A Sales Strategy to Avoid "NO."
Let's say that you have a new service to offer-Vendor Managed Inventory-and you'd like your customer to use it. How should you introduce it?
"May I tell you about...?"
"Would you like to know about...?"
"Have you heard about...?"
Most likely these questions will generate a quick "no" response.
Here's a better way to avoid "no" and move to genuine interest:
1. Identify an area that your customer has a great interest in and for which your service provides a benefit.
2. Ask for examples in the customer's own workday where that is relevant.
3. Expand on that area with additional interest areas.
4. Ask the question that the customer has already answered i.e. that he/she has interest in.
For Example:
1. Identify an area that your customer has a great interest in and for which your service provides a benefit.
“How does managing your cash flow impact on your purchasing decisions?”2. Ask for examples in the customer's own workday where that is relevant.
“What are some examples of that impact?”3. Expand on that area with additional interest areas.
“How do your inventory levels figure in that process?”4. Ask the question that the customer has already answered i.e. that he/she has interest in.
“What would be your interest in getting some help on that for your packing and shipping supplies?”
These questions open the door to an offer of your service because you are enabling the customer to help him/herself in a manner already expressed as desirable.
(Thanks to my partner and sales pro Joel McFadden at Kraft Associates for this selling tip.)
Mission: To help small and mid-size businesses capture the power of big-picture marketing.