Happy Friday, everyone!
This week's poll question was inspired by a recent article by sales writer Geoffrey James, Turn Brush-Offs Into Opportunities.
In this article, James lists some of the most commonly encountered brush-offs when calling on prospects ("I'm not interested," "Send me some literature," "I'm too busy right now," "It's not in our budget right now") and offers some suggestions for turning these excuses into business opportunities.
So here is this week's question:
What brush-offs do you encounter most frequently when making sales calls? How do you respond in order to keep the conversation going?
Looking forward to reading your replies!
I have categorized all brush offs as "Quite frankly"s. Any sentence that starts out with "Quite Frankly Joe..." is going to be bad news.
(OK, not "bad news". Just a golden opportunity for me to go to work.)
Well, I know what I would say if I was a speaker at a sales conference, but since it's just us kids ...
(1) After I receive a brush-off by a new prospect, I simply pause for 2 or 3 seconds. I try to look as though I am considering what they just said, although I've heard all of these brush-offs before. (There's nothing new under the sun, said Solomon in the old testament. Amen to that ...) I quickly glance at the prospect's face: Is he or she truly annoyed or even completely bored with me? (If so, I would probably say, "Thank you for your time!", and walk away to find a better prospect.)
I also consider the condition of the business and it's equipment. No customers in sight, run-down facility and beat-up or outdated equipment and/or vehicles? If so, then this prospect may be more of a 'hobbyist' than a real businessperson ... or he/she may simply be on the downward slope into retirement.
I have only one advantage as a radio advertising salesperson on 'straight commission only': If I don't want to call on an abusive or time-wasting prospect, I can choose to spare myself this huge waste of positive emotional energy and selling time. I let a different advertising salesperson, from a different media company, expend their precious time on these 25 to 1 long shots.
(2) But, if the prospect or business appearance look more promising, and the prospect is not obviously busy with a customer, I will try to 'wake up' the prospect with a stick of emotional / business dynamite!!
I usually have something a little exciting or provocative to say, held in a corner of my mind ahead of time, to say to a prospect who has a blase' or "yadda-yadda-yadda, sales talk is cheap" attitude. I look him/her in the eye and mention the success of another company (even his/her competitors! ) has had with radio, or that I believe 'radio advertising should be free' ! I suddenly have the prospect's attention! KAA-BOOOM ... !!!
I make sure all of my potential/current customers understand that I am only looking to work with 40 clients...and right now I have 31.
Send some literature - "I rarely am able to do business with anyone who asks me to send them something without setting a meeting to follow up."
I'm too busy right now - "Me too. That's why I'm calling just to set an appointment."
It's not in our budget right now - "I had a client tell me that just last week. But, they freed up some money in their budget after they saw what I was proposing."
