Listen to your customer, they will tell you how to sell them

 Ok, so what's it going to take for us as salespeople to actually listen to what the customer is telling us when they hit us with an objection?  I'm not sure.  When a customer hits the salesperson with an objection and the salesperson attempts to overcome it with something other that what the customer asked, forget it, you aint sellin' nothing, because your not listening to the customer.

YOU HAVE 2 EARS AND ONLY 1 MOUTH, 

PLEASE USE THEM ACCORDINGLY.  

Here's a great example of something I just witnessed today...

Presentation given...

Numbers on the table...

Now the objection comes out...

Mr. Customer: 

(for this exercise, we will refer to this customer as Mike)

"I need to think about this, I don't want to make a snap decision. The last time I did something like this without thinking about it I got burned."

Salesperson: 

(for this exercise, I'm using the actual salesperson's name: STEVEN)

Steven: "Well what about the roofing system do you need to think about? Earlier you told me that it would take care of everything you needed for you and your wife. IS IT ME? Did I not do a good job presenting this to you you?

Is it the money? 

Just so you know, with a roof system like this, there is not another roofer in town who would even touch this roof for that kind of money! So are you just going to wait for the problem to get worse? It's not going to get any better with age, so if you let it get any worse, just think about how much more money this will end up costing you. You need to do this sooner rather than later, because with the Tariff war that is happening now, who knows how much it will cost you later!!"

WTF???

Seriously??? 

Why don't you just fart in his face, then turn around and slap him while your at it.  

Because in his mind, it's exactly what you did.

You opened up a line of questioning that didn't need to be opened, 

then became pugilistic on top of it.  

I still cannot believe what happened next...

Mr. Customer: "Steven, you started out very friendly with me, but now you are becoming extremely aggressive and abrasive with your language. When salespeople do that, it makes me feel very uncomfortable. You sound exactly like the other salesperson who did me wrong, now I'm becoming skeptical of everything you said."

STEVEN my friend, 

here is what the customer is actually thinking, 

"this guy is just another pushy, asshole, 

grind me for a commission salesperson." 

He actually told you that, but in a nicer way.

YOU NEED TO LISTEN to what the customer is saying to you. 

What did the customer "MIKE" say to you? 

LISTEN to him... "I NEED TO THINK ABOUT IT."

This is why I jumped in to stop the CARNAGE 

(BTW...the customer was a call in lead!)

Remember to agree first then empathize

BEAR..

"I completely understand.  Mike, sounds like that salesperson and company royally screwed you over. I hate it when that happens, it gives the rest of us bad names. STEVEN just really believes in our product, so he meant you no disrespect at all.  In no way do we want you to feel pressured.  Do you mind to much, me asking you what happened with that salesperson who did you wrong? 

(Note: Ask great questions get great answers)

Mr. Customer: "Yeah, the last time I purchased from the first salesperson I spoke with I didn't get a good feeling, but the work needed to get done. The water main line to the house broke. I supposedly had a warranty, but it wasn't worth the paper it was written on. The work was piss poor, the line busted out all over again within 6 months. I kept calling the company as well as the estimator (salesperson), nobody would return my calls. I ended up having to have it done all over again.  

I Ended up paying for the work twice, I ain't gettin' burned like that again." 

Aha!!! The real objection  

(Again... Ask better questions, get better answers)

What the customer MIKE was explaining to you, (or trying to) was that he was "just not feeling in his gut; that you STEVEN, "are the guy," he should be using to get his roof needs taken care of. 

Steven my friend, you weren't listening to him. 

MIKE'S objection had nothing at all to do with price. 

The more you kept pounding on it;(THE PRICE), you could have said the roof WAS FREE and MIKE still wouldn't have done shit. 

He didn't trust you!!! 

Here is why I did what I did...

BEAR:

"MIKE, excusing STEVE'S exuberance, BTW... he really does want to help you. What makes you think that we might possibly be the right roofing company to go with?"

Mr. Customer: "Well I saw y'all working my neighbors house down the street, and the roof looks pretty damn good. They seem to be happy with y'all, that's why I called."

BEAR: "Thanks for telling me that, I'll relay that to the owner.  So how long have you been thinking about replacing the roof?"

Mr. Customer: "Well during the last big storm that hit us, my wife noticed that we had a couple of leaks, one in the bathroom and the other one in the bedroom on the other end of the house."

BEAR: "Well brother, I know that when the wife starts hitting you with the leaks she sees, that ain't no day at the beach. 

How long has she been on you about this?" 

Mr. Customer: "Every damn time the weatherman say's that were expectin' rain. If I hear one more time that there could be mold a growin', I'm gonna pitch a tent in the backyard and just live in it."

PAIN HAS NoW BEEN FOUND!!!

HOW HARD WAS THAT? 

IT WASN'T, I JUST LET HIM TALK, AND I LISTENED.

BEAR: "So what do you think will happen if you have to listen to another presentation, then another, then possibly another, 

all while you think about what you were just told by the salesman?  

Not one of the roofers you spoke with actually makes the roofing materials, we all buy them from our supply houses. In the end we are all just installers. Personally what I believe, is the customer needs to be confident that the work is going to be done right the first time, and the company stands behind what they install. Is that what you believe?" 

Mr. Customer: "That's all that I want."

BEAR: "You had said earlier that we're the third company you had come out to assess what's taking place with the roof, and that you had 2 more that are coming out, right?" 

Mr. Customer: "Yeah, after the last time I got screwed over, I always get multiple quotes."

BEAR: "I got ya', but do you mind if I ask you something?  

I'm not trying to offend in any way...

but would it be better to just have the work done, have your wife with a smile on her face, and you no longer popping Excedrin like PEZ, because she's on you like white on rice;

Or...

Would it be better for you to push this out, potentially have other damage, 

just to get a few more quotes, from guys who may or may not show up? 

One more thing, and I really hate to bring this up, 

but the weather they are predicting for next week... DAMN!!!

The forecasters say it looks rather interesting to say the least. Sounds like you could be fixin to get another verbal butt whuppin' from the Misses. I'll do whatever you want my friend, you tell me, I'm just here to serve."

MORE PAIN, MORE PAIN, MORE PAIN

Mr. Customer: "Your warranties any good?"

BEAR: "50 years on the Shingles, not to mention a 10 year workmanship warranty. So I don't care if anything happened workmanship related, regardless if it were cost Ten dollars or 10 thousand dollars, it would cost you literally nothing. Is that comprehensive enough to put this to rest for you?"

Note: I then stopped, threw out my hand right to his chest, and followed with this...

"This is the reason I love dealing with people your age, you evaluate what needs to be done because of life experience. The only thing I ask is that when we are done with the project, you leave a review for the company on the way you have been treated. That's all I'm askin.' 

Would you mind doing that for me?"

Mr. Customer: "Y'all do a good job, I'll tell everyone. BTW...my sister is needin' a roof on her house too."

BEAR: "No worries my friend, I'll personally meet with her, that way you'll know who is Managing the project. I was just looking at the calendar, since your house is a single level we could actually take care of this on Friday, where would be the best place to put the dumpster while were working?"

Mr. Customer: "Driveway next to the house be fine, when y'all are cleanin' up, just make sure to use one of them magnet roller things to get the nails, so my dog don't step on nuthin'."

BEAR: "We always do, but I will make sure to mention your dog on the paperwork."

THAT WAS IT!  I won't go over the remainder (it was just paperwork details)

REMEMBER ALWAYS... 

Within the sale, trust is EARNED by the salesperson LISTENING and uncovering the motive the customer has you there in the first place. You need to be able to find the problem they are experiencing in order to fix it. THIS AIN'T ROCKET SCIENCE. 

Once again, for anyone reading who is hard of hearing, you need to find the problem in order to fix it. Just burping out one rebuttal after another that you may think "will wear em' down" is rude, offensive and just plain idiotic.  If you keep doing that with regularity, look at your Year to date earnings and you will know just how well your plan is working out for you.

I know that this was a long read, but in real time about 5 or so minutes.

Go Back and re-read the interaction, and you will get the point.

You are there with a person who is interested in what you have, 

SO MAKE SURE your show is worth paying for.  

We were about to be escorted out of MIKE'S house, prior to me doing a hostile takeover of the appointment. 

Not only was a sale made, but OMGOOODNESS we got a lead to a family member "who's needin' a roof too."

In my book, that's a hell of an appointment

Listen, Listen, Listen...

The customer will always tell you what you need to close them, 

IF YOU PAY ATTENTION.

Go close some deals

Bear

It's your tone that sets the tone for the sale

Your voice, how you use it, will either be your best asset or your worst enemy in your sales career. 

It's your tone, that sets the tone for the sale.

This amazing instrument (our voice) that we as salespeople have been given, can be used to elevate peoples spirits, it can be inquiring, it can be used to exude courage, or it can be compassionate and kind. 

Most important of all it can be understanding. 

Yes, the way that you utilize your voice and tonality 

can be all of these things.  

Voice tonality, this amazing apparatus, if utilized correctly, will close more deals for you than you can imagine, or absolutely obliterate your ability to close even the ultimate lay down customer.  You absolutely must take the time to learn and understand how to manage your tonality in order for you to elicit the responses you want to obtain

Your tonality will allow you extract information from your prospective client that you otherwise would not be able to do.  

All MASTER CLOSERS that I have had the honor of working with or have followed, know how to use their voice and tonality with surgical precision. 

This is why they are MASTER CLOSERS.   

I can tell you from experience that it can be the one tool in your toolbox that can either close or eviscerate your deals depending upon how you use it.  Just because you know how to handle an objection, doesn't mean your going to close that deal.  

I know many salespeople who can handle objections word for word, however their voice tonality belies them, and it makes them look like they have the personality of a WALLEYE PIKE. 

Their tonality exposes their true objectives, and shows that they are insincere, and are only there to line their pocket with a commission. 

Not to help the customer. 

The customer reads the hand the salesperson is trying to deal and then folds. The tonality of your voice will show the prospective client that you actually care about their situation, or if they are "just another sales lead." 

I cannot express enough just how valuable an ordnance your voice is within your sales arsenal. 

Once again for those not paying attention...

your voice tonality exposes your true intentions to the client.

If salespeople would learn to harness the power that your voice tonality carries, they would truly be invincible and unbeatable.

I have witnessed far too many times salespeople absolutely regurgitate a rebuttal word for word that would have on content alone (if that was how sales were closed) been able to close a deal, however it comes across like the teacher from the Charlie Brown cartoons. 

It just sounds rehearsed and disingenuous. 

Then the salesperson goes home yet again having to tell his or her spouse just how bad the leads are, "I'm not making any money" and that they are thinking of leaving the company. 

Here's some food for thought...

It's not the leads, it's not the customer, it's us as salespeople who are not willing to spend the time rehearsing how we actually sound to people.

Since the greater majority of us spend our lives now scrolling through our phones swiping left or right, constantly texting instead of speaking with one another, it should come as no surprise that most  salespeople sound completely inadequate when speaking with a customer. 

It truly is PAINFUL TO HEAR AND TO WITNESS. 

This is why it is so easy to be great nowadays.

No one seems to give a shit. 

My old wrestling coach used to tell me, "you can either train to be the guy who will pin the other guy to the mat, or you can complain that you were the one who got pinned, It's your choice."

Little tip here, how about you record yourself practicing your presentation.  I guarantee you it will expose your deficiencies in your tonality.  Be honest with yourself and ask would I purchase anything from someone who sounds like this.  

If so, congrats, you should be a millionaire already. 

I suspect though that most of you will find that you sound like a robot with no emotion just trying to get through the rebuttal in the hopes that potential customers will bite.  When your voice is working against you, there is no believability on the part of the customer where you are concerned, then you get the age old "you did a great job here my friend, however we have a few more quotes we need to get, we'll get back with you." 

Then what do all amateur salespeople do, they start dropping the price, and devaluating themselves.  

Now your customer really doesn't believe you, 

they're thinking in the back of their mind,

"I knew I didn't trust this guy, he could have given me that price to begin with."  

All because you sounded like every other amateur salesperson who doesn't practice using their best weapon they have, THEIR VOICE.

Look, do you want to be great, then be great.

You are a high paid actor, so play your part. 

When you watch a movie that stirs your emotion, is it the screenplay or the actor who BRINGS THE SCREENPLAY TO LIFE, that stirs your emotion? 

My guess is, it's the latter. 

If all it took was a great screenplay, and that was it, I could have my dog play a starring role in every movie, and win awards.  The best actors who win the Academy Award are the ones who reach inside your soul and pull an emotion right out of you.  

Are you any different? 

Who is the one who is playing the starring role in the motion picture of this thing you call your life?  If you answered you, then you are following along. So if you are the star, and your voice is the instrument that you are playing, then why not use it to its full advantage, instead of having it play a supporting role.  

Practice I'm begging you.  Because there is nothing more painful to watch then some boring ass, emotionless presentation.  

Don't believe me? 

Just watch your potential customers faces when you present them.  

Are you able to reach deep into their souls, to make a friend, find their pain, find their problems, have the solution, and be their friend? 

If not, don't worry some other MASTER CLOSER will. 

They will take care of all of those things I just mentioned, 

and will cash the commission check that was meant for you.

Here's a good one, have your significant other 

(since they are relying on you to perform) play the role of customer.  

Oh, I guarandamnwell assure you, they will be truthful. 

If you sound like crap they'll let you know. 

You won't be able to blame it on the leads or the customers at that point. 

Your spouse will readily identify, "now I see why your checks have been the way they are, you sound ridiculous." Don't allow them to let you off the hook, it doesn't cost you any money messing up at home, 

but it most certainly does in the field.  

They more than likely will want to participate, 

since they rely on you to perform.  

You know what, you need you to perform.  

It will take work, so work.  

If not, I guess you could just turn on the tube, 

go on instagram, Facebook, 

or whatever you look at that pays you nothing, 

but costs you everything.

 

The choice is yours. 

There is an old saying, 

DO NOT BE UPSET 

ABOUT THE RESULTS YOU DID NOT GET, 

FROM THE WORK YOU DID NOT DO!!

Take the time, practice your craft and be the pro I know you want to be.

Your life, 

your family's life, 

your self esteem, your self worth... 

is worth the time.

It's your movie, and you have the starring role.

So be the star I know you are.

Da Bear

I don't want to get locked in for a contract that long #2 (The Mafia Close)

I don't want to get locked into a contract for that long.

Oh my goodness, we need to learn how to handle this. 

My friends in the Solar Industry, keep running up against this, so I wanted to have another tool in the toolbox to help answer this question. Remember it is your job as the sales professional to explain the answer in such a way that takes the fear out of it. 

What I have seen is that when asked this question, the salesperson seems to clam up.  This is not that difficult an objection to handle. 

You just need to use your head and be able to answer the question in logical terms.

If you are not confident in your delivery of this rebuttal, it will come off as disjointed and awkward, so I need you to pay attention to this.

Remember one thing, this Rebuttal I going to teach you here

is meant to be humorous.  

It needs to be delivered almost in a laughing way. 

Let me ask you the reader, 

THE UPCOMING MASTER CLOSER, 

to keep your mind open. 

REMEMBER, you don't get paid,

unless your show is worth paying for.

The customer is the one who is paying you. 

So you had better give them a good reason that you are the one who can handle everything for them, period.  

If you're not prepared, their will be a MASTER CLOSER 

who will deal with YOUR CUSTOMER'S CONCERNS, 

and will place YOUR COMMISION CHECK into their bank account. 

Let me see if I can make it easy for you to comprehend 

with this example. 

When you purchased your house, 

if all you had been told was this...

"here is your payment, it will be subject to frequent price rate increases, you will never actually own it, 

and by the way, your payments will never end." 

Would you have signed it?  

You would have to be the most moronic person in the world if you did. 

How's that for making this easy to understand.  It's literally that simple.

So do you want to know how to do it?

Yeah, I thought as much.

Then let's do it!