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The Truth Behind Linear Selling:
Why It Can Make Prospects Run
The Other Way
By Ari Galper, Founder of Unlock The Game™
Sean works for a major telecom company.
During one of our coaching sessions on how to master Unlock The Game™, he told me, "I've been diligent about following the sales process that my company believes is required
to make a sale -- but, for some strange reason, my prospects don't want to fit into that process.
What am I doing wrong?"
Sean's comment struck me because it spoke to years of traditional selling programs that promote linear selling -- moving prospects along from one step to another until
they say yes -- as a "guarantee" of sales success.
But there's an inherent conflict here.
Linear selling says that you have to impose a predetermined structure on building a relationship -- but that's by definition an unstructured process!
Suppose that the "next step" isn't what the prospect wants?
"Wait a minute," you might say. "What matters most is that I put as many prospects as possible into my sales process, and hopefully some of them will turn into sales."
If you're thinking that way, it's definitely time for you to consider a different way of thinking.
Of course you can make sales using linear selling -- but you'll never know how many sales you're losing week after week because you're wearing the "blinders" of traditional selling.
If we fail to tune in to the natural rhythm of trust-building when two strangers become involved in developing a relationship...or if we try to force prospects into our process, we make the relationship about us and not them, whether we intend to or not.
And prospects sense that and pull back, because structured, linear sales processes don't recognize the human elements required to build the relationships that ultimately lead to sales.
Before a sale can happen, prospects need to feel that you're comfortable moving at their pace and their process.
If you try to force changes in that process, you'll only set off alarms that will pigeonhole you with the negative stereotype of "salesperson."
That's why I advised Sean to work on becoming aware of the milestones that prospects set and that will guide his path to a sale.
He needed to learn to build enough trust with prospects that they would feel comfortable telling him the truth of their process and their decision making path.
"I totally accept the principles behind what you're saying," Sean then told me, "but I need to know more specifics about what to say and do in a sales situation." Here are some suggestions I gave him:
* Integrate trust-building language into your conversations with prospects
so they'll feel comfortable telling you where they are at in their process.
For example, saying "Where do you think we should go from here?" invites
them to tell you the truth, while "Why don't we set up a next appointment
to discuss our next steps" gives the impression that you're trying to take control.
* Rather than asking prospects overtly what their decision making process is,
use softer language that they can understand from their perspective, for example,
"What specific gates do you anticipate you'll need to go through as you consider
the proposition of purchasing the software to solve the business issues we discussed?"
* Don't probe or "fish" for prospects' "pain" as part of your sales process.
Prospects have learned through long experience that the appearance of caring
is usually a verbal ploy designed to move the sale forward according to the
salesperson's agenda. Instead, speak genuinely and with sincerity to what you
know their core business issues are. You can find out what these are by getting
in touch with customers who have already bought your product or service and asking,
"What three or four business issues drove your decision to buy our product?"
Chances are, your new prospect will be dealing with similar concerns.
Consider these ideas, and try these practical suggestions. They helped Sean
feel better about letting go of the old ideas he'd been taught.
Maybe they'll do the same for you.
To Your Success,
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Is Selling Painful For You?
It's not your fault -- and there is a better way
Is this how selling is
starting to feel like for you?
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Old "tried and true" cold calling and sales techniques that were once successful have completely lost their effectiveness over the years. That's why I developed a new sales mindset and cold calling approach that will quickly and automatically put you ahead of the game and instantly in a league above your competition.
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OLD SALES GURU MYTH # 1 - "Cold calling is a numbers game." But, sales is only a numbers game when all you know is traditional selling. Yes, you can call people over and over, chase them until they listen to you so that you just go away. However there is a better - easier method of building trust and getting your product or service message across - all on one call. Simply by changing your sales approach you'll make FEWER CALLS and MORE SALES.
OLD SALES GURU MYTH # 2 - "Use a sales script to cold call." People can tell when you're reading from a script, even if you think you're pretty good at it and getting away with it. There's nothing personal about it and people can pick that up. Being artificial just puts you into the typical "Salesperson" category. If you can learn to get your message across in a different way, you'll eliminate the negative triggers that can lose your sale within seconds.
OLD SALES GURU MYTH # 3 - "Focus on closing the sale." Are you "going in for the kill" with your closing sale technique? - If you are, you could end up killing your deal instead. Old sales techniques do nothing more than pressure the client or prospect, and as a result they naturally want to retreat away from that pressure - and that pressure is you. By learning to avoid the "push and pull" dynamic between you and your prospect, you'll be able to move the sales process forward to get the result you want.
Welcome to Unlock The Game™
Unlock The Game is a radically honest sales and cold calling approach based on integrity and common sense. It challenges traditional sales thinking and helps you achieve better sales results.
It's the missing link -- a new mindset and language that converts selling into a natural conversation between you and your prospect.It offers you a new way of thinking about selling, from cold calling -- the most dreaded selling experience of all -- to the end of the sales process.
You don't have to abandon the selling skills you already know -- Unlock The Game gives you a new approach and new tools to help you let go of old behaviors that bring you negative results.
It's incredibly effective.
Best of all, it's easy to learn.
"Unlock The Game is a breakthrough that takes the rejection out of cold calling"
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"In a new age of frustrating and difficult selling challenges, more specifically the fear of cold calling, and starting new conversations without feeling rejected, Unlock The Game gives us all the answers to a natural way of engaging new prospects over the phone. Keep up the good work Ari!"
Brian Tracy is a leading authority on personal and business success. As Chairman and CEO of Brian Tracy International, he is the best-selling author of 17 books and over 300 audio and video learning programs. |
Brian Tracy |
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