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Don’t Talk Your Way Out of a Sale

Don’t Talk Your Way Out of a Sale

SalesLegacy

I often say that words are the tools of a salesman’s trade. When you talk your way out of a sale, you are using the tools incorrectly. Here’s how you can avoid talking your way out of a sale.

Point out that it's wrong for the customer.

Imagine you’re out clothes shopping. You are splurging on an expensive outfit. That’s why you want it to be perfect. You look in the mirror and you’re not sure that it’s perfect. What do you do?

You ask the clerk for her opinion. Here’s what she says: “You know your outfit looks great on blondes.”

You’re a brunette.

What was this salesperson thinking? The mark of a great salesperson is when he can plant the seeds of doubt about the customer's present supplier, not plant seeds of doubt about making a purchase from him.

That's what this salesperson did. By mentioning that this customer was less than perfect for the outfit, the customer began to have doubts. What happened next? That salesperson just lost a sale.

You don't need this.

Another client was considering the purchase of a very expensive one week timeshare condominium. She thought the condo would be perfect for her family.

During the sales presentation, the salesperson did a great job of asking questions and uncovering her interest in having memorable family vacations. Then he said, "And since your parents also have a time share you can vacation with them and now spend two weeks."

She hadn't thought of vacationing with her parents and simply using their time share. It was possible. They had the room. There was no need for her to purchase her own time share. She passed on the offer.

Make the customer feel stupid.

One salesman was making a sales call to sell to a plant engineer. As engineers do, this engineer asked numerous questions about the products and how they would operate in his plant equipment. The salesman did a great job of answering each question.

He was providing technically correct and thorough answers. The customer was feeling more comfortable talking with him. The questions kept coming. Then the salesperson responded to one question that stopped the sale.

What did he say? He answered, "You don't need to know that." There was a chill in the air and the meeting ended shortly after that response. Making a customer feel stupid is a sure way to talk your way out of a sale.

Words are the salesperson's tools. Use them wisely and you won’t talk your way out of a sale.

Profile: Maura Schreier-Fleming

Maura Schreier-Fleming is president of Best@Selling, a sales training and sales consulting company. She works with business and sales professionals to increase sales and earn larger profits. She is the author of Real-World Selling for Out-of-this-World Results and Monday Morning Sales Tips. Maura focuses on sales strategies and tactics that lead to better sales results. Maura is a sales expert for WomenSalesPros. She is part of their group of top sales experts who inspire, educate, and develop salespeople and sales teams.She speaks internationally on influence, selling skills, and strategic selling at trade association and sales meetings, demonstrating how her principles can be applied to get results. She successfully worked for over 20 years in the male-dominated oil industry with two major corporations, beginning at Mobil Oil and ending at Chevron Corp. She was Mobil Oil’s first female lubrication engineer in the U.S. and was one of Chevron’s top five salespeople in the U.S. having sold over $9 million annually. Maura writes several columns to share her sales philosophies. She's been quoted in the New York Times, Selling Power, and Entrepreneur.