If you’re a salesperson and you’re wary of meeting a new prospect to try to sell to them, this article is for you! Every prospect you meet is different and an individual has their own ways of arriving at a purchase decision. These ways sometimes depend on their intrinsic nature, perhaps the way they communicate interpersonally and some of it may also be biased by the success and failure of their past decisions.
We’ve come up with this second installment of helpful tips on how you can know which kind of prospect you are meeting in the first few minutes of your conversation. Tips that will help you decipher what could be your prospect’s most important decision filters, their decision-making process, and how to best tackle their questions & objections. Read on.
The “Indecisive” prospects
If you’re a salesperson, it’s no secret that managing indecisive prospects sounds like a nightmare. It can be difficult enough to keep track of your established clientele, let alone try to work with prospects who don’t know what they want or when they want it.
But before you give up on these potential buyers, remember these tips for dealing with indecisive prospects so they do become clients.
1. Check your approach
The first thing you may want to look at is your own selling style.
For example, are you in a hurry to make your next sale? Do you get impatient with prospects who ask too many questions? Your approach is going to be crucial for success with Indecisive prospects, so have adequate information about your buyer and be sure to have the right sales persona.
2. Slow down the process
Another thing you might try is slowing down the sales process so that it doesn’t get rushed or hurried through. The more the prospect like what they are hearing, the more they want to buy. Allow them to question and be patient.
By taking things slow, you can save yourself from getting into an adversarial position that you didn’t even want to begin with.
3. Know your buyers
Another way to deal with indecisive prospects is to learn more about your potential buyer so that you can better tailor your messages and presentations. For example, if you are selling a product to a prospect who is likely to be buying for an outdoor sporting or recreational activity, speak to their interests or hobbies that they will find easy to relate to. Simply put – tailor your messaging..
4. Be flexible
Another thing you should try is being flexible with your presentation methods and strategies. It might be visual or aural or in person – you need to know which works best with these prospects and ensure that you use that approach.
5. The “obnoxious” prospects
There are lots of different ways to deal with obnoxious prospects, depending on what you are selling, the prospect’s style, and the kind of results you want to have. Below are just a few different strategies that are often successful.
There are two types of people who fall into this category for customers–the ones who are just rude and the others who may be going through a genuinely one-off bad day. Both can be frustrating and they both present their challenges in the sales process, but there are differences in how you go about dealing with them.
Here are a few tips to deal with obnoxious prospects.
- Be empathetic
The Art of Empathy is the key to successful client relationships. Once you recognize what the other person wants & feels, try to put yourself In that position. This ability helps create the connection and the foundation of trust.
- Acknowledge
Sometimes agreeing with a prospect may add fuel to the fire, but If you acknowledge their position and shift the conversation to the resolution, you may shift away from the ranting and toward a solution for their given complaint.
The “Big Shot” Prospects
Do you have a big-shot prospect in sales? How do you deal with them? Here are some great ideas on how to go about it.
To start, it is important to identify what your goals are and set the tone of the meeting. In most situations, the big shot prospect is looking for a solution to their problems. That is what you have to focus on. If they have a particular problem or issue, use that as an opportunity to get yourself in front of them. The big shot will be thinking about how your company can help them solve their problem so listen carefully and offer ideas on how your company can help them out. That way you can get a better idea of what they are looking for. Hence, the meeting will be more productive and beneficial for both parties.
Secondly, it is imperative to have a strong presence. To have a great presentation, it has to be unique and original so your prospect will pay attention to what you have to say. You don’t want them zoning out or falling asleep because that would mean that you wasted your time and theirs too. Also, the presentation should be polished and professional so there are no errors in grammar or spelling.
Conclusion
Have you found yourself frustrated with prospects who can’t commit to your company or for that special someone that just isn’t into you? The truth is, they aren’t the problem. You probably just need a new approach.
That’s why we’ve put together this blog post which covers 3 different types of prospect conclusions and what you should do if they happen to pop up in your business. We hope you find it useful.
Happy Selling!
1 Comment
Thank you very much for sharing, I learned a lot from your article. Very cool. Thanks. nimabi