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Brick Walls Make Sales

Guest post by: Harlan Goerger

Article Overview: In sales getting action from customers can be challenging, these tools will keep the sale moving and get to the order.

Brick Walls Make Sales

Help Your Client See the Wall and Take It Down.

Your client has you feeling like your up against a brick wall and no way around it. It gets frustrating when it's clear the client needs the solution, but they just do not take any action on it.

The reality is, this may be a fantastic opportunity to cement a real sales relationship with the client!

I'll give you some keys on what and how you can turn this around.

The situation is, the wall your hitting with the client is all about the wall the client is hitting!

It happens to us all the time. We get so close to an issue, it's not going just right, why isn't this working and we cannot seem to figure out why. We have hit a wall, spin our wheels and get frustrated.

Then someone comes along and says; "Why not do it this way?" and like magic it works!

Dang, why couldn't I see that! That was too simple and I feel really stupid!

I'll bet you've been there more than once, just like we all have.

Yet, that is exactly the key to the clients situation that is frustrating you. They are too close to see the real picture. If they did the choice would be simple. If only someone would help point it out and help them see the true picture.

DUH! THAT'S YOUR JOB SALESPERSON!!

Help the client see the real picture, get them around the other side of their wall and your wall goes away also!

Here is the problem with far too many salespeople. The focus is on product/service and this narrow view prevents the salesperson from seeing the full picture. With this narrow view the clients problem does not go away and thus no sales decision is made.

Here are some actions that can help:

1. Think like a CEO, that is view the situation from the 10,000 foot view, get rid of your product/service for the time being and discover the global view. You will be amazed at how easy this is if you ask the right questions, drop your own beliefs and listen to more than just the words.

2. Ask far more questions than you give product information. A quality salesperson should be asking 80% of the time and talking less than 20% of the time. This gives you information that leads to discovering the clients wall, what it is and why it exists. Now it starts coming down.

3. Ask questions that have nothing to do with your product/service. Use questions that give you insight into the clients overall situation.

a. What is trying to be accomplished in this area? Why?

b. What was the original plan about and how has it changed for you?

c. If you were to start all over, how might you approach the situation differently?

These are not about your product/service, but do get the client thinking about their situation and starts the problem solving process.

4. Take the client back through their actions, like running a film backwards, prior to getting to this point. Often times something was shortcut and created the problem. By going backwards they discover what is missing and c

an take alternate action. You are now coaching the client, not selling to them.

5. Share a story of how you have hit the wall and then discovers a simply solution someone else pointed out. This gives them social permission to open up to possibilities and not be singled out as the only one that didn't see it! No one likes to feel the fool so help them save face by being the first t

o say you get frustrated doing stupid things to.

6. Be bold, it amazes me how often organizations have "build arounds" or "accommodations" built simply to avoid discussing the obvious. Rather than confront, discuss or coach, often times a system of sorts is built around the problem so the organization can still function.

The problem is there for everyone to see (Gorilla in the room) yet no one deals with it. This becomes a wall to many solutions that will not be implemented until the "Gorilla" is pointed out and dealt with.

With well planned and executed leading questions, many of these "Gorillas" can be discovered by the client, acknowledged and then shown the door. Wall gone, sale moves ahead. Now who is the hero!

The key is to get rid of the narrow product/service focus so many salespeople seem to have. It's about a strong relationship, not just a sale today. By helping your clients see the real issues (walls) you become a trusted adviser and worth more to them than just a cheap price!

I suggest reading an earlier article, "What is a sales relationship". Also consider the webinar this Thursday, "Keeping the Deal Moving".

Both have insight on how to take down walls and move sales ahead!

To your success, it's your choice!

HG :)

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Article Tags: close, fargo sales, goerger, objections, sales, selling



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