Table of Contents
SALES IS A TRANSFER of emotion, not information. Of course, there is a transfer of information, but the crucial part of any sales transaction is how we make our customer feel. Salespeople can say brilliant things and still not get the order because they sound terrible saying them. Master Sellers sometimes say things that taken out of context can sound stupid or crazy but in the moment of the sales call they say them with such confidence that their customer believes them and feels right about making the purchase.
Confidence is key. I tell my students all the time, “Your customer doesn’t know the difference between you and the best salesperson on your team unless you let them know.” This is not to say that we lie; we don’t say, “I am the number one salesperson at my company,” but we act and speak with the confidence of the Master Seller. This is called acting “As If” we are killing it even when we are on a cold streak or just starting in our career.
Is there a delicate balance between confidence and arrogance? Yes, but most sellers are so concerned with sounding arrogant that they bend over backwards to not sound so and sound timid and uncertain, transferring this emotion to their customer. It is difficult, if not impossible to give our money, time, and attention to someone who sounds “as if” they don’t believe in what they are promoting.
Prospecting
Looking for new business is arguably the most challenging thing we do as salespeople. How we deal with the objections we get when trying to get someone who doesn’t know us to take us into their rotation of suppliers is daunting.
“I’m happy with my current suppliers,” “I buy direct,” “Your company burned me in the past” are some of the many objections we face when prospecting.
Most sellers are not ready to overcome these objections. They are not prepared and so they “wing” their responses off the top of their head and sound like it. The Master Seller, on the other hand, is ready. They know what they are going to say and thus can concentrate on how they sound—confident—and transfer this feeling to their potential customers. Does the Master Seller convert every new customer they try to sell? No, but their percentage of conversion is much higher.
“You’re Too High”
This is easily the most common objection we get in sales. Most sellers sound defeated by this objection. “When we get beat, get curious” is what I tell my students. We don’t sound defeated or aggressive, but curious. Ask questions. Often customers are talking about a product that is only vaguely similar to what we are promoting. The tally, quality, shipment might not be of the same value. In up markets customers could be giving us a price they heard three weeks ago.
Most sellers’ next move is to say, “Well is there anything else you are buying?” This question is fine but if, after thorough questioning we realize that our customer has made a better purchase, we ask (with confidence), “If I could get you a couple of trucks with a similar tally and the same price, would you buy a couple from me?” You will be surprised how often they say yes.
Closing
Most sellers don’t ask for the order. Shocking but true. The majority of sellers present product and wait for the customer to decide.
Quotron: “I’ve got a truck of 2×4 14’s I can get into you for $550/MBF.” Then silently wait for the customer to decide.
Or even worse,
Quotron: “I’ve got a truck of 2×4 14’s I can get into you for $550/MBF, Whaddya think of that price?”
Master Sellers, on the other hand, have convinced themselves before they make the call that what they are offering is a good/great deal and is ready to promote their deal and ask for the order, again, with confidence.
Master Seller: “Susan, I’ve got a great deal on three trucks of 2×4 16’s. The market is moving, they are out of a mill you love, and they get into you at $570/MBF, which is a great price in this market. Do you want to put on all three?”
Sales is a transfer of emotion. Be confident and sell more.
