Reader Question...
I can’t figure out where I lose my prospects, but though I manage to get in front of them, they’re still not buying. What am I doing wrong?
Roxannes' Answer...
Oh Lordy (as us southerners are prone to say). That’s a tall topic for such a short blog.
Here’s my advice. Begin to tune in to subtle changes in body language when your prospect begins to get restless, dismissive or starts looking around the room. It’s your cue as to where in the presentation you’re losing them. It's crucial to analyse in order to solve the issue.
It could be you are talking too much. That often happens because we’re nervous. For some reason I've noticed many people assume their job is to TELL all they know. Listening to someone go blah,blah,blah,blah...is just plain boring! But asking them questions precisely aimed at discovering how you can help them is far more effective. You get them talking and they’re always interested in what they have to say.
Then reconfirm what they told you were their issues by repeating it back “So I understood you to say that …”. It takes practice so try it on your spouse, friends, kids or whomever. Finally, ask “if I can provide a solution for that, would you be ready to implement immediately?”
Don't despair, though. Even bad sales skills can be overcome with good marketing. Just keeping in front of your prospect can make a hugh difference. That is why many smart marketing gurus and small business owners use entrepreneurs tools like Audio Generator to engage their prospects on a regular basis with informative or helpful hint audio postcards.
I've had plenty of prospects who in the short term told me no, just to come around a year or two later. I've done a little side marketing to help my husbands architectural business at various times over the years. It took me 3 years, four visits and three different contacts to land one of those prospects for my husbands business. That same prospect has given him over $400,000 in revenue since then. The longest one took 12 years, but they have now been a client for 6 years and keep on giving him work.
Remember, no matter what they tell you, things do change and if you're in contact so they remember you, it just might be that you'll benefit. Don't forget tools like Audio Generator that help you stay in front of your prospect without annoying phone calls.