“Yes” or “No!”
Get a Decision
Everyone likes hearing “Yes.” Nobody likes hearing the word “No.” Rejection is painful, and most people will go to great lengths to avoid hearing it. People in nightclubs fear asking someone to dance, and consequently fail to get the dance. Salespeople avoid prospective customers that they fear won’t buy. They don’t get the sale. When you master the art of turning “No” into “No, not yet” you will get more dances and make more sales.
In retail stores, customers will say, “I’m just looking” merely to buy some time before dealing with the salesperson. If the salesperson hears that as, “No”, nothing else is likely to happen. In outside sales, some customers say, “I’ll get back to you” when the reality is they do not intend to. When the salesperson accepts that, and say’s, Okay”, the presentation (and the sale) is over.
It’s up to the salesperson to make the switch from, “No” to “No, not yet”. To do that means that you must be willing to hear, “No” if in fact that’s the truth. Pressing for a “Yes”, when “No” is certain will turn the customer off to you. The secret is pretending that the customer said, “No, not yet”, remove the pressure and then search for the real reason WHY it is not “Yes”.
Use what I call the “Okay but…” method to make this transition. Say something like, “Okay, but MAYBE this just isn’t the right one for you. What is it that MIGHT NOT be right?” You will be amazed at how many times you will hear the customer say, “Well, to tell you the truth…” Yes, buyers are liars. When you get the true objection out, you can many times overcome it with another size, a different item, or a lower price point. Don’t buy, “I’m just looking”; everyone is looking, but not JUST looking. Don’t accept “I want to think about it”, without finding out what it is that the customer really needs to think about. Be willing to hear, “No” and you will be surprised at how many times you will hear, “Yes”. It’s Easy!
September 15th, 2009 at 2:44 am
I can tell you from experience that “okay buts” really work. Those next two questions are priceless. It is asking the customer their opinion, and people enjoy being asked their opinion. Those questions can make or break a sale. Try them out and I am sure they will take you to the next level many times over. Go for it, you have everything to gain, and nothing to lose.
September 17th, 2009 at 8:19 am
When I say that I want to think about it or will be back, I don’t want to hear another word from the salesperson.