One of my favorite things to do is to inspire salespeople. This is because I know they touch so many people’s lives at precisely the moments they need assistance, guidance, clarity and powerful support. When we make large purchasing decisions, we are really creating our future. We will live with our decision at times for many years. Our choice eliminates other possibilities as well. No wonder we want to be clear and feel good about our buying decisions, especially when we’re going to spend a lot of money making the purchase.
WHEN BUYER HESITATION STRIKES
I’ve seen some salespeople light up and become energized when they see their buyer beginning to hesitate and feel pressure to make the best choice or right decision. I’ve seen other salespeople shrink and back off, thinking they are supporting the buyer by adding no more pressure to their self-imposed distress. Researchers at BSRP in Dallas, TX calls this sales behavior ‘yielding.’ Researchers at Objective Management Group in Boston call it the ‘need for approval’, or the need to always be liked by everyone – all the time.
Effective salespeople realize that buyers who want something but hesitate at the last moment to pull the trigger need powerful support, not to have their salesperson shrink back. These salespeople come alive at these moments and become what I call ‘powerful coaches’ for the buyer. They have listened carefully to the buyer, understand their goals, what outcomes they want to create, what their concerns and fears are, and have patiently addressed each one. Despite all of this, the moment of hesitation to ‘pull the trigger’ and make the purchase can show up with very little warning or reason. The salesperson may be overheard to say, “So, let’s talk about this. You’ve told me this is exactly what you want to do, and it fits everything you’ve said you want to have. So, let’s explore what’s causing you to hesitate.” They charge full steam ahead to explore and then help the buyer to overcome their hesitation.
On the other end of the continuum, some salespeople begin to think of themselves as the ‘pushy salesperson’ when they see the buyer begin to hesitate. Unconsciously, they don’t want to add pressure to the buyer in these difficult moments. So, they back off, allowing the customer to decide when they are ready. You may hear something like “No problem, I’ll be happy to give you some time to think it over. How about I give you a call next week? I’ll check in with you then.” No powerful coaching here. Instead, you have a person who is focusing on themselves and not wanting to alienate the buyer or be thought of as ‘annoying.’
BEING A POWERFUL COACH IN THE SALES PROCESS
The first salesperson is operating just like a powerful coach. Effective coaches never focus on themselves when their player is in the game. Their total focus is on what they need to do to get the player to perform even above their own expectations. These salespeople are not focused on themselves in these critical moments, whether they will get a sale, whether the buyer thinks they’re too pushy, whether or not the buyer will get upset with them or even angry. These salespeople are focused exclusively on their buyer and facilitating them to achieve the possibility they clearly stated they felt worthy of having.
I once had a choir director who, during rehearsals, would be demanding, even calling sections out and repeating phrases of music over and over until you could hear people groaning and moaning each time he ordered us to repeat it. There were times singers walked out of rehearsal. But, in the end, the choir never sang any better than when he directed us. He was willing to be a powerful director (coach), and was not concerned in those moments about whether or not everyone liked him.
MAINTAIN CUSTOMER FOCUS – MOVE TOWARD THE HESITATION
Great salespeople move toward buyer’s hesitation if it shows up at decision time. They welcome hesitation, are not intimidated by it, but instead listen for what they missed, seek to get the buyer to share at a deeper level of truth and honesty, and are not afraid to lose the sale. They are not attached to the outcome. They are fixed on supporting the buyer to achieve their ultimate goal. They are customer focused. This focus allows them the freedom to engage fully, and because of their commitment to the buyer, they are not concerned about making a mistake or being too ‘pushy.’
Are you focused so much on your buyer that you are showing up as a powerful coach in the toughest moments of the buying process? Your buyers are counting on you.