Why You Must Learn To Disarm Prospects

Tweet

 

Much of the IT Staffing sales training that I provide comes in the form of one-on-one sales coaching where I work at the desk level, "hand-in-hand" with sales reps.   We work on a number of different things but one of them is making cold calls.  Lots of them.   Most sales professionals I come across in the IT staffing industry make it their goal to either A.) secure a face-to-face meeting on their cold calls, B. ) take a job requirement or C.) give their unique value proposition (this typically equates to a broadcast message announcing features and benefits). 

Typically when they try to execute any of the above they're greeted with the response of "no thanks," or "I don't have time" or some other objection.   But why is the prospect really objecting?  The real reason is the prospect doesn't know you from a hole in the wall.  You most likely have not yet earned the right to whatever it is you are asking of your prospect.  So they object.

As both a sales professional and someone who has purchased products and services (in my professional and personal life) I have learned a few things about how prospects think.

1.) Prospects don't want to be sold, they want to buy.  Most likely you are the same way.  As soon as a prospect hears "sales talk" (broadcast message on who you are, what you do, features and benefits) they clam up and no longer want to talk because they fear the sales person is going to try to impose their product or service on them.  This is a HUGE turn off.  By the way, once you share with the typical IT hiring manager the name of your company and a five second explanation of who you are, they know what you do.  You don't need to talk about your company or explain it beyond that unless they ask. 

2.) Prospects want to feel in control and move at their own pace.  The problem is most sales people have been taught (through traditional sales methodologies) that their job is to control the purchasing process and that you put the prospect in your sales process.   How do most people react when someone else tries to exert control over them?  They resist, they put up their guard, they disengage. You have to make your prospect feel in control.  This requires both skill and confidence.

3.) Prospects are evaluating you, not your company.  They are asking themselves "is this sales person different from all the others?"  "Are they sincere?"  "Do they sound credible/bring credibility to the table?"  "Do I feel as though they can help me?"  "Do they sound valuable?"  Ask yourself this:  When you make a cold call and introduce yourself, does your introduction, approach, tone and what you say address those questions? 

At the end of the day sales professionals are like information archaeologists.  We have tons of questions for our prospects about their role, responsibilities, projects, budget, and challenges they face. The list goes on and on and on.  But prospects are never, ever,  going to share any of this information with you until you can properly disarm them and make them feel comfortable in speaking and sharing information with you.

I'll close with an exercise for you to consider. First, time how long your average cold call lasts (in duration).  If it is under a few minutes than chances are you need to work on your ability to disarm. How much time a prospect is willing to spend with you on the phone (and in person) is a good indicator.  Second, take the list of contact names you are pulling from linkedin (and calling on) and don't allow yourself to see the person's job title before you call them.  This way when you call on that person you have no idea what they are responsible for.  Your goal is to get them on the phone and make them feel comfortable in sharing with you what their job title, role and responsibilities are.  This is excellent practice for working your charm and disarming skills.