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How to Sell With No Assumptions #460

 

Have you ever tried to sell a prospect something they really don’t want? Did you do it because it’s the only thing you have that’s remotely close to what the buyer needs?  This is a terrible position to be in, right?  Lao Tzu teaches that the Master has no mind of their own, only the mind of the people. We do this by not assuming and adopting a helpful attitude. How do we sell with no assumptions? That’s the topic for today.

Today’s Chapter: Blank Canvas

Some clients see their desires clearly
While others have blurred vision.
Some buyers are honest
while others work an angle.

The Master Seller views each sale a blank canvas
They have no mind of their own
They work with the mind of the buyer.
And paint what the prospect sees.

No matter their intent they nurture clients
as parents nurture children.

Today’s Story

Chris offered solution after solution to Lee, but Lee wasn’t buying it. The harder Chris tried, the harder Lee pushed back. Chris wasn’t getting anywhere. 

“I don’t know what to do.” said Chris. 

“I feel like I’ve tried everything”

Pat responded,

“Have you tried restarting from square one? Sometimes going back to the primary issue, is the path forward”.

Head shaking Chris said,

“That’s going to take forever! We’ve already gone over all that”

“Have you?” said Pat.

“Absolutely”

“So why isn’t Lee buying?”

Chris paused, then paused again. Pat then spoke.

“I think you’re trying to put a square peg in a round hole. The solutions we’ve offered aren’t solutions.  Let’s not assume and start with a blank slate. Let’s  move this deal forward, by going backward”

Take Action Quote

According to Paul Cezanne the French post-impressionist painter,

“It’s so fine and yet so terrible to stand in front of a blank canvas.”

This is true of selling too. If the prospects could do it for themselves, they would. But this is the thing, they can’t. It’s for us, the seller,  to help them paint the solution. 

Trust buyers who are trustworthy and also trust those who aren’t trustworthy. This is real trust.  Trust yourself and trust that you can help them, if they want help. It’s their call.

Habanero Media Network

You too can start a B2B podcast today. Listen to our other podcasts at Habanero Media and discover podcasting how can ignite your selling success.

This is the Cannabis Advocate Podcast 

How to Connect with Pat Helmers at Sales Babble

Sales Babble shares selling secrets for non-sellers.  Masterful selling is understanding what buyers want, discerning if you can help,  showing what you have and helping them to make a decision that is good for their business and yours. See https://salesbabble.com

I’ve interviewed 100s of sales experts and discuss all things sales: prospecting, qualifying, value propositions, presentations, demos, closing, generating referrals, earning references, upselling, marketing, lead generation, copywriting, and most important the right selling mindset. Stop fearing sales and embrace it.

This is a production of Habanero Media https://habaneromedia.net

Got a Question?

Something about today’s episode got you thinking? Do you have a question or a comment you’d like share?

If so “babble me” an email here, or if you can’t wait chat Pat now.

Maybe you’d like to share your musings on the podcast? Leave a voice message here. We’d love to hear your thoughts. Don’t worry about babbling, we prefer it.

 

Listening Options

You can find us on:

• • Spotify
  • iTunes
  • Stitcher
  • Player FM
  • Spreaker
  • The SalesBabble.com website    click the player above on this page!

 

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How to Unstuck Stuck Deals #459

Ever have a deal that won’t move forward and you’re not sure what to do? You don’t want to call it a lost deal. It’s not exactly dead but it’s frustrating, right? You’re working with an advocate in the organization and they’re onboard.  But that’s not true for everyone in the organization. You don’t have to be Lao Tzu to know that failing to adapt has profound consequences. So what’s a seller to do to unstuck stuck deals? That’s the topic for today.

Today’s Chapter: Stuck Deals

With no urgency,
today looks like yesterday.
With no change in priorities,
Tomorrow looks like today.

Change instills fear and doubt.
The status quo is defended.

Douse fear
as water douses fire,
mitigate risk,
and grease the rails of change.

Stuck deals unstuck in time.
A slow river knows it will get there eventually.

Today’s Story

Chris and Pat met for their weekly one-on-one.  For the second month Pat asked about the lack of progress on one deal. “What’s going on here?” queried Pat. “I thought this deal had legs and would have been closed by now”.  “I know” said Chris. “But once Lee, the CFO, started getting involved,  IT started to get scared. Production wants to move forward but nobody wants to accept any risk”.  

Pat nodded.  “Like I always say, our greatest competitor is the status quo. They’ve not embraced the risk reward tradeoff. This is where you need to step it up. “    Pat went on,

 “Keep focusing on the reason they originally reached out to us. Make it clear it’s only going to get worse the longer they push off the decision. For each of the decision makers, peel them off, one by one and listen to their concerns. I bet we can address each and everyone of them. This prospect is not that different from all our other clients. Be patient, listen well, show caring and we can unstuck this stuck deal.

Take Action Quote

According to author Shannon L. Alder.

“Fear is the glue that keeps you stuck. Faith is the solvent that sets you free.” 

This applies to sales too. Change can be exhausting, frustrating and, frankly, inconvenient. But change is also constant in all our lives. Lao Tzu depicts the “path of life” as in constant motion and flux. When helping our clients, we must keep this in mind for it is the “path of sales” too. Have faith and it will all work out.

Habanero Media Network

You too can start a B2B podcast today. Listen to our other podcasts at Habanero Media and discover podcasting how can ignite your selling success.

This is the Cannabis Advocate Podcast 

How to Connect with Pat Helmers at Sales Babble

Sales Babble shares selling secrets for non-sellers.  Masterful selling is understanding what buyers want, discerning if you can help,  showing what you have and helping them to make a decision that is good for their business and yours. See https://salesbabble.com

I’ve interviewed 100s of sales experts and discuss all things sales: prospecting, qualifying, value propositions, presentations, demos, closing, generating referrals, earning references, upselling, marketing, lead generation, copywriting, and most important the right selling mindset. Stop fearing sales and embrace it.

This is a production of Habanero Media https://habaneromedia.net

Got a Question?

Something about today’s episode got you thinking? Do you have a question or a comment you’d like share?

If so “babble me” an email here, or if you can’t wait chat Pat now.

Maybe you’d like to share your musings on the podcast? Leave a voice message here. We’d love to hear your thoughts. Don’t worry about babbling, we prefer it.

 

Listening Options

You can find us on:

• • Spotify
  • iTunes
  • Stitcher
  • Player FM
  • Spreaker
  • The SalesBabble.com website    click the player above on this page!

 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

How to Beat The Competition #430

Does it chill you when you talk to a prospect and they mention they have your competitor? Does it seem like the competition is better than you? They’re  faster, cheaper, has higher quality and there is nothing you can do to overcome them? Or maybe you can’t wrap your head around why your prospects even consider the competition. You know their products are crap and you’ve got superior solutions and each time you hang up the phone you mumble, what fools!  If this rings familiar, the Tao has advice you just might find valuable and give you, a competitive advantage.

Today’s Chapter:  Awake to Competition

Awake to the marketplace
Never underestimate the competition
Respecting their strengths
Yet keen to their weaknesses
Discovering opportunities
Ever watchful of impending threats.

Underestimating your competition
means thinking that they are evil
You destroy the three greatest things
of Patience, Simplicity, Collaboration

Today’s Story

In the hallway Chris pulled Pat aside and said “Pat!  I keep losing deals to the competition. There are two players that keep beating me out and I don’t know how to overcome them. What should I do?” 

Pat nodded in agreement and responded. “We have tough competitors. They have been in the market longer than us and are more well known. But we have the new innovation and that’s going to be the differentiator for some clients. 

Do this: each time you talk to a prospect that has the competition, find out why they like them, why they stay, and discern what we’re missing. This is gold for our product team. Also ask about what the competition is missing. This knowledge will help guide your qualifying.  

Lastly, always remember your greatest competitor is inertia. We lose more deals to a prospect making no decision vs all the competition combined. When we patiently collaborate with our prospects, they seem most interested in becoming loyal clients”.

Take Action Quote

Dale Carnegie, the author of “How to Win Friends and Influence People” once wrote,

“The world is so full of people who are grabbing and self-seeking. So the rare individual who unselfishly tries to serve others has an enormous advantage. He has little competition.” 

Worthy competition makes us better competitors. Competition pushes innovation and makes the world a better place. When you see your competitors with a healthy point of view, it allows us to focus first and foremost on our prospects and clients. It’s in serving them vs beating the competition where we find success.

Sales Babble Research Study

I just commissioned a research study to better understand the interests of listeners and the challenges they face. It will only take two minutes. Thank you for your help!

How to Connect with Pat Helmers at Sales Babble

Sales Babble shares selling secrets for non-sellers.  Masterful selling is understanding what buyers want, discerning if you can help,  showing what you have and helping them to make a decision that is good for their business and yours. See https://salesbabble.com

You can be yourself when selling. It’s all about helping others with their challenges and aspirations. I’ve interviewed 100s of sales experts and discuss all things sales: prospecting, qualifying, value propositions, presentations, demos, closing, generating referrals, earning references, upselling, marketing, lead generation, copywriting, and most important the right selling mindset. Stop fearing sales and embrace it. Learn the selling secrets for non-sellers and start making a difference today. Here is the entire back catalog of episodes in the sales podcast.  Look here https://www.salesbabble.com/sales-podcast-free-advice/

This is a production of Habanero Media https://habaneromedia.net

Got a Question?

Something about today’s episode got you thinking? Do you have a question or a comment you’d like share?

If so “babble me” an email here, or if you can’t wait chat Pat now.

Maybe you’d like to share your musings on the podcast? Leave a voice message here. We’d love to hear your thoughts. Don’t worry about babbling, we prefer it.

 

Listening Options

You can find us on:

• • Spotify
  • iTunes
  • Stitcher
  • Player FM
  • Spreaker
  • The SalesBabble.com website    click the player above on this page!

 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

What To Do When Your Deal Goes Sideway #428

Ever been in a situation where just as you thought the deal was won, it all fell apart like a house of cards? It’s painful, I know. Especially given the fact that you may have invested a mass of time and energy and now it appears it’s all to no avail. Frustrating right? What are you to do when your deals go sideways? That’s the chapter for today.

Today’s Chapter: Sideway Deal

When a deal is in harmony
It advances with ease and grace.
When a deal goes sideways
There is confusion and doubt.

The changing of the guard,
A block on funding
Or stakeholder grudge can create the Great Illusion called fear.

Like a filled cup,
You must empty your thoughts before refilling it.
Allowing for possibility not yet revealed.

People often fail at the verge of success,
Give as much care to the end,
as to the beginning.

Today’s Story

Chris was excited when the prospects agreed to sign the service agreement. It took a lot of effort to get this deal over the goal line. But then there was a twist. 

One of the stakeholders loudly expressed doubts about the purchase and soon the entire buying team was getting cold feet. The deal had gone sideways. 

“I’m not sure what to do next”, said Chris. “I thought we had this signed sealed and delivered.”

Pat commiserated but added  “I had a sense you rushed the deal and pushed the boss to    close. When it comes to some organizations, it only takes one no vote to veto the purchase. Sometimes at the last minute the budget gets yanked and once I had a Champion on my side and they quit to take a better job. Just like that, poof, my deal went sideways. 

These things happen, be patient, restart the conversation and assume your back to square one. Good luck!”

Take Action Quote

In a letter to his son in 1930, Albert Einstein wrote “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.” As a lifelong bicyclist this resonates with me. 

Gravity is unrelenting. When peddling we need to make constant corrections to stay upright and not fall sideways. The same is true when selling. Just when you think the deal is made, it starts to fall over. Never forget, the deal isn’t done until your paid, you get the PO or the contract is signed. 

Just because they say they’re willing to buy, doesn’t mean they will buy. Expect trouble at every turn, do due diligence and let the deal take as long as it needs to take.  Expect the worst, but hope for the best. That’s the way to approach a sideway deal.

Sales Babble Research Study

I just commissioned a research study to better understand the interests of listeners and the challenges they face. It will only take two minutes. Thank you for your help!

How to Connect with Pat Helmers at Sales Babble

Sales Babble shares selling secrets for non-sellers.  Masterful selling is understanding what buyers want, discerning if you can help,  showing what you have and helping them to make a decision that is good for their business and yours. See https://salesbabble.com

You can be yourself when selling. It’s all about helping others with their challenges and aspirations. I’ve interviewed 100s of sales experts and discuss all things sales: prospecting, qualifying, value propositions, presentations, demos, closing, generating referrals, earning references, upselling, marketing, lead generation, copywriting, and most important the right selling mindset. Stop fearing sales and embrace it. Learn the selling secrets for non-sellers and start making a difference today. Here is the entire back catalog of episodes in the sales podcast.  Look here https://www.salesbabble.com/sales-podcast-free-advice/

This is a production of Habanero Media https://habaneromedia.net

Got a Question?

Something about today’s episode got you thinking? Do you have a question or a comment you’d like share?

If so “babble me” an email here, or if you can’t wait chat Pat now.

Maybe you’d like to share your musings on the podcast? Leave a voice message here. We’d love to hear your thoughts. Don’t worry about babbling, we prefer it.

 

Listening Options

You can find us on:

• • Spotify
  • iTunes
  • Stitcher
  • Player FM
  • Spreaker
  • The SalesBabble.com website    click the player above on this page!