Quit talking yourself out of a sale

  

  

 delicious  

  

The lane opens. Your destination within sight. You stomp on the gas. The engine sputters and dies. Rolling to a stop your mistake is clear: over-torque. Too much gas, not enough speed. You pushed too hard and killed the engine.

That’s what happens when you push too hard in the Four Speed Selling. Get a gear ahead of the prospect before he’s ready and you’ll over-torque and stall.  The good news: you’ll live to drive and sell another day. Just remember: You may have the wheel, but your client has the gas.

Failure to align is failure to sell

Forcing someone to go where they don’t want to is kidnapping. In sales, it’s suicide.

It happened to me last week. A productive uncovery session took an ugly turn when I got caught up in an idea, fell out of alignment, and turned down a dead-end road. I was pushing social media with a client who didn’t yet see the value.

You may experience temporary success “convincing” a client to adopt your idea. But, if it’s not an aligned idea, it will lead you to a Thelma and Louise canyon dive. Lincoln said it best, “a man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.”

I want what’s best for my client. Don’t you? That’s why I was so lathered up that day about Twitter and blogging. I failed to notice my client’s eyes glazing over. I sure noticed when they narrowed and he leaned back. My throat tightened and two words flashed before my eyes: over-torque. I had jammed into third gear (presenting) without confirming alignment.

Over-torque recovery in three steps

Step one: Keep breathing. Step two: get out. Step three: get over it.

Ego and emotions seduce peddlers into remaining engaged, convinced it can be fixed. Not gonna happen; the customer’s disengaged, the conversation stalled. Running up the tach without being in gear gets you nowhere. When your client pops out, chances of lasting damage increase exponentially the longer you press on. Instead, find an upbeat moment to close, set an appointment three to five business days later, and withdraw.

Prepare to reengage

Time heals only if you don’t rip off the bandage.

Three to five business days lets the uncomfortable moment pass and lingering resentment subside. Resist the temptation to reconnect and explain during that time. That’s about you. Forget about justifying why you were going down that road in the first place; it’s your opinion, but it’s the client’s money.

Put yourself in a position to get back in gear:

• Review your notes.
• Gather points of alignment.
• Summarize the uncovery.

Once you have your thoughts organized, create a three-page summary presentation; summary means bullets only. No sentences. Page 1: aligning points, Page 2: uncovered opportunities, and Page 3: blank. I’ll explain what to do with that blank page in a moment.

Get your wheels turning again

When you return to see your client, start at the beginning: First gear—qualify and align. Are the goals still in place? Is the destination still on his map? If not, slowly work your way through the First gear process anew.

Slip into second—uncovery: summarize , or uncover from the new perspective. Confirm that you’re on the same page. Isolate the fast lane opportunity.

Before you pop into third, clarify how each opportunity uncovered aligns with the destination. Rank each of the uncovered opportunities and ask which of the top two are most important. Which is more immediately actionable? That’s the fast-lane opportunity.

You’re double-clutching; wheels are rolling and momentum is building, you’re minding the tach by validating alignment; you’re there to help reach the destination he’s chosen.

When you land in third gear and begin presenting, even if only conceptually, emphasize the relevant points of alignment and press on. By reinforcing Four Speed Selling principles, your client to concludes the over-torque was an aberration. And, it had better be. I’ve yet to see anyone recover from over-torque twice on the path to fourth gear: conversion.

Back in my real world

Arms crossed, he was leaning back as I began. First gear: Concerns about encroaching competitors. Check; arms uncross. Second gear: vulnerabilities, possible tools. Check; he leans into the conversation. Third gear: potential solutions. He picks one. Fourth gear: we pencil implementation on that blank third page and arrive at agreement. Sold.

Not one word of the earlier detour came from my lips. When he brought it up, I set it aside. “When the time is right, we’ll consider it again. Right now, let’s focus on the tasks at hand.”

Yes, I believe it would be best for him to consider social media aspects. But, I can’t help him there if I don’t help him in the here and now.

A Four Speed Seller is in it to win it long-term. Peddlers sprint down the quarter-mile fast. But, they can’t go the distance. The long-run leads to long-term, residual sales. That’s the fifth gear. More on that later.