Written by Sean McPheat | 
Many salespeople who attend our Sales Training regularly ask us:
How do I overcome price objections?
What should I do with someone who ignores my emails?
These questions and countless others often show salespeople are looking at sales from an old, out-of-date, perspective.
These days, it isn’t about how good you are at selling; it’s about how good you are at determining the needs and wants of your buyers.
And this means seeing things from their point of view. It means knowing what buyers would tell you if you would only listen.
So, here are some tips that buyers would tell you, to make your life easier when you approach a new or existing prospect:
Make your website informative and interesting, so I can quickly approach you.
Most websites are on-line brochures, and many buyers want to make their decisions before making contact with you.
Give me reasons to contact you, rather than cold-calling me when I have no interest in what you have.
This means making your product offering so compelling, the buyer has no choice but to want to contact you.
If you DO cold-call me, don’t waste my time.
Prove that you are interested in me by talking about my business
Do your research about me before contacting me.
If the buyer feels you have taken the time to find out salient facts about them before contact, they will maybe give you a listening ear.
Listen to my needs. Then listen again. Then listen some more.
Buyers often say that many salespeople like the sound of their own voice so much, they spend much of the time just gushing about the product. Be aware that you learn nothing when you are speaking; you only learn when you listen.
Talk my language.
Buyers are not interested in your products or services. Read that again. They are not interested. What they are interested in is what your products and services will do for them or their business.
Don’t patronise me.
The days of complimenting buyers on their family photos or other personal memorabilia is long past. Weave it in after business has been discussed, if necessary, but don’t try to ingratiate yourself into a buyer’s good books by being overly gracious.
If sending me an email, don’t try and sell me something.
You don’t know whether there is a need or want, so trying to sell in a cold email with often end up being deleted before being completed.
Receive a 19-page personalised report on the findings
Get an analysis of how you sell along with
some recommendations on how to improve
Convince me of the results I will obtain, personally and as a business.
Buyers buy the chance of a better future, so be aware of times when you start highlighting your product over the results your products will produce.
Don’t sell to me; make it easy for me to buy.
Let the buyer recognise how their business would be better off with your company as a supplier than without you. But do it by talking about them, not the products.
Make anything you talk about specific to me or my business.
The moment you use generic speak, you force the buyer to do the hard work of applying the information to their own business. Discuss how the product would be specific to them.
Tell me how your products and services have benefited other, similar companies.
Buyers will be interested in results obtained by other companies using your products, but don’t over-exaggerate for effect. It will come back and bite you.
Help me with my marketing of my business, and I will partner with you for life.
Many buyers will become extremely loyal to suppliers who help them make their business successful. So assist them where you can to improve their business, and they will share their success with you.
If I have an objection, don’t resort to tricks and techniques.
Buyers can see these a mile away, and they will know you have been on a training course. Instead, listen intently to the reason behind the objection, and work with that instead.
Don’t assume that I will only be interested in price.
It is important to buyers, but very few buy ONLY on price. There are many other components that buyers take into consideration before making a choice.
Don’t sell to me; make it easy for me to buy.
Let the buyer recognise how their business would be better off with your company as a supplier than without you. But do it by talking about them, not the products.
Don’t resort to ‘closing’ tricks.
Buyers can see them a mile away. The ‘puppy-dog close’ the ‘Benjamin-Franklin’ close, the ‘Pain-Gain’ close. They’re all aware of them and don’t want to feel pressured.
These are just a few ideas and tips that buyers would give you if they could.
Take note of them, try them out and see if you can get closer to your clients by recognising their point of view.
If you’d like some support in levelling up your sales game, please check out our Sales Training Courses.
Our protfolio includes our popular Selling Skills Course and our Sales Coaching and Sales Consultancy solutions.
Alternatively, check out the below useful articles to help you improve your sales even further:
• Phrases To Ask For Referrals
• How To Critique A Sales Meeting
• The Wolf Of Wall Streets Sales Seminar Lessons
Happy Selling!
Sean
Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Sales Training
Updated on: 4 January, 2018
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