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No is an excuse not to say YES, why your marketing needs to give the customer control.

Time wasters are the bane of any businesses existence the cost us in lost time and wages, take us away from what we were focused on at the time, some are just browsing for quotes, others getting prices so they can buy on ebay, what if there was a strategy to turn NO into an asset?

There are 3 types of NO

 

No as a stalling tactic in the sales process, so the customer can take a breath and feel that they are controlling the sale process.

No you don’t have what I’m after, we’ll discuss these two in detail, and,

No, you as a business owner DONT want them as a client.

Not every sale should be closed as some will just result in loss of profit. Sales cost money, and this has to be a factor when deciding to take the clients money. The cost of chasing slow or bad payers, project over run,  and if you are a service the worst is TIME creep,

You need to realize that it is ok to say no, so you can focus your efforts on find the right customers who will pay you fair value for your product or service.

So “No” as a stall and “No” as in you don’t have what I’m after, it’s time now to understand the importance of “Getting to Yes”

Firstly we need to actually stop selling, sounds crazy I know, but to get really good at “Closing” you need to start at the beginning and ignore everything you have been taught about sales, and Learn the art of listening.

Definition of an argument is two people sharing their ignorance, in selling you are no better, as soon as the person stops talking you can wait to shove an answer down their throat and prove what an expert you are.

So what is the solution?

Marketing isn’t just promoting your business using adverts, it is also how you greet and communicate with the customer internally, one way to loose a lead is when the phone rings, here is a tip that will help you with your telephone marketing and conversion skills.

When the phone rings grab a “blank” piece of paper an at the top write

I know its weird but it works.

In most instances they may have used Dr Google to look up a solution to their problem, or a friend, cousin, uncle, insert relationship in here, has told them they need such and such, so dam it that’s what they want, regardless if that is wrong.

Worse you sell it to them and it doesn’t do the job, NOW it’s YOUR FAULT!

Let me clarify something, i know you are an expert at such and such, but NOBODY CARES, what they care about is their problem which is a secret and unless you get them to open up and share it, you have a bugger all chance of “Closing the sale”.

Ask the client what exactly they are trying to achieve?

Clear you mind of the temptation to blurt out the first answer that drops in your head, instead take lots of notes, now the magic part, when they finish, don’t just paraphrase it back, say these words,

“Just so I understand, the problem you are having is,”

“And your concerns are:”

“So if we took care of those issues, would that be important to you?”

Or

“I understand you are looking for “xyz”, but what is it you trying to do? Chances are their mate, friend, cousin, etc. has one and they want one too, even if it’s not suitable for their need.

Strangely enough you are now 90% there in the closing process, it is highly unlikely you’ll get a “no” at this stage, if you do simply ask, What is it that I have misunderstood so that I can help you.

There I said it “help them” solve their problem, which has created work in chasing up quotes, to them this has been a pain in the backside, the first person to really listen to their problem, and “ask for the sale” will get it.

If you get a No, I’m just “shopping around” this is a great chance at a test close.

Try this, ask “When do you need this by?”

“If we can do that for you would that be important to you?”

Then try this:

“Why don’t we schedule in that date (insert date/time here), then you can get the authorisation you need, I can call you tomorrow to confirm, will that work for you?”

You have now solved the anxiety of finding a solution by the deadline you have, clearly understand the problem, frustration, and pain that they have been going through, and MORE IMPORTANTLY you were more than likely the first person to really listen to their concern and not SELL them something.

So next time the phone rings or a customer walks in, try actively listening to their issue, after all they have come to you as they feel you can help them, now the sale is yours to loose.

 Stop Selling and Start Solving…..