help you learn about behavior styles, and here are just a few:
Being able to quickly assess how your potential client likes to process information and then possessing the ability to adjust to their specific behavior and buying style is critical in today’s selling environment. The most successful salespeople take the time to understand where their potential client is coming from and how they process information in order to make a buying decision.
In Part 6 of this blog series, we’ll explore a Rolling Stones classic – “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” … but if you try sometimes, you get what you need! Stay tuned for Part 6 …
