Especially in complex sales. As I hinted at in… article about overcoming objections and illustrated it with an example in the article about that how to get married There is a sales technique where the client articulates the benefits of the product during a meeting with the salesperson. For this to work, the salesperson needs time to communicate with the buyer, which is why this method is not well-suited for selling plush toys by traveling salespeople. This approach is specifically relevant for complex sales.
In complex sales, we should not have any false confidence that we will close the deal after the first meeting. However, the intention to close should be present in every meeting with the client.
At this point, we will pause and clarify that it is essential to understand that in simple sales, the conversation ends either with the client rejecting the product or purchasing it. In complex sales, however, we encounter two new factors—delay, as a form of rejection, and progress, which is our goal. Delay and progress can be distinguished by the following characteristics:
- A delay does not lead to a deal, while progress clearly improves the seller’s position.
- A delay is often described as an excuse for a “good meeting,” while progress has specific parameters. SMART goals ).
For example, when you ask a salesperson how the meeting went, they might say, “Great! We had a very productive conversation and agreed to follow up in a week.” Even when we later ask them what results they expected from the meeting, they will give the same answer, as if that was exactly the outcome they anticipated. But this is a typical deferral! It’s a paradox of human psychology: we don’t actually remember what happened to us; instead, we construct a “body” of memories from certain “checkpoints” and our current state. Any event from your past is described through the motives and impressions of your present. The salesperson is not their own enemy and will “optimize” the outcome of the meeting so that they come out looking great, like a pickled cucumber. I will discuss this paradox later in my article “How to Be Happy.”
What would progress look like? Somewhere along these lines: “We agreed to meet next Tuesday to discuss the detailed specifications based on the initial data I will receive from him tomorrow. He will also appoint the people responsible for the project by then, and the next meeting will take place with them.”
How can we achieve progress?
First of all,from planning it. As we prepare for the meeting with the client, we need to outline three possible progress scenarios for ourselves: “mediocre,” “optimal,” and “ambitious.” Of course, the outcome of the meeting should not simply be “to get acquainted.” Progress should be Specific, Measurable… and so on.
SecondlyAt the end of the meeting, we need to present the client with a progress option that they are willing to accept and feel comfortable with. One of the three planned options. We should guide the meeting towards this progress, planning it accordingly. from the end “…asking myself questions like, ‘What did he say that made me suggest this to him?’”
Now, you are ready to read about that very “end of the meeting.”
Rule number 1Forget everything you know about “closing techniques.” If you’ve been successful in using them so far, it’s not because of those “techniques,” believe me. Moreover, we are all “Pavlov’s dogs,” and when we achieve a result after applying some “technique,” we start to… apply constantly We receive positive reinforcement and can’t even imagine how to conduct a meeting without this “technique.” The “closing techniques” work when a product is purchased impulsively, based on emotions, when you are face-to-face with the ultimate decision-maker, in short, when you are selling a stuffed bear on the go. “Which bear do you like more: blue or red?” or “Buy the bear now because these are the last ones in stock, and the next shipment won’t be for a while (at a different price, the euro is rising).” or “It’s our boss’s birthday today, which is why we have discounts today.” or “Okay, let’s compare the advantages of buying the bear and the disadvantages of not having it and come to a reasonable conclusion. I’ll write down the advantages, and you write the disadvantages on the other half of the page. Whoever has more wins.” or “While talking to you, I’ve filled out an application form for a shipment of bears according to your wishes; please sign here.” Or… and so on. I know more than 20 closing techniques myself, which I could list “upon viewer request,” but that’s not the point; the point is that we are not talking about selling stuffed bears.
Rule number 2:Don’t pressure the client. Don’t treat them like an idiot, and don’t let them feel that you’re steering them towards a solution that benefits you. The client should never think that they were skillfully sold something. They should believe that they made the decision on their own, so it feels like you didn’t sell them anything. A good salesperson, like a good mayor, has one key trait: their work goes unnoticed because everything is going well. “Hard selling” can also harm future interactions with the client. It’s even better not to make a sale than to maintain the relationship and the client’s belief that you offer the right products. This is the source of referrals.
Rule number 3, the actual algorithm:
a) Summarize the meeting, clarifying if the buyer has any questions. If there are questions, take notes (so the buyer can see that you are addressing the list of questions and knows that once it’s completed, there’s no need to come up with anything new) — calmly respond to them. Questions are always reasonable.
b) Once you’ve confirmed that there are no more questions, you should go over all the benefits that the buyer mentioned (and we made an effort to ensure they brought them up) and even jot them down in your notebook so you don’t forget.
b) Offer a progress that satisfies the customer.
- Ivan Ivanovich, do you have any questions about what we discussed?
- Yeah, I guess not.
- Then, let me summarize what we discussed.You said.Your company needs a set for creating a pond for breeding lake crayfish, so thatyou were surethat the snacks at corporate parties are not gathered under collector stations and are free from harmful substances. Also,You are right.that our communal pond under your office will enhance the environment, provide coolness in the summer, and offer employees the opportunity to swim during breaks. Additionally,you gave me a sensible hint...the pond is collapsible, so it can be taken apart for the winter, and you won't have to worry about where your crayfish hibernate (smile). And as far as I can tell from my notes,you are convincedthis trendy item will clearly attract new clients, and even more so employees from neighboring offices, which will positively impact the building of connections that are so important in your business. Additionally,You reacted very correctly.He said that $100 per kilogram for fertilized crayfish roe is not a serious amount of money to start this pond, considering that red caviar is clearly more expensive, and a crayfish pond is definitely more prestigious. Did I miss anything?
- Yes, if we summarize it like this, it's really unclear why so few businesspeople still invest in assembling their own crayfish ponds.
-Thank you, that's why we are focusing on this area, as it is very new and promising in the market. So, may I suggest we meet next Tuesday so I can prepare a presentation for you with detailed specifications for the fish pond, along with...according to your requirements?.
-Yes, I suppose I'll have time on Tuesday. Please check with the secretary.
- Thank you. Also, could you please let me know the following details: to whom can I send a sample of our contract, who can I contact to get your company's details, and who should I speak to about the dimensions and depth of the collection pond?
- I'll send you the contact information for our lawyer right now. I'll also inform the head of the supply department about your call. His name is Alexey. Please ask the receptionist to transfer the call to him.
- Agreed, it was very nice, see you soon!
- See you!