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Here are four powerful reasons to relax and stop trying to
force cold calls into sales:
1. When we’re carrying
“forward energy momentum,” others feel pressured
Most cold calls break down the moment potential clients feel
a lot of “forward energy momentum.” That’s because it
brings a feeling of being pressured. Noone likes to feel
even a little manipulated, and that’s what pressure is all
about.
Sales pressure is a mighty saboteur that
comes in all shapes, sizes, and flavors. Making any cold
call with the anticipation of a sale puts the whole conversation
under pressure. This doesn’t normally create good
outcomes. It triggers resistance and tension.
2. Anticipation of a sale
blocks the flow of normal conversation
Most of us truly believe that our product or service can help
others, so we assume that anyone who fits the profile of a
potential client should buy what we have to offer. Isn’t
that one of the first things we learn in our sales training?
But this is a recipe for disaster when it comes to cold
calling. When we make a cold call presuming someone will be
interested, we’ve automatically moved into expectations.
This means we’re focused on trying to “guide” the
conversation into a sale. Genuine dialogue goes into the back
seat, and sales pressure climbs to the front.
Move away from making any assumptions when making cold calls.
After all, how much sense is it to have assumptions about someone
you’ve never spoken with? How much can you possibly know about
their problems, issues, needs, budget, or other key information?
If you approach your cold calls from a place of genuine
interest rather than expectations, both of you will relax and the
interaction will flow naturally.
3. When you explore whether
you’re a “fit,” then you stop chasing invisible sales
If you’re always focused just on making the sale, then
you’ll miss the signals that a prospect isn’t really going to
buy from you. You find yourself chasing phantom sales and wasting
a lot of energy. You can diffuse this by first determining
whether you and the potential client are a good fit. Invite
the other person to focus on this with you. Determine together
whether a good business relationship might genuinely be possible.
When our honest objective is not to make a sale but rather
discover the truth of the situation, we’re less likely to get
carried away with “possibilities and potentials,” and more
likely to hear the truth of what’s being said. We can
disengage from people who really don’t intend to buy from us,
and focus instead on potential clients who have a problem we can
solve.
4. When we’re always trying
to close the sale, sincere interest doesn’t have the chance to
participate in the conversation
Whenever our aim is to “get the sale,” we can’t relax
and let the other person move things forward. We’re high
energy and full of pressure. This means our potential client
is always responding or reacting, rather than initiating anything.
When all you’re thinking about is leading the conversation to a
"next step," you're trying to do two things at once.
You're trying to have a sincere conversation while still
controlling the outcome. Your potential clients can feel
this conflict. They feel suspicious and react by holding back the
truth of their situation. They simply don’t trust your
intentions.
When you release any hidden agenda with moving your
conversation toward a close, people feel that you’re focused on
their needs and issues. They begin to trust you. Thus,
they will share truthfully what their real needs are and whether
your product is a fit for them.
When you’re not focused exclusively on making the sale,
then you can close with the phrase, “Well, where do you think we
should go from here?” This gives the green light for your
potential clients to share clearly where they stand with you.
You’ll be amazed at how often your prospect is the one who
sets the appointment.
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Ari Galper, founder of Unlock The Cold Calling Game, makes cold calling
painless and simple. Learn his cold calling secrets even the sales
gurus don't know. To receive your 10 free audio mini-lessons visit
http://www.Unlock-The-Cold-Calling-Game.com |
