3 Common Mistakes All Sales People Make

Summary

In this episode of 'Closers are Losers', host Jeremy Miner interviews Mac, a lead account manager, on overcoming sales objections. Mac emphasizes the importance of not just addressing what the prospect says, but understanding their true needs and concerns. He discusses the art of verbal pacing and pausing to encourage deeper engagement and reveals the significance of asking the right questions to uncover hidden problems. The conversation highlights the value of situational questions in diagnosing the real issues, and the necessity of actively listening to what prospects mean beyond their words. Mac shares insights on handling objections effectively and the importance of structure in sales conversations to ensure consistent results.

Takeaways

• 😀 Salespeople often trigger objections due to their tone or the way they phrase questions, making prospects feel sold to.
• 🔍 It's crucial for salespeople to understand that objections are reactions to their approach, not just inherent issues with the product or service.
• 💡 The script emphasizes the importance of not just asking questions but also listening to the prospect's needs and concerns to build trust and understanding.
• 🚀 Salespeople should avoid 'bulldozing' by not overwhelming the prospect with too many questions or solutions too quickly, which can lead to surface-level interactions.
• 💭 The concept of 'verbal pacing' is introduced as a technique to engage prospects by slowing down the delivery of questions, allowing them to engage more deeply.
• 💼 Salespeople need to be aware of their own tone and how it can influence the prospect's reaction, potentially triggering objections.
• 📈 The script suggests that many salespeople struggle with uncertainty in their sales approach, lacking a structured method to handle objections or close deals.
• 🎯 Effective sales involve diagnosing the prospect's real situation rather than assuming what their needs are based on initial interactions.
• 👥 Salespeople should be trained to interpret non-verbal cues and listen actively to what prospects mean, not just what they say.
• 📚 The script promotes continuous learning and improvement, suggesting that salespeople should seek structured training and utilize resources like Facebook groups and books for advancement.

Q & A

What is the main issue salespeople face when dealing with objections?

Salespeople often face objections because they may use certain words or ask questions in a way that triggers a defensive reaction in the prospect. They might not be delving deep enough to understand the prospect's emotional needs or they could be using a tone that makes the prospect feel like they are being sold to.

Why do prospects sometimes feel like they are being sold to during a sales pitch?

Prospects may feel like they are being sold to if the salesperson uses a tone that is too enthusiastic or asks surface-level questions that don't allow the prospect to emotionally open up. This can lead to a perception of being 'bulldozed' by sales tactics rather than having a genuine conversation.

What is the significance of verbal pacing and pausing in sales?

Verbal pacing and pausing are crucial in sales as they allow the salesperson to match the prospect's speech pattern, which can build rapport. Pausing gives the prospect time to internalize questions, leading to more thoughtful and revealing answers, while pacing ensures the salesperson is not rushing through questions, allowing for deeper engagement.

How can salespeople identify and address hidden problems or objections?

Salespeople can identify hidden problems by actively listening and observing non-verbal cues. They should ask clarifying questions to delve deeper into the prospect's concerns and use techniques like neuro-emotional persuasion questioning to uncover the real needs and objections that the prospect may not be aware of.

What is the importance of not selling to just the needs a prospect states, but uncovering the real situation?

It is important to not just sell to the stated needs of a prospect because they may not fully understand their own situation or the depth of their problems. By uncovering the real situation through diagnostic questions, a salesperson can provide a more tailored solution that addresses the core issues, leading to a more satisfying outcome for the prospect.

Why is it counterproductive to jump immediately into a solution when a prospect describes a problem?

Jumping immediately into a solution when a prospect describes a problem can be counterproductive because it may not address the prospect's most critical needs. It's important to first understand the full scope of the problem and related issues through questioning before presenting a solution.

How can salespeople use the concept of 'NPQ' or Neuro-Emotional Persuasion Questioning in their sales process?

Salespeople can use NPQ by asking questions designed to uncover the emotional drivers behind a prospect's needs. This involves understanding how the brain makes decisions and using that knowledge to craft questions that help prospects realize the importance of solving their problems, thus making the sales process more effective.

What is the role of situation questions in the sales process?

Situation questions play a role in the sales process by helping the salesperson understand the prospect's current situation and by helping the prospect understand the reality of their situation. These questions are crucial for building a gap between where the prospect is now and where they want to be.

Why is it important for salespeople to listen to what the prospect means, not just what they say?

Listening to what the prospect means, not just what they say, is important because it allows the salesperson to interpret underlying concerns, emotions, and motivations that may not be explicitly stated. This deeper understanding can lead to more effective communication and problem-solving during the sales process.

How can salespeople handle objections more effectively?

Salespeople can handle objections more effectively by first understanding the root cause of the objection through questioning. They should avoid being defensive and instead seek to address the prospect's concerns by providing relevant information or solutions that speak to the prospect's needs and emotions.

Outlines

00:00

🗣️ Sales Techniques and Overcoming Objections

The paragraph discusses the challenges faced by salespeople, particularly in handling objections and not appearing overly sales-driven. It emphasizes the importance of asking the right questions to provoke emotional responses rather than surface-level answers. The speaker, Jeremy, highlights the need for salespeople to be aware of their tone and approach to avoid triggering objections. The conversation suggests that salespeople often struggle with a lack of structure and certainty in their sales process, leading to inconsistent results. The dialogue also touches on the idea that salespeople should focus on understanding the prospect's true needs rather than assuming what they require.

05:01

💡 The Impact of Tone and Pacing in Sales

This section delves into the nuances of sales communication, stressing the importance of tone and pacing in engaging prospects. The discussion points out that using certain words or phrases can make prospects feel as if they are being sold to, leading to objections. The paragraph also addresses the common issue of salespeople asking superficial questions that fail to help prospects emotionally connect with the product or service. The speaker provides insights into how adjusting one's tone and incorporating pauses can lead to more meaningful conversations and better sales outcomes.

10:02

🤔 The Art of Asking the Right Questions

The focus of this paragraph is on the significance of asking the right questions in sales to uncover the true needs and concerns of prospects. It discusses how many salespeople mistakenly sell based on the perceived needs of the prospect, which can be misleading. The paragraph uses an analogy of a doctor diagnosing a patient to illustrate the importance of understanding the underlying issues before presenting a solution. It also touches on the concept of 'Neuro Emotional Persuasion Questioning' (NEPQ), a methodology developed by the speaker to help salespeople better understand the decision-making process of the brain and improve their sales approach.

15:04

👨‍⚕️ Sales Analogy: Doctoring the Sales Process

This segment uses the analogy of a doctor's diagnostic process to emphasize the importance of thoroughly understanding a prospect's situation before offering solutions. It warns against the pitfall of selling based on the initial, possibly misguided, understanding of a prospect's needs. The speaker shares a personal anecdote about a knife salesperson who failed to ask clarifying questions and missed the mark on the customer's actual needs. The paragraph underscores the need for salespeople to actively listen and diagnose the real issues that prospects face to provide appropriate solutions.

20:06

👂 Active Listening in Sales: Beyond Words

The paragraph stresses the importance of active listening in sales, which involves interpreting not just what prospects say but also what they mean through their tone and body language. It discusses how salespeople can miss critical cues that indicate a prospect's concerns or objections. The speaker provides examples of how to address non-verbal signals and verbal cues through what they term 'APQ diffusing questions.' These questions are designed to clarify and resolve concerns, thereby maintaining control over the sales process. The paragraph also encourages salespeople to involve all participants in a sales conversation, ensuring that everyone's perspective is considered and addressed.

25:09

📚 Resources for Enhancing Sales Skills

In the final paragraph, the speaker provides resources for those interested in improving their sales skills. They mention a Facebook group called 'Sales Revolution' where salespeople can access free training and Q&A sessions. Additionally, they promote a book titled 'A New Model of Selling: Selling to an Unsellable Generation,' authored by the speaker and Jerry Acu, CEO of Delta Point. The book is described as a valuable resource for salespeople, offering tactical questions and insights to enhance their sales approach and effectiveness.

Keywords

💡Objections

In sales, objections refer to the doubts or concerns raised by a prospect regarding a product or service. The script discusses how these are often 'triggered reactions' due to the way salespeople communicate, rather than inherent issues with the prospect's interest. For instance, using certain words or asking superficial questions can make a prospect feel like they are being sold to, prompting objections.

💡Emotional Opening

This concept refers to the point in a sales conversation where a prospect becomes emotionally invested and open to the sales pitch. The script emphasizes the importance of not just asking questions but using the right tone and pacing to encourage this emotional opening, which is crucial for a successful sale.

💡Tone

Tone, in the context of the script, pertains to the attitude and inflection a salesperson uses when communicating with a prospect. It can significantly influence how the prospect perceives the interaction, with the right tone helping to build trust and rapport, as opposed to a tone that feels too sales-pitchy, which can trigger objections.

💡Neuro Emotional Persuasion (NPQ)

NPQ is a methodology developed by the speaker, drawing from behavioral science and psychology. It involves understanding how the brain makes decisions and using that knowledge to persuade effectively. The script discusses how NPQ can be used to ask the right questions and read the prospect's situation accurately, rather than assuming their needs.

💡Situational Questions

These are questions designed to help both the salesperson and the prospect understand the current situation or problem the prospect is facing. The script explains that situational questions are crucial for diagnosing the real issues, rather than jumping to solutions based on assumptions or the prospect's initial statements.

💡Verbal Pacing

Verbal pacing is a technique mentioned in the script where a salesperson matches the speech pattern, energy, and rhythm of the prospect to establish rapport and make the conversation feel more natural. It involves pacing out questions and statements to give the prospect time to process and respond thoughtfully.

💡Uncertainty

Uncertainty in sales refers to the lack of confidence or predictability in the sales process. The script mentions that when salespeople are uncertain about their approach or the prospect's needs, it can lead to ineffective sales strategies and a lack of control over the outcome of the sales conversation.

💡Structure

In the context of the script, structure refers to a systematic approach or plan that salespeople follow during their sales conversations. Having a structured sales process can help salespeople address objections, ask the right questions, and guide the prospect towards a decision, as opposed to 'winging it' without a plan.

💡Active Listening

Active listening is the practice of fully concentrating, understanding, and responding to what is being said by the prospect. The script highlights the importance of not just hearing the prospect's words but interpreting their meaning, including their tone and body language, to address their concerns effectively.

💡Red Flags

Red flags in sales are signals or indications that a prospect may have concerns or objections that need to be addressed. The script provides examples of verbal and non-verbal red flags, such as a prospect mentioning financial constraints or displaying closed-off body language, which salespeople should pick up on and address proactively.

Highlights

Salespeople often trigger objections due to their tone or the surface-level questions they ask, causing prospects to feel like they're being sold to.

Prospects may not emotionally open up because salespeople fail to use their tone effectively to build trust and rapport.

Salespeople tend to bulldoze prospects by asking questions too quickly, not allowing time for meaningful engagement.

The importance of verbal pacing and pausing to enhance the effectiveness of questions asked during a sales conversation.

Salespeople should not sell to the initial needs stated by the prospect, as these may not be their true underlying needs.

The analogy of a doctor diagnosing a patient is used to illustrate the importance of uncovering the true situation of a prospect before selling.

The concept of 'hopium' is introduced, which refers to the ineffective strategy of hoping for a sale without truly understanding the prospect's needs.

Salespeople need to listen to what the prospect means, not just what they say, to interpret their tone and body language effectively.

The use of Neuro Emotional Persuasion (NPQ) in sales, which involves asking situation questions to understand the prospect's true situation.

The danger of assuming a prospect's needs without proper questioning, which can lead to missed sales opportunities.

The example of a knife salesman who failed to sell because he didn't understand the customer's true needs regarding knife sharpness.

The necessity for salespeople to have a structured approach to handle objections and build a natural conversation flow.

The importance of actively listening during sales calls to identify and address concerns as they arise, rather than hoping they'll resolve on their own.

The technique of using diffusing questions to clarify concerns and objections from prospects, demonstrated through real-life examples.

The significance of involving all decision-makers in a sales conversation, especially those who may be quiet or reserved.

The value of free training resources available on the Sales Revolution Facebook group for sales professionals to improve their skills.

The recommendation of the book 'A New Model of Selling: Selling to an Unsellable Generation' for advanced sales tactics and strategies.

Transcripts

if they're getting this one objection a

lot what are they saying I know long

time ago you used to be a client that's

right what did you used to sell at this

stage sometimes the better question is

what didn't I sell objections are

triggered reactions because typically

there are words you use where they feel

like you're selling them there's certain

questions you're asking that are so

surface level that the prospect never

emotionally opens up what are your

thoughts on that and I'll show you guys

just a classic example I see salespeople

do all this time he hey let me ask you a

question and then they you don't want to

do that because you're bulldozing it's a

common thing that we think and see in

sales is like okay like here's a problem

oh we have exactly what you need for

that I'm going to match it with you know

some sort of solution that I think we

have for them and because of that it

just Falls flat so typically salespeople

or entrepreneurs or business owners that

you know watch the show on YouTube or

they listen to it they want to learn how

to sell more in your mind like what what

are their biggest strug I think like the

biggest thing that people come to us on

calls that that I see

is all right Jeremy Miner welcome to

another episode of closers are losers

now the man the myth the legend Matt

Ryder or CEO cannot talk his voice is

not working today so we are actually on

with one of our lead account managers

Mac you're way over there on the other

side of the building there I love the

nice of words behind you so we're going

to we're going to interview Mac and

typically you know what we like to do on

the shows we do our podcast a lot

differently a lot of a lot of times you

know people will bring in like experts

and they'll they'll kind of talk about

their story and which I love they'll

talk about their story or you know

they'll go over some theories and

everything and I really like that but we

always find that

salese like to learn how to sell more so

you know our tens of I don't even know

how many downloads we get maybe a couple

hundred thousand a month could be a

little bit less just a few just a few

could be less I sometimes I exaggerate

by a few people and and then our

attorneys are like no we don't have

200,000 downloads there's

199,50 you're exaggerating Jeremy okay

if I exaggerate by 500 people I don't

know the stats in and I never look so

typically salespeople or entrepreneurs

or business owners that you know watch

the show on YouTube or they listen to it

they want to learn how to sell more like

they want to learn some tactical skills

but first of all Mac I mean you're

you're on you know our account

management team there's tons of you guys

now both here in the office in Scottdale

working virtually all over the world

maybe let's let's go over like when

you're talking because you mainly talk

with like individual salespeople that

sell anything right sure okay so we got

some of you that specialize talking to

companies others specialize in talking

to like individual salespeople so when

these sales people come on with

you like in your mind like what what are

they what are their big strug like maybe

give me a couple two or three things

that they're bringing up with you that

they're having issues with let's talk

about that and

right correct that I think like the

biggest thing that people come to us on

calls that I see whether it be an

individual sales rep or maybe like a

business owner that's kind of in the

trenches doing some sales of their own

is they're just not quite sure what to

do yeah and what I mean by that they're

unsure about like what questions to ask

or

I get stumped on this objection I'm not

quite sure how to handle it or what I'm

doing that's actually triggering that

and then I think it just kind of

transcends into maybe a lack of

certainty and confidence and actually

like what they're doing and because they

don't know what to do it if you're and I

think a lot of salese I mean correct me

if I'm wrong but you know even if you

know because a lot of times we ask

salese because you know what's the

biggest problem in sales I always say

it's the problem that you don't know you

have that's the biggest problem in

selling because if you don't know what

your problem is you don't know how to

change that so like you had said if

they're getting this one objection a lot

well what are they saying what are they

not asking or how are they using their

tone that's actually triggering that

objection in the prospect's mind because

what are you know is did that Prospect

wake up that morning and like decide hey

when that sales person calls me you know

I know I put in my name and number for

and became a lead or when I get on Zoom

with them or I would I meet them in

person that third question because their

tone sounds too enthusiastic I'm going

to go into fight or flight mode because

I feel like I'm being sold and I'm GNA

say enough of the questions just tell me

how much it's going to cost i t a

mission is it like they plann that out

or was it a triggered reaction from what

the salesperson

did it's a it's it's a great question

and I think you you hit the nail on the

head there is like a lot of times I

think people will talk about how oh my

prospects are this or or that yeah but

it's not like hey you know when I get on

the call with you know John Doe I'm

planning on giving him to let me talk to

my spouse objection yeah just just for

fun yeah objections are triggered

reactions because there're things that

you said uh typically there are words

you use where they feel like you're

selling them like they feel like you're

trying to sell them right uh there's

certain questions you're asking that are

so surface level that the prospect never

emotionally open opens up right and

especially because you don't know how to

use your tone yet to get them to let

their guard down they stay surface level

so even when you ask what you thought

were really good questions a lot of

times they give you vague generalized

surface answers and so when we ask Tales

people these questions I think for a lot

of them I think it really causes them to

internalize that hey maybe it's not my

prospects maybe the leads aren't really

as bad as I thought they were maybe it's

what I'm saying or not asking or how I'm

using my tone that's causing them to say

they don't have the money when they

probably do have the money unless I'm

selling a $1 million solution to a

homeless person they probably do have

the money but where they're currently

spending that money in their mind is

more of a priority to what your solution

should be their priority where they

should spend that same money it's not

like the money does not exist like if

you're selling life insurance it's not

like the $250 a month does not exist

they're just currently spending that on

something in their mind they feel is

more of a priority than your solution so

it's your job as a salesperson to help

them change their way of thinking and

instead of spending that money on their

cable bill or something like Starbucks

every day they start to view oh maybe

that policy is a better priority or or

whatever you sell could be cars it could

be jet planes it could be cyber security

to Bank of America you know real estate

it doesn't really matter what are your

thoughts on that um I I think you're

exactly right because you know people

might say something's like too too

expensive an analogy that I like to use

from time to time to kind of help people

like understand this if someone needs

10K for a car upgrade yeah or 10K for a

life- saving operation which one are

they going to go through greater lengths

to make happen yeah because they already

know it's a priority right because they

feel the need yep unless we uncover that

ask the right questions yeah how are we

going to help expand that Gap and help

them see how important it is for that

them to actually solve their problems in

their mind yeah and it's it's really the

the questions and how you ask the

questions because you can have great

questions but if you ask them to I mean

this is a whole another subject I was

just training this to my to our Advanced

Inner Circle clients today smaller group

more advanced clients that had to make a

certain amount of income before they can

even get into that program because we

only let like 50 new people a month into

it I was training them that hey your

questions are really good here on your

sales structure written you but you're

asking them so fast that you're not

giving the prospect enough time to

internalize what you're asking and

that's why you're getting quick vague

surface level answers because you ask it

too fast so I want to you know if you

guys can well I don't know if you can

see this if you're on YouTube you can

see this I want to practice what's

called verbal

pacing okay and verbal pausing okay that

when I'm asking a

question it causes them to hang on to

almost every word I'm saying where

they're fully engaged and I slow down

the question I Pace it out where it

causes them to think really deep about

what I asked and so now when they answer

they emotionally start to open up now I

know a long time ago you used to be a

client that's right what did you use to

sell before uh so at this stage

sometimes the better question is what

didn't I sell but door to door alarms

uh solar healthare cells Fitness uh

Logistics Services all all sorts of

different stuff before uh when I when I

came to you I was selling software and

and a little bit of solar like SASS and

stuff so yeah when you started learning

as as a client because this you've been

with us I think for what a year and a

half two years now yeah almost three

almost three yeah so before that um when

you started learn how to verbal Pace did

you notice anything different yeah just

conversations like surface level and I

think you know one thing that a lot of

our students learn and kind of like you

touched on is like you can ask a

question a few different ways and kind

of how you implement that pacing and

those verbal pausing they're going to

give you maybe different responses than

you would have if you just ask yeah yeah

so even like this I mean I'll show you

guys just a classic example I see

salespeople do all this time they say

this hey let me ask you a question and

then they ask the question so you you

don't want to do that because you're

bulldozing you're when you say let me

ask you a question and you ask the

question you're just bulldozing over

them a lot of your prospects will feel

that they'll like they're they feel like

you're just trying to cram down a

question a sales question to get them an

an to answer certain way so then you can

use it to manipulate them and try to

close it but if I leaned in it and I

said hey can I um can I ask you

something now what did I do there what

did I do there can I can I ask you

something see that's a ver

pause a verbal pause of about a

second causes yeah sure what would you

like to ask causes them to engage can I

um can I ask you something see my facial

expression like it's almost like I'm

curious and SL concerned that was a yeah

yeah what do you have in mind see that's

an example of a verbal pause even verbal

paste out that small question whereas a

lot of people like hey can I ask you

something oh yeah sure see too fast okay

big difference there yep all right what

else what's another thing that a lot of

times when when you're asking different

questions to individual salespeople they

start to maybe internalize oh maybe I do

have that problem I never thought about

it that way maybe some hidden gems

hidden problems thought they

had I yeah like like you said earlier I

think the the most dangerous problem is

one that they're not aware of and like

how are you going to know what your

problems are unless you have like a

separate set of eyes like there's a

reason why a back surgeon can't do

surgery on himself can't can't see his

own back right so a lot of these sales

people I talk to like they they don't

know what they're doing wrong and when

you kind of strip it back you find out

okay they don't have structure their

tonality is a bit off they don't

actually when they get objections have a

structure in which they walk through

that and because of that they're winging

at Rambo style and you don't you don't

have structure some weeks some weeks

they wing it better than others where we

would teach specific structure to follow

that the prospect feels is completely

natural does not sound scripted because

we teach you how to use your tone but

you have predicable results from it so

you're not just oh one week I did really

well but the next week you're like the

next week it's like man I didn't make

hardly any sales what am I doing wrong

and then you change this over here but

you didn't really need to change this

part you're actually doing really good

here you should have changed this this

and this but you didn't know you didn't

know what your problems were because

you're trying to figure it out yourself

or you're trying to figure it out but

from somebody else in your company that

does doesn't know how because they have

the same problem or you take advice from

other salese in your company that really

have the same issues that don't know how

to train you how to do it and then it's

just you're always guessing every week

and when you guess you have uncertainty

and when you come across uncertain to

the prospect guess what they start to

feel uncertainty that you can actually

get them the results you're promising

them for your company all right so

that's a good one they don't have

structure they don't know how to verbal

pace out their questions they don't know

how to pause they don't know the right

questions to ask for what they sell and

I find a lot of times you know we you

know one part of of neq and if you're

brand new to watching our show or or

listening here uh npq is neuro emotional

persuasion question that's the

methodology that I developed over my

177e sales career before I started seven

level it's mainly comes from my

Behavioral Science Background in school

and my uh psychology background

especially social dynamics how does the

brain make uh decisions why do they say

yes instead of no or vice versa so a lot

of it what has to do is you know we we

practice uh part of npq is what we call

situation questions okay now these might

even sound boring to you because

situation questions were helping the

prospect find out what their situation

is now there's two things that we have

to do with situation questions first is

we have it helps us as a

salesperson understand their situation

because we have to understand what's

going on okay if you don't understand

their situation hard to build a gap to

where they want to be if you don't

really understand what's going on

because then you're guessing and when

you're

guessing H it's like taking a bucket of

mud you know throwing it up against the

wall and just hoping and praying

something you're gonna say is going to

magically cause them to want to buy what

was called that hopium the hopium drug

the hopium drug a and pray it's going to

work out very hard to make a really big

living as a salesperson with the hopium

drug right uh number two is more

importantly it helps the

prospect understand the

real

situation now why is that important

because most prospects don't really know

what their real situation is when you

first start talking to them right and

they might have an idea but but they

don't understand the depth of that they

don't understand how bad it is they

don't even understand the consequences

of what happens if they don't do

anything okay that's why we always train

salespeople every industry that you can

never this going to sound very

counterintuitive to anything you might

have heard if you've been through a lot

of sales training we train you not to

sell to the needs of the prospect let me

repeat that we train you not to sell to

the needs of the prospect you're like

Jeremy that doesn't make any sense well

it does because most of your prospects

don't really know what their needs are

their real needs when you first start

talking to them okay and it's like if a

prospect comes on and they're like hey

I'm having a problem with this and

you're like oh yeah we have that problem

all the time let me show you how we

solve that and you jump into your

solution you were doing them a huge

disservice because that might not really

be the biggest problem they have and now

you're selling to this one need whereas

they might have five other problems and

because you jump into your solution

they're like oh well it's not that bad

and then they try to get rid of you or

waffle around and you know you're

chasing them all right and I always I

always give this analogy you know if if

a doctor you know if you went into a

doctor and you said hey I got this

really bad headache I need some migraine

medication and they're like oh you need

migraine medication let me show you we

solve that and then they give you a

prescription and turns out the

migraine wasn't really the problem the

migraine was actually caused by a

lifethreatening tumor in your brain but

because they didn't ask you questions to

find out about the pain and how long

you've had the pain and what the pain is

preventing you from being able to do and

other pointed questions they didn't

uncover what the real problems were they

didn't uncover what the real situation

was so they sold to what you thought you

needed whereas your real situ situation

was 10 times worse and that caused you

to pass away early so that's why doctors

don't take your word when you come in

and say what's going on they have to

diagnose you they take you through a

process to diagnose what your real

situation is so as a salesperson that's

what you have to do what are your

thoughts about that um write on the

money because I mean like a doctor you

might get hit with a little malpractice

if that happens right but I think you

know like that's common thing that we s

in see in sales is like okay like here's

the problem oh we have exactly what you

need for that I'm going to match it with

you know some sort of solution that I

think we have for him and because of

that it just Falls flat I think there's

a a lesson I learned from you that I'll

never forget but I think you talked

about Like a Knife salesman that was

selling knives and somebody says looking

for knives oh we have the sharpest

knives in the world and then it ended up

they weren't looking for Sharp knives

because I think like the the no it

actually it actually happened to me oh

this was about seven seven or eight

years ago I actually gave that example

in our apq

2.0 uh you know virtual training uh

platform you know for client training

and I gave an example of when I walked

into a knife store so you're walking in

I don't know what it's called it's like

Chicago Cutlery or something you walk in

this huge like this huge knife so they

got every type of knife everywhere it's

all over all the just knives knives

knives and I I looked at these knives

I'm like oh how sharp are these knives

and remember the sales is like they are

the sharpest knife in the industry in

fact they are so sharp the Navy Seals

for the government use these to cut the

rope and he started going over how sharp

the knives were and how they were so

good and I was thinking like oh I I

think those would be too dangerous for

my 15-year-old daughter who's learning

how to cook I'm afraid she's gonna cut

herself really

bad might be a hard objection there was

no no and he looked at me and he started

talking I'm like oh yeah I I don't want

them to be that sharp because my my

actually think my daughter's like 13 or

14 she's learning how to cook I'm like

I'm afraid those are too sharp for my

daughter like she's gonna cut herself

for the B and it just the conversation

was over it was just a weird awkward

point of that like oh you know all he

had to do was say oh well it just I mean

it just depends we've got sharp knives

we got knives that are not so sharp now

you must have asked me that for a reason

well yeah the reason why I asked you is

I'm looking for you know my daughter

she's she's 13 years old and I just

don't want something that's too sharp

where she could really hurt herself oh

well in that case you'd want to look at

and he probably would have made the sale

really easily all he had to do see he I

told him what he thought I needed and I

didn't even say that I just said are

these knives sharp and he thought that

I'm asking like I'm looking for Sharp

knives so he started to pitch me on why

the knives were so sharp and how

everybody in the Navy Seals and all

these you know government workers use

this knife because it's so sharp when

all I was looking for was just a basic

knife St that my younger teenage

daughter wouldn't hurt herself or her

friends with while she learned how to

cook how you just simply ask a

clarifying question he 99.9% of the time

would have made that deal and and those

knives were you know three to five grand

per set he probably would made a decent

size Commission on that so that's why

you can never sell to just what you

think the prospect needs even if they

said that you sell to the real problems

so in that example if I would to come in

with a different question like hey I'm

looking for uh a set of like really

sharp knives instead of just like oh

well let me show you the sharpest ice we

have I might ask like oh well it just

depends what would you be using the ice

for oh you're using them for your 12year

old well we I can show you those but

what happens if they're you know too

sharp and then she gets hurt oh that's a

good point I never thought about that

what should I do and then I'm going to

maybe show him something different not

saying that I wouldn't sell them but I

want to find out why he's even looking

that in the first place or why he or she

feels like they need the sharp knives

over regular knives it just depends you

know so that's another important lesson

let's give them one one other thing one

other thing you notice that a lot of

sales people when they get on calls with

you guys don't even know they need that

after you kind of diagnose and unwrap

the the issues they're like oh I never

even thought about that uh I think in

like talking to them and like role

playing like they aren't actively

listening and because of that it's just

leaving holes all over their call

they'll hear something that would be

like a red flag that probably needs to

be addressed earlier on yeah and they

don't do it because one they aren't

listening and two they might not know

how to actually work around that and

because of that like we can look back at

the calls and identify that probably can

have a good idea on like what objection

that they're going to get the end but

knowledge is we always talk about any BQ

we train you how to listen to what the

prospect means not just what they say

let me repeat that you have to learn how

to listen to what the prospect means not

just what they say sometimes those are

can be two different things now how do

you do that we train you how to

interpret their tone and if you can see

them how to interpret their body

language signals they're giving you I

you know I did a live on this the other

day it's it's quite interesting I can

actually show you guys if you want me to

if you didn't see this SL

um you know that we went over certain

questions um that you can ask when you

hear or see red flags right if a if a

prospect gets on there let's say if it's

B to C and they get on an outbound call

with you or inbound or whatever or

you're in person like hey is this going

to cost a lot of money because I don't

have a lot of money right now well if if

you're selling BTC that's a red flag and

I need to find out what they mean by

that I need to financially qualify them

so I don't lose time on that now if it's

B2B I might not get that red flag if I'm

selling to larger companies I'm not

because they already have budgets they

have to spend that so I'm going to get

different red flags maybe if I sold B2B

or let's say their body language shows

you that they have some type of concern

or they're not understanding something

or they're closed off like you said

you've got to be able to stop that and

address that because if you're hoping

and praying that they're just going to

magically open up at the end of your

sales process well you're hoping and

praying you're taking the hope and have

no control you have no you know you have

no uh let's say um predictability No

Control in that sales process so let's

say if you sold

B2B this could even be let's say if

you're at a uh you know on zoom and

there's a husband and a wife and let's

say you're selling life insurance or if

you're selling cars at a dealership I

mean this could be any industry if

you're selling you know cyber security

to Wells Fargo and you're in the

boardroom and you've already talked to a

couple of their decision makers sea

levels but now you got a boardroom of

eight other decision makers or

influencers and you go through slide you

know 31 of your presentation your pitch

deck as some would call I hate I hate

the word pitch deck um and you notice

when you go through slide 31 that hey

Karen over there at the end of the room

when you go through that slide you

notice that she goes like this and she

looks up like with like a weird face and

she's kind of closed off now if I got

that what am I to do am I going to hope

and pray that it's okay and that the

rest of the pitch is going to win her

over and everybody else am I going to

hope and pray it works out you know hope

him or should we find out what's behind

her giving you that non-verbal message

through her body language to prevent her

when you leave from influencing

everybody else not to purchase your

solution so I might stop when I see that

and be hey hey Karen you like yeah yeah

hey um let me show you I wrote it here

you guys can write it down this is

called an apq diffusing question we'll

wrap it up hey Karen I noticed that when

we went over that uh when we went over

XYZ on that last slide you seemed a bit

hesitant what's what's behind that just

so I understand I noticed when when we

went over XYZ on that last slide you

seemed a bit maybe hesitant What's um

what's behind that just so I understand

concern tone okay well I didn't

understand what you meant by this or

well I'm concerned that when we try to

integrate it here we could have this

isue ah okay well in that case and now

you're there to help her overcome the

concern and now you have a lot more

control and now she's not going to go

influence everybody else there because

you're resolving not only her concern

but all of their concerns as well that's

an example of hey I'm asking some

questions I'm listening to what she

means by her nonverbal signal she just

gave me okay her body language I'm

listening to what she means not just

what she's saying and now I'm there to

help her overcome concern and now I've

control of that sales

process make sense yeah probably easier

to overcome that there than you know

when they go back to the board and

discuss it I might imagine but or if I'm

selling B to C and let's say I'm on

virtually with the husband and wife and

let's say you know example I'm selling

life insurance or something like that

right it's one of the train 158

different Industries I think life

insurance is the number one or two

biggest industry which right now tens of

thousands in that space and let's say

that I'm talking to husband and wife and

the husband seems like more quiet more

reserved he's not really opening up

she's opening up but he seems to be

opening up I might then turn to him

after I ask a question what about you

what are your thoughts on that Jim and

I've got to get him involved because

he's giving me non-verbal signals that

he is quiet he's reserved like

something's going on he's thinking he's

processing I don't know what his

thoughts are so I want to find out

that's just another example or if he's

he's like hey uh what about this you

know what would be a a question they

might I well what happens if this

happens uh yeah yeah let's let's go over

that now has that happened to you in the

past or what caused you to ask that just

so I understand oh yeah the reason why I

asked you is like you know when I was a

kid my dad had this and okay now I know

he has a concern now I'm listening to

what he means not just what he said and

now I'm answering that question that's

just another example all right Mac I

know you're busy I know you got more

appointments today thanks everybody for

being on Max thanks for jumping on

hereo you're hey I've had you on the

show twice in I know next man up you're

getting really good with the Whiteboard

I just want to give you I know I get the

joh Madden I know I get the vibe board

out here it's like the Playbook you know

I've got like thousands of trainings

just on the Whiteboard all right yeah

you guys want to start probably a lot of

you will ask hey where do we go to learn

more uh we'll give you some we'll give

you some nibbles we'll give you some

some different training so we won't even

charge you for this uh you're welcome to

join our one of our one of our Facebook

groups let's have you go to sales

revolution. proo sales revolution. proo

there's about 90 some thousand people in

there 90,000 thing's grown fast in the

last year and we go live in there two to

three times a week different q&as

different trainings uh and you want more

you know we'll train you some stuff

there we even get testimonial from free

training people are like oh my gosh your

free training is way better than any

course I've ever bought that I paid for

uh so you know you want to get into more

advanced training so you can sell you

know two three times what you are you

can always message Us in there and tell

us what's going on and and talk with one

of our account managers but just start

with our free stuff there at sales

revolution. proo and then uh you're

always welcome to go to Barnes & Noble

Barnes & noble.com you can get uh this

new book uh it is a Barnes & Noble

besteller Amazon bestseller and a Wall

Street Journal bestseller it's only been

released about four and a half months

ago new model of selling selling to an

unsellable generation written by myself

and Jerry Aku CEO of Delta point and we

give you a lot of tactical questions to

ask and why to ask those so you can s so

go to Barnes noble.com or your local

Barnes & Noble bookstore pick up your

copy if you want to sell more if you

don't want to sell more you don't have

to but sometimes it's really good to

sell a lot more soon you're gonna work

the same amount of hours every week just

going on them there Mac thanks for

having us on everybody we are W we'll

see you next week thanks everybody