Gain Sales Esteem by Avoiding 2 Common Sales Insecurities

February 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment

 

There are two common missteps that make you lose sales and they are easy to fix once you see the whole picture.

1)    Over talking. (Too much information)

2)    Over comforting people.

Overtalking undermines your good intentions and dilutes your message. Since too much of anything is no good the same goes for lots of explaining. The longer you go the greater the odds for losing them. You think you are being thorough and you might not realize that you are shooting yourself in the foot. Be careful, we ladies are talkers; we say 3x more words per day on average than men. This is good and bad.

We are expressive and make awesome teachers and presenters. Sometimes we get carried away with details and features and skip over what matters to them. Rx. Keep it emotional and factual—short and sweet—let them know what’s the gain?

Tip: A cop once told me how he was trained to handle domestic violence calls. He said what he learned worked on the job and in real life and I never forgot it. Don’t start off super strong because you can’t easily back off. However, you can always ramp up. You can share more information if you are asked for it but you can’t take back what you have already spilled.

 

Over comforting is another deal breaker. Over coddle and you take away the need for a customer to take action. Some empathy is good but too much is counter productive. Since you are empathetic, compassionate and caring it makes you credible, trustworthy and nice to do business with. When it hurts you is when you’ve made a persuasive and strong presentation that strikes a chord and you become uncomfortable and you rush to comfort them. If they pause and verbalize hesitation you don’t need to run to their aid—know that smart people talk out loud and be patient for a few beats.

Avoid a patronizing “Ahhh, I am so sorry…” followed by, “ You don’t really need this.” Or, “You can do it yourself.” That might be true. If you feel it’s mean not to comfort them or that you are being manipulative by illuminating a sore spot—STOP— it’s not. Rx. It’s not for you to decide if they need something or can or can’t do it themselves or afford it. You can help them by selling your product or service and delivering them what you promised.

Tip: If comforting people is what you enjoy doing let me reframe it for you. You can comfort people by making things easy for them, by simplifying their life, their condition, and their situation and demonstrating the transformation they will experience you are half way home. The more comfortable you are with your emotions the more comfy you will be with theirs. Practice sitting with discomfort and watch how things change when you hold your tongue an extra beat.

 

 

Filed Under: chemistry, confidence, good on your feet, mind set, Sales confidence, Sales Savvy, woman entrepreneurs, woman sellers, women and selling Tagged With: , , ,

Eight Simple Ways to Gain Favor

January 24, 2012 By 4 Comments

 

 

Many women want to please and we’ve been told it’s a bad thing. Let me stir the pot today. To find or keep customers being agreeable is a good thing. Agree wherever you can. Finding points of agreement will pay off.  You might ask, “Isn’t that being too soft?” No, you’re stepping into their shoes to see things their way. The intention is to find harmony and that’s powerful. Plus, when you are agreeable it is harder for them to get mad. It’s an automatic decelerator.

So do the opposite of what you might have been taught by tough cookies or what you learned  in Corporate Ville circa 90’s or earlier. They found sport in finding the fraction of disagreement and proving their point. All that does is cause more friction and we (when we are well fed, rested and comfortable with who we are) prefer cooperation to antagonism any day of the week.

Here’s  8 ways to get on the same wavelength.

1)    You get more honey with honey. Leave out the vinegar.

2)    Be sure to rack up “yeses.”

3)    Seek out opportunities to agree without conceding.

4)    Affirm vaguely: “Yes, Elizabeth you have a point there.” “ Yes, Laurie, that was well said.”

5)    Use your body language. Nod your head in affirmation.

6)    Mirror their speed and pitch. When they lower their voice do so too. When they speed up pick up the pace. This subliminally says we’re similar and that is comforting.

7)    Paraphrase and ask, “did I get that right?” and they will confirm or correct you.

8)    Stand up for yourself with humor. It breaks the tension 9 times out of 10.

Here’s to that last point. Last week I spoke at a predominantly male networking group that skewed 45+. I shared that women influence 83% of all purchases so it’s a good idea to learn new things. One guy playfully asked,“ are you saying we should get in touch with our feminine sides?” Just as I was going to come back with something funny  another man said, “ Bob, don’t you listen to everything your wife tells you to do? “ They all laughed and I didn’t need to have the last word… I just smiled.  This won over more than a few of them and the others will never see my point of view so why fight?

This way of being is not being disingenuous. It is not sublimating or being wimpy. It’s diplomatic and a wise strategy. Let me know your diffusion stories.

.

 

 

 

Filed Under: conscious selling, female empowerment, handling objections, Sales for Women, women and selling Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Handling Money Objections

January 10, 2012 By Leave a Comment

 

Many women are budget minded and love a good deal! We want good value. Even when we splurge, we don’t want to be “had.” When we feel “had,” we fume and are likely to blab about it to others.

Remember these common traits when your prospect seems to be stalling because of cost, and MONETIZE the value of your offering.

Monetizing doesn’t necessarily mean saying your product is cheaper than your competitor’s. Monetizing means breaking things down so that cost and value are put into perspective. The buyer may not recognize the value of that “great bundle” unless you explain what it includes.

Closing is easier when you break things down so that prospects grasp what they are getting for their money.

Example: Leslie is selling gym memberships for $49 per month and gets a wide-eyed stare when she mentions the cost. She needs to monetize, break down what the price includes. After learning what her prospect wants from membership, she can detail those items included for the cost—noting the advantages that her gym offers compared to competitors.

Fortunately, Leslie has a great story. That $49 fee includes use of a day spa and two facials and massages a month, on top of the regular workouts. These special extras must be illuminated.

Viva la difference! Point out how your gym doesn’t cost $110 like the Equinox Club nor is it like the bare bones $19 no-name gym down the street. A sentence like: “We aren’t the cheapest or the most expensive,” is a good start, but be sure to explain the great extras the $49 fee includes.

Your prospect is listening for the trick. Stick to facts. “Bait and switch” does long-run damage and creates awful ripple effects. So, if it’s not a limited time offer, be sure to let your prospect know the terms. Say: “That package is good for a year from the day you sign.”

Naturally, you need to ask your customer questions about her workouts and how much she indulges on self-care, but that’s another blog post.

For now, Ms. Seller—be sure to remind yourself what a terrific value you offer and that you are going to help your customer see the wisdom of the purchase. Then you will be in the zone.

 

 

Filed Under: Closing, confidence, woman entrepreneurs, woman sellers Tagged With: , , ,
« Older Posts