Nov
2011
Do not create resistant donkeys!
In a webinar we presented for the second time today, Trish Bertuzzi and Cliff Pollan offer tips for helping B2B salespeople win at the game of “Prospect Hide & Seek”. They talk about keeping prospects engaged in all steps of the selling process to avoid the salesperson’s nightmare of “being left out alone in the dark”.
While Bertuzzi and Pollan share many things you can do, they also emphatically stress one thing not to do: “Do not create resistant donkeys!”
How many of you have defaulted to using the weak sales tactics described below (my mnemonic: WEAC) when trying to “convince” a prospect to break from the status quo and purchase your product?
- Warning of consequences for not changing
- Explaining how change should occur
- Arguing for the benefits of your solution
- Convincing someone they need to make a change
STOP!
Psychological research tells us WEAC sales tactics may very well halt whatever momentum in the sales process you’ve established by causing your prospect to behave like a donkey digging in its heels.
Why? The reason has to do with a natural tendency we all have to be apprehensive about change. Prospects, for example, often worry about selecting the very best solution or how a change might impact employee relationships, increase costs or demand more of their time. Pushed externally, a prospect may feel even more off balance. The more out of control a prospect feels, the more likely he or she is to gravitate back to a place of security—the status quo.
Remember, resistance is natural in the sales process. The mere existence of it does not suggest something wrong. The takeaway here is that the relational stance the salesperson takes can either strengthen or reduce this natural tendency.
Q: So what can you as salesperson do to minimize natural resistance and keep your prospect actively engaged in the “daylight” of your sales nurturing?
A: Put the prospect in charge of the change process. Use STRONG sales tactics (another mnemonic coined by me!) to facilitate keeping the prospect actively engaged:
- Support the change process by asking questions, listening and reflecting
- Trust the prospect’s perspective on the pros/cons of change, and the risks/benefits of the solutions available
- Respect how difficult the change process can be
- Offer encouragement for change if the prospect decides to take action
- No judgment—allow all issues to be on the table
- Guide, but do not drive the process—motivation for change needs to come from within your prospect
What sales tactics have you tried to prevent your prospect from becoming a resistant donkey?
Peggy Kriss, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist in Newton, Massachusetts and a consultant to VisibleGains. Stay tuned for more psychology informed blogs by Dr. Kriss.
For years I have used the W.E.A.C. methodology which had been touted by sales gurus as a means to move a prospect through the sales cycle. Inherently, I would push harder when a potential customer showed reluctance to move forward.
It all came to a head when I met with the CEO and his executive team to “sell” him on our services. I had been coached by the Director of Sales, the SVP of Operations and the SVP of Sales and Marketing before I met with the CEO and his team.
To put in bluntly, I blew it. I felt I had been prepared enough to know what he needed to do and had his executive team in agreement with the services we were proposing. I walked him through his present situation, followed by a gap analysis, then closed with these are the steps you need to take. I was met with resistance and I was stunned and became adamant but respectful about why he should move forward.
Thankfully, he was called out of the room which gave me time to regroup as well as gain perspective and additional coaching from his team. When the CEO came back, I apologized and then started to ask more questions and got his perspective of how difficult it was for him to adopt change.
After what seemed like an enternity, the CEO felt his needs were being heard and became more open to our suggestions. Without knowing that we were working through the STRONG methodology, our team became more of a partner for change and guided the CEO and his team to a solution that worked in their best interests.
Jon, Thanks for sharing a real live experience with us. It really helps others to see how they can use this approach. Peggy