Dead Silence From Your Prospect: The Worst Sound Of All

Could this be the worst moment in your selling cycle?

You've done all the right things with your prospect:

? You've identified a real need and developed a reasonably solid relationship.

? You've determined that your prospect is interested in your solution.

? You've had a couple of great meetings or conversations that let the prospect move the sales process forward.

? You've supplied everything needed to make a final decision.

? And you've followed up, as customary, by leaving messages or e-mails to see if you can get a final decision

But instead, all you're hearing is dead silence.

Not a word. Not a peep.

"I don't get it," you say to yourself.

"Everything was going so well, there's definitely a fit, we had a good relationship.

Then, all of a sudden, nothing.

What went wrong?

I know this feeling well because just about everyone who gets in touch with me (and I speak with dozens of you almost every day) struggles with this exact desperate situation --- wondering what went wrong, why your prospect has broken off communication, and, most importantly, what you can do about it.

The only person who can solve this mystery is -- guess who? Your prospect.

You may have done all the "right" things throughout the sales process, but, somewhere along the way, he or she has never felt truly comfortable enough to tell you the truth about where they really stand with the decision to buy or not buy your solution.

Why not?

Because in most cases prospects don't want to hurt your feelings by telling you something that might disappoint you.

The problem is, something in your selling approach (your tone of voice, your attempt to create forward momentum, your use of traditional sales language) told them that the most important thing on your mind was making that sale.

However, what your selling approach must do is let prospects feel comfortable telling you the truth, all the way through the sales cycle, about exactly where you stand with them, without their having to worry that you'll feel disappointed.

This is the gap that makes it easier for prospects to break off communication, because keeping you at bay lets them feel safer and more in control.

Take "following up" as an example.

When you call or e-mail to follow up, what message are you really sending?

Consider this: that you're pursuing and trying to move closer to your sale.

This triggers sales pressure that makes prospects protect themselves by retreating behind their wall of silence.

Is there anything you can do in these situations?

Yes, definitely.

Don't worry, all is not lost -- but it's important that you look at how something you did or didn't do may have created the situation.

My guess is that, at this point, you'd like to hear is the "truth" about where you stand with your prospect, no matter what that truth is, right?

So, how do you get to it?

Not by moving forward, but by moving backward to try to repair the hidden break in the relationship. "I don't understand," you say. "How would I do that?" It's simple:

1. Just Give your prospect a call (avoid leaving a voicemail, and send an e-mail only if you have no other options) in which you convey the following message:

2. "Hi John, it's Ari with XYZ company, how are you? John, I'm not calling about moving the project forward or anything about the project itself. I'm just calling to apologize...I haven't heard from you for a few weeks and I figured it must be my fault or something that I may have done, maybe I dropped the ball somewhere along that way...so I'm simply calling (or writing) to see if you wouldn't mind sharing some feedback so I can improve for next time?"

In other words, you apologize.

That's right -- you apologize because it's crucial for you to take the high road and be willing to be told that something on your end did cause the communication breakdown.

However, most of the time, prospects will find your apology so disarming that they'll stop worrying about you trying to "sell" them and will finally feel comfortable telling you their truth.

Try it, and let me know how it goes.

With a Masters Degree in Instructional Design and over a decade of experience creating breakthrough sales strategies for global companies such as UPS and QUALCOMM, Ari Galper discovered the missing link that people who sell have been seeking for years.

His profound discovery of shifting one's mindset to a place of complete integrity, based on new words and phrases grounded in sincerity, has earned him distinction as the world's leading authority on how to build trust in the world of selling.

Leading companies such as Gateway, Clear Channel Communications, Brother International and Fidelity National Mortgage have called on Ari to keep them on the leading edge of sales performance.

Visit http://www.unlockthegame.com to get his free sales training lessons.

---

The Never Ending Sale

Once you have added a new customer to your book... Read More

Color Psychology Will Make Or Break Your Sales Success

Color psychology is the biggest question I receive on a... Read More

How to Make Sure You Sell More!

Make sure you target women. It's true for almost anything... Read More

Breaking Through The Comfort Zone Barrier

After completing a workshop on personal productivity or time management,... Read More

Sealing The Deal Over The Business Meal

Doing business over meals is a ritual that has existed... Read More

What Do Mobile Auto Detailers Clean When it Rains?

A mobile auto detailer and their profits are tied to... Read More

How To Get Rich Giving Away Something Free

The best of all worlds is to have a product... Read More

Do Your Words Betray You?

What do the words that you use say about you?... Read More

Whats So Special About You? Defining Your USP

Your prospect is in the market for a widget, just... Read More

The Secrets Behind Hypnotic Selling

Hypnosis has been a taboo word for far too long.... Read More

Tips for Increasing Your Profits with Gift Certificates

Offering gift certificates is an excellent way of increasing sales... Read More

Quotations Tell... Proposals Sell!

The traditional "Quotation" was originally devised during the Industrial Revolution... Read More

How to Acquire More Leads

The most effective prospecting techniques were revealed in the August... Read More

Your Voice is Your Instrument

On an introductory call, your voice is your instrument. During... Read More

Looong and Boooring Sales Letters

You have all seen them,the sales letters that never ends.... Read More

Touchdown! Closing Skills for Successful Selling

It's early January 2004. The Green Bay Packers are just... Read More

Selling ? Remember These Ten Rules and Succeed

There are thousands of books and seminars on how to... Read More

Handling Objections

HANDLING OBJECTIONSSales presentation is not always going to be plain... Read More

How to Write Testimonials that Sell CDs Like Magic

"Which is your best CD?"Ever get that question? My band... Read More

Dead Silence From Your Prospect: The Worst Sound Of All

Could this be the worst moment in your selling cycle?You've... Read More

How Can a White Paper Support Sales and Marketing?

A white paper supports PR, marketing and sales because it... Read More

Great Telephone Skills

Having good telephone skills is crucial as the call may... Read More

The Risk of Being A Yes-Man

Sales is all about negotiating. You are negotiating from the... Read More

3 Tips For Getting Through The Voicemail Screen

How many times have you heard that you gotta get... Read More

Why People Use Long Sales Copy

Have you ever wondered why some people use long sales... Read More

Create A Killer Product by Writing Your Sales Letter First!

You may not realize this, but when if you are... Read More

How to Buy Wholesale Store Fixtures for Your Business

It may sound funny, but honestly, if you're opening up... Read More

Lock, Stock, and Barrel!

The other night I was watching a classic western from... Read More

How to Sell: Selling Tips of Master Moms

"If you don't think well of yourself, no one... Read More

Whats Your Clients Style?

When it comes to effective selling, one simple fact never... Read More

How To Profit From Initial Consultations

"I'd love to work with you, but?"How many times have... Read More

Dont Call Me

The March, 2004, issue of Psychology Today reports on an... Read More

7 Strategies for Writing Fundraising Letters

Writing fundraising letters can be an effective way to request... Read More