In the midst of the sales cycle, you may not immediately recognize customer concerns as opportunities, but the good news is that the customer is still engaged. This can be a gift. You have a continuing chance to guide your prospect from a negative to a positive situation. The trick is in acknowledging the concerns in a helpful way and keeping the conversation going.
When you encounter resistance, don’t be in a hurry to exit the conversation. Instead, probe to uncover the reason that the customer is balking. Let’s say they prefer to stay with their current service provider rather than consider hiring you. You might be tempted to badmouth the competition. But if you rely upon your consultative selling training to find out more, you may discover a way to truly differentiate yourself and your offering in an area that gives you the upper hand.
1. Acknowledge how important it is to have a sound and trusting relationship with business partners.
2. Ask if there is one thing they would change about the way they work with their current provider.
3. The answer may lead you to a particular strength of your solution over the competition’s and keep the door open for further discussion.
Here’s another example. Sometimes a customer will not want to talk with you because they have heard negative things about your company, approach or price point.
1. Don’t argue and don’t explain.
2. At first, just acknowledge and listen. Listening well is what makes communication effective.
3. Then try to figure out the source of the problem. It may just be a misunderstanding. Gather the facts. Is there a way you can rebuild your own credibility and the reputation of your company? Perhaps you can provide testimonials from similar customers.
Whatever you do, act the professional and put the client first. Whether or not you rescue this particular sale, your job is to represent yourself and your company in a way that builds trust and reflects well on your business integrity. Leave your prospect with a good impression of your understanding of their concerns and they will speak well of you to others and may return the next time they need the services you provide.
Learn more by going to http://www.lsaglobal.com/solution-selling-training
