Nov '23 in Content.
Best not to do it this way...
Let me set the scene.
You can't win an argument.
If you win the argument you lose, if you lose the argument you lose.
A lose lose scenario. Ouch. Best not to instigate them and best to diffuse them when they might arise then.
Now, you might be thinking, if you win an argument, why would you lose?
It's a good question, a fair question.
The answer?
Nobody, and I mean absolutely nobody, likes to be proven wrong.
What you do have are a small percentage of people who, despite hate feeling inferior when proven wrong, can deal with it in a mature manner. They can manage their emotions.
This isn't common. You probably know this already.
When arguments do end often both participants are even more convinced that they were right. Their backs are up. And what started out as an attempt to get the other person to see 'reason', they are now both further apart.
Call it ego if you like but the "loser" of the argument now feels inferior. Their pride is dented.
All of this of course you can learn in Dale Carnegies book "How to win friends and influence people."
There not my words. I just believe them to be true.
- - -
So what's this got to do with sales? What's this got to do with prospecting?
Well if we are in agreement on the subject of arguments, best to avoid them when in conversation with your prospects.
To illustrate my point I'll give you a real world example involving my other half.
- - -
We were driving in the car and my Mrs gets a phone call. She answered. A sales call. I was delighted this was being played through the cars audio. Entertainment at it's finest.
I listened intently.
On the other end of the phone was a salesman. A salesman who worked for a private wealth company based in London. A fancy company based in Canary Wharf, I quickly learnt. Yes that was part of their
"pitch" to my girlfriend.
The timing of the call was great, my Mrs had recently sold her flat. For that I thought, well played.
I won't bore you with the toing and throwing that took place but it wasn't long before all of my Mrs' patience had depleted. Enough was enough and so she gave him this line...
💬 - "I appreciate your call but my background is in investments so I don't need any help in this area."
It was a lie, her background is accountancy. 🤥
In response to my girlfriends objection the salesperson responded with this...
💬 - "Oh so you consider yourself to be an expert in this area?"
It was delivered in a very condescending tone, I must add. Of course the conversation ended there.
It was an interesting listen, I don't get any sales calls.
I knew the answer to the question I was about to ask her but I was curious to hear her side having been on the receiving end of a sales call. That question was this, "why did you tell him your background was in investments?
Funnily enough, she defended her position.
You can't win an argument.
So what could the salesperson done differently?
Firstly not pick a fight.
If it was me, I would have acknowledged what they said and then followed it up with a question...
💬 - "Got it, if your background is in this area you wouldn't need to get external help.
Before you go can I ask, the world of personal investments is a vast space, if there was one area that you felt you could be more knowledgable in, what would that be?"
- - -
𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬.
1️⃣ - You can't win an argument; best to avoid them at all costs.
2️⃣ - Prospects don't trust sales people. It might not be your fault but it's the reality of the world we live in. We are better off accepting that this is the game we play and play it.
3️⃣ - The salespeople that have been cold calling for a while will know when prospects are lying to them. It becomes a sixth sense.
It can be frustrating but only if you let it.
You and I both know, no sales team is perfect. Yet in many cases when I'm speaking with MDs and CEOs they tell me they have no issues.
All you can do is challenge and if they don't want to play ball, move on to the next one.
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Best not to do it this way...
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