NEVER EVER ASSUME!
February 15, 2010
Time after time I’ve heard new recruits tell me they know just how to adjust their approach to a potential customer based on how the person dresses, what kind of watch they wear, how old they are, or how wealthy they appear to be. And that’s bullshit.
Why? Because whether or not somebody buys from you has absolutely nothing to do with what they’re wearing or how they act. It has everything to do with the questions you ask and how well you listen to their response, taking that information and using it as leverage to lead them in the right direction.
Never assume that someone is or is not going to buy based on your own knee-jerk impression of them. Trying to close too soon can backfire rapidly, and it’s always the result of assuming the client is ready when they’re not. Don’t assume! Listen! If you’re not sure, ask!
Prejudging isn’t the only way assumptions will get you killed. Have you ever lost a customer because they were expecting a follow-up call, which you didn’t make because you had no idea that’s what they were expecting? A professional refuses to leave things hanging.
Every time you talk to a customer or a prospect (or anyone, really), it’s your responsibility to make sure both parties leave the meeting or phone call knowing what is going to happen next and who is expected to do what. And that means closing, because you’re not going to leave that meeting with only a “maybe” for an answer. You’re going to get a commitment.
Even in cases where you’re not actually closing on a sale, you still need to be closing them on something. Instead of saying, “I’ll get back to you,” say when. If they say, “I’m not sure,” get a commitment on the specific date and time you will contact them to get their decision. Click here to purchase your copy of, In The Trenches: Do or Die Lessons From the Business Battlefield.
Craig Zuber
Related posts:
Comments
Got something to say?
-
LIMITED TIME ONLY $2.99!
FREE: No Money, No Problem! e-book
“No Money. No Problem!” ebook.
It’s FREE, entertaining, and it will teach you lessons in negotiation that I taught my six year old son during a recent vacation to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Click the cover above to read the story.
