There are people out there who are ready to hand you their money.
True!
But there are also people who are not even aware they have a problem that you can solve, so it will take more time for you to make them want your product or service. That’s why it’s important to know that not all prospects are the same.
This is obvious.
Yet, almost all salespeople treat all potential buyers the same way.
What you say to a prospect, and how to say it should be unique, based on where they are at as a buyer. Because each prospect is at a certain point in the buyer’s journey.
What is a buyer’s journey?
It’s a cognitive process that the buyers go through to become aware of, evaluate (the product/service), and make the buying decision. They are categorized into 4 categories:
1. Desperate Buyers
These are the buyers that have been looking for what you offer and they needed it yesterday. They are ready to buy whatever it is you’re selling and they are the easiest to sell to. You simply ask the call-to-action question:
- How many would you like?
- How soon do you want it?
- How would you like to pay for it?
- How do you want it delivered?
Know them and treat them accordingly by focusing on answering their questions and saying very little.
About 3% of your prospects will be desperate buyers.
2. The Not-So Desperate Buyers
They are neither desperate nor in a hurry. They want to think it over. They are receptive to buying but may not show it. They are interested and may say, “Not right now.” But they are willing to listen and check it out. Given the right offer and the right approach, they will buy. To sell to them, you simply need to know what they want, and effectively position yourself and your product to match that need. Add urgency to nudge them along. Apply step 4 & 5 of the sales process and you’ll get them.
3. The Mild No
They say no, but it’s a mild rejection. It’s not a “hell no”. They are not firm and they don’t give the impression that they might change their mind. They say things like “Not right now” or “I’d love to, but no.” They have a legitimate objection that you need to uncover and handle–step 7 of the sales process. Maybe there is something they don’t like, or are not impressed by your offer. Maybe they don’t like what you are saying (your approach). Whatever it is, you need to work on removing that obstacle before you can get ahead.
These Mild No buyers can be turned into Yes Buyers with the right skill.
4. The Absolutely No
These people either don’t have the need for your product, dislike your offer, or hate your guts. Dig deeper to find out which one it is. If they don’t have the need for your offer, ask them if they know someone who does. It’s absolutely pointless to try to convince this buyer. You may get the sale eventually if you are very persuasive, or apply pressure, but they’ll hate you for it and definitely will not mention you to their friends. If it’s the case of dislike or hate, you can actually use this to your advantage and do a repair action (sort of a public relation job to change their views). I teach how to handle this type in my advance coaching.
Selling to any these types is not rocket science, but you do need to know how to do it.
