Sales Methods that Bypass Sales Objections

Here you are, salesperson of the year with all your sales methods and 99 ways to overcome sales objections neatly memorized.

In walks a suspect, er, I mean prospect, and as you approach you sense the tightening of the jaw, the darting of the eyes, and the shortness of breath...coming from your target.

Like deer in the headlights, they look stunned. They can't escape. They know they'll have to deal with you and your ever pushy sales methods.

Before you open your mouth you're categorized on the same level as a nuisance, a pest whose only purpose is to make them buy something with your arsenal of 99 ways to overcome objections.

But, why is that? They saw your ad, they came in to your store, what happened? It's the habit of human nature kicking in. People like to buy, but they don't like to be sold.

It's a lot like being manipulated. People resent it. I resent it and so do you.

The same is true whether we talk of in-person sales, phone sales, or sales methods involving marketing materials such as brochures and advertisements.

So here you are trying to sell your product, service, or the merit of your business and I've just told you the public doesn't want to buy and you're sales methods are out of date.

Ahaa! You weren't listening carefully. I didn't say that. I said they don't want to be sold. I know people who shop all the time almost as a hobby. And they buy things all the time, yet they still don't like to be sold.

So what's the difference? How can you get these people to want to buy from you?

Well, one way is to not be a salesperson. That's right. Put those 99 ways to overcome objections on the back burner. Here's a new approach, a new sales method...

First thing to do is relax. Your prospect will sense that you're relaxed and they'll relax.

Remember when they first saw you their defenses were up because you gave off vibes of being on the hunt to close a deal.

Be a friend and counselor. Apply the golden rule. Treat them just like you want to be treated. Do the very best to match them with the service they need. If you can't supply it, tell them. Then help them find the right place. No memorized sales methods needed.

Remember you get what you want when you help others get what they want.

This is not to say you can't use some sales methods such as giving them a choice between two positives to help guide them toward a successful conclusion.

In any case, the idea is to build trust first instead of jumping right in to the standard sales approach which is what you see with typical sales material.

For instance, in place of an opening line that says, "I'm the best massage therapist in town, buy from me," you could say," Caution: Avoid these Six Mistakes when choosing a Massage Therapist."

See the difference? The second ad doesn't come across as a sales pitch at all. It's information without the obvious sales angle. And it uses curiosity to get your reader to want to know more. Whether you're writing an ad for the paper or trying to convince your friend to go to the movies, don't apply pressure.

Don't push. Tempt.

So how do you tempt someone into taking a certain action?

Tempt them with "little crumbs of bread." By that I mean feed them little tasty bits they'll enjoy hearing and "tasting."

If you're old enough to remember, there was an '60's Lays potato chip commercial with a little girl on a tricycle who gave this funny-faced comedian one potato chip. The whole commercial centered on the facial expressions he made trying to get more than just that one chip. The catch phrase became, "you can't eat just one."

Practice ways to feed your prospects one potato chip while leaving them hungry for more. With each "chip" reinforce the notion that you are the best source of the whole bag of chips when they do business with you.

I encountered a living example of this technique recently. I went to a mall with one of those huge food courts filled with dozens of restaurants. Like everyone else I had trouble choosing until I passed the Chinese food. While many restaurants had short lines with few people waiting, the Chinese booth had a long line. The difference was a little girl walking around giving out samples. Like everyone else, once I tasted the sample I just had to get the whole meal even if it meant waiting longer.

So remember, people like to buy but don't like to be sold. Practice allowing your prospect to buy. Find ways to build trust and a relationship first.

Then tempt them into your web with verbal word pictures that tease his/her desires and hunger by appealing to their emotions. Don't bore him with reasons and facts and don't push with force. Grasp this concept and you'll have prospects eating out of your hands.