Blog Entry

Nothing raises the hackles of seasoned sales professionals like well-qualified, seemingly interested prospects who resist your most persuasive sales tactics and ultimately turn you down. No matter how many easy and pain-free sales you rack up, the memory of those elusive prospects that slipped through your fingers can haunt you for years.

Learning how to connect with your toughest prospects is both an art and a science. While today’s leading sales gurus offer an array of helpful methodologies that can give you an edge with stubborn prospects, none of these techniques are guaranteed to work in every situation. It’s up to you to develop the ability to read each unique sales scenario and deploy an appropriate strategy.

Have you got a tough prospect in the sales funnel that you’re desperate to crack? One of these tips may just give you the boost you need to finally make a breakthrough.

Figure out their points of resistance.  Even if your prospect is using the same old objections you’ve encountered dozens of times in the past, try to delve deeper to understand the motivations behind their refusal. What’s the true story behind the resistance you’re encountering?

Minimize their risk.  Maybe your prospect is the cautious type that doesn’t like to take on too much exposure or vulnerability all at once. Whether they’re leery of change, a steep learning curve, or just paying too much, try to devise a deal that eliminates or vastly reduces whatever it is that they’re dreading.

Frame your products’ benefits in a way that really hits home.  Perhaps your prospect is a sophisticated and discerning buyer who has grown immune to typical persuasion tactics. If so, dig into the particulars of their business and start talking dollars and sense. Translate your product’s features into cold, hard figures. They’re more likely to pay attention when you’re talking about their industry, their challenges, and their bottom line.

Stop selling, start helping.  Some prospects are just plain allergic to the sales process. Even if they have a clearly defined need, they just hate the process of being sold to. If you suspect that this is the case, set aside everything you know about traditional sales strategies. Instead, position yourself as an assistant, an advisor, an advocate. Once you remove the context of conventional hard-sell tactics, you might be able to connect.

Face your own fears of rejection.  Many sales professionals back off when they sense deep-seated resistance from a potential client. Before you throw in the towel, take the time to ask yourself a few pointed questions. What are you so afraid of? What’s the worst that could happen? What have you got to lose? Once you’ve disentangled your ego from the outcome of the sales process, you’ll be freed to see the deal through to its natural conclusion.

What do you do when you’re faced with a stubborn prospect? Do you have a “secret weapon” that you unleash on your toughest potential clients? Give us your insight in the comment sections.