Tweet

Overcoming "Breakup Reluctance"

Guest post by: Tom Lemanski

Article Overview: For most of us, acquiring new customers means that we have to take the business away from an incumbent source. Countless prospects are lost when potential new accounts get cold feet over the thought of the potentially uncomfortable conversation needed for parting company with their long time source. They simply can't break their bad habit. Or to paraphrase the old Terryton cigarette ads, "they'd rather avoid the fight than switch".

Overcoming "Breakup Reluctance"

For most of us, acquiring new customers means that we have to take the business away from an incumbent source. Countless prospects are lost when potential new accounts get cold feet over the thought of the potentially uncomfortable conversation needed for parting company with their long time source. They simply can't break their bad habit. Or to paraphrase the old Terryton cigarette ads, they'd rather avoid the fight than switch. I once attended a sales seminar for CPAs that addressed this issue. Most incumbent CPAs have both years of sensitive records and have developed a long standing advisory role. Severing these ties can be particularly challenging. The recommendation to the seminar attendees was to coach their prospects on how to break the news to their old accountant. For those in need, perhaps you would even prepare their script and help them rehearse. Failure to do so effectively could cost a CPA a new client.

In another area of financial services, insurance, there is a new approach: outsourcing the breakup. In Allstate Insurance's recent TV ad campaign, they offer to do it for you and encourage you to delegate the task of having the potentially uncomfortable conversation. While this may be the coward's way out, the reality is that Allstate has found a way to turn cowards into customers.As the song goes, Breaking Up is Hard to Do. As you strive to gain someone else's customers, what can you do to make make breaking up easy to do?

• Can you offer guidance to your prospects to make their breakup conversation easier?
• Might you provide a boiler plate letter they can print on their letterhead?
• Can you borrow a trick from Allstate and offer to make the call for them?
• Or, perhaps you can simply challenge them to be something other than a coward. Encourage them to bite the bullet, pick up the phone and wish their old source a successful future.

Related Articles
  Sales Reluctance In Any Part of Selling
  Sales Reluctance Is Not a Two-Letter Word Named No!
  Sales Training – Salespeople Tips on Crossing the Barbed Wire Fence of Sales Reluctance
  Overcoming Objections
  Coaching Tip - Top 4 Ways Pressure Salespeople Gain Their Reputation
  Overcome Call Reluctance - Get Your Salespeople to Prospect
  'The Queen of Cold Calling' and Call Reluctance
  It Ain\'t About You by Keith Rosen, MCC
  What Causes Sales Prospecting Reluctance (and What to Do About It)
  How to Overcome Fears and Obstacles
  7 Tips to Overcome Cold Callin Jitters
  Simple Strategies to Defeat Any Challenge
  The Telecommunications Tycoon: Terry Matthews Takes Off
  In Praise Of Failure
  Effective Negotiating
  Sales Simplified - The First Step in Selling
  Sales Tip – Top 3 Selling Crimes: Bring in the Sales Crime Stoppers!
  Breaking Up Is Hard To Do
  Overcoming Adversity in Business Takes a Positive Attitude
  A Sales Success Strategy

Article Tags: breakup reluctance, customer acquisition, customer cold feet



Related Forum Posts
Re: What is your biggest challenge? Today? - The biggest hurdle for me to start my online firm, was getting financed and overcoming the technology learning curve. I spent the better part of 6 months attending workshops and unpaid training to learn about SEO and online content management systems. I also spent a month learning basic programming, web site creation tools, and general IT skills. The culmination of this training enabled me to make a thorough presentation to the bank and to private investors. I was able to secure some finances and some servers to run my operation. However, the biggest challenge was time. Overcoming what to 'do' with your time is something entrepreneurs struggle with every day. There is always something you could be doing 'better' or 'worse' with your time.


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

BUILDING A HIGH PERFORMING TEAM

What I Really Want Is...

Executives and Elevators Perfecting That Pitch

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.