If CEB statistics are correct, 80 percent of business is lost to no decision, implying that most salespeople are not good at leading conversations. “In sales, you must guide the prospect to a clear decision. Yes or no is good; indecision will kill you,” says Crystal Williams, a content marketing associate at Close.io, makers of customer relationship management software.
The key to controlling any sales call is to have a clear goal beforehand, ask questions, use friendly strength and know how to deal with prospects who refuse to answer questions, have an endless amount of objections and delay the sale by saying they will buy soon.
Williams offers these three tips for leading every sales call with power:
1. Start with a clear goal.
Deals aren’t won or lost during the call. Before your reps even pick up the phone, their mindset determines the outcome. Before any important call, reps should ask themselves, “Why am I calling? What do I want to accomplish? How am I going to accomplish this?”
Calling because the prospect is in the pipeline isn’t good enough. Determining what should be accomplished and envisioning that goal are critical. These type of questions empower a salesperson to lead a call with clarity.
2. Ask prospects questions and listen.
The person who asks all of the questions is controlling the direction of the conversation. A rep who asks questions during a call uncovers a prospect’s needs and enables them to find their own solutions. Warning: The wrong questions turn a rep into a passive listener; the right questions allow a rep to direct the conversation.
3. Use friendly strength.
While prospects don’t want to be strong-armed into a deal, neither do they want to work with unopinionated doormats. Reps should listen to a prospect’s needs, use their expertise to lead the call, and challenge their thinking.
Before any call, reps should remember to ask themselves “Why? What? How?” They need to ask questions, listen and use friendly strength to control the call. Having a purpose and game plan will provide focus.
Whether the prospect is tight-lipped, contentious, or delaying, the same principles apply. The only thing that will change is the type of questions a rep asks. If a prospect still refuses to compromise, the rep should walk away and find another prospect who appreciates her expertise and ability to create win-wins.
