Believe it or not, mind reading is real. There are some sales people who can actually read minds. It’s a sight to behold. These incredibly gifted individuals can anticipate exactly what their clients are going to say, and know exactly how to help them. They don’t need to waste time listening to the needs of clients or bother asking those pesky questions. They get right down to pitching and then closing the deal.
These are the worst kind of sales people. Usually, they don’t last long.
Don’t Read Minds, Ask Questions
One of the worst traits a salesperson can have is being a mind reader. Of course if you could actually magically read people’s minds you would probably be the greatest salesman of all time and the most dangerous. However, salespeople run into serious issues when they think they can read minds but of course, they actually can’t. Never assume you know what the client needs and jump into your pitch or your close. It’s much better to play dumb, ask questions, and get past the rehearsed lines they will use to get rid of someone like you. The only assumption you should be making is that you know nothing.
What Reason Are You Telling Me That For?
Ask a questions like “what reason are you telling me that for?” Dig deeper to find out what matters to them and what bothers them. This will do you a world of good. For example, if your client is already satisfied with their current situation, find out why. Why are they telling you they are satisfied? There has to be a reason. Identify that and you’ve started to discover what is important to them. Dig a little deeper and find out if they’ve ever considered switching to another provider. If so, why? If not, what would cause them to consider another provider? With this approach, you will always have something to talk about.
Even Magical Mind Reading Doesn’t Work
Even if you had the mystical powers to decipher what was currently running through the mind of a client, it might not help you that much. Sometimes your clients will not be honest with you. However, often they simply have not thought deeply enough about the current systems to determine where they could be improved. In the above example, it’s not so much that the client was not being honest, as much as that they hadn’t really processed what would cause them to change. By asking questions, you brought concerns to the surface that have been buried over a long time of status quo.
Again, the only assumption you should make is that you don’t know anything. Clients must be approached through an inquisitive style, or you will lose them before you begin. If you would like to learn more about prospecting, closing the deal, or sales best practices, check out our excellent book, The Sandler Rules. Learn more about how to apply these principles from Sandler Training Solutions by contacting Sandler Salefish today.
