I was recently at a business meeting in Cabo San Lucas with my mastermind group. (Yes, we actually did have a meeting…ok, a short one.)
It’s one of my favorite places… aside from the fun, I love how almost everyone is a salesperson.
I’ve written several times about the salesmanship that goes on everywhere there, beach vendors selling their wares, shop owners, timeshare reps, even little children selling Chiclets… it’s a thing to behold. Annoying for many, sad for some, but for me, the material I pick up is limitless and golden.
A couple of the women in our group were at a small jewelry shop admiring some nice stones, and obviously giving off buying signals.
The young, very personable, charismatic sales rep was selling hard. After trying on a bracelet and hearing the price one of my friends said,
“Oh, I really don’t need it.”
Oscar, the shopkeeper replied warmly,
“Of course you don’t need it. But you really do deserve it.”
She bought it.
Oscar is 14 years old, by the way.
That’s a great example of understanding that a statement of resistance is NOT an objection.
Read that again.
Salespeople hear far more statements than bulletproof objections. But often, salespeople fold like a cheap umbrella in a windstorm.
Oscar used a disarming statement. You can do the same.
Prospect: “It’s more than what others are charging.”
Sales pro: “You can always find it cheaper.”
Or, “Sure they do. There are reasons for that.”
The key is then to get them doubting what they just said–which they are not totally committed to– and keeping them talking.
Continue questioning: “Let’s talk about what you said you really want…”
What are the resistance statements you often hear? Then think of what disarming replies you could use.
More On Resistance
Speaking of resistance, another sales observation about the tens of thousands of independent salespeople in Cabo–who for many their very existence relies on what they sell that day or week– is their insensitivity to hearing “no.”
If they reacted to no’s the way some salespeople I’ve observed over the years, they simply couldn’t survive.
They wouldn’t be able to eat. THAT is motivation.
I watched the beach vendors approach person after person, attempting to strike up conversations, asking for the business.
And when they got the first no, they usually were oblivious to it and continued asking, in some cases making the sale after the third or fourth attempt.
There’s a lesson there for all of us. Not that we should be pushy or annoying, but instead of retreating at the first hint of a no, being “hard of hearing” when it comes to no allows us to keep the conversation going.
And that gives you another shot at moving the sales process forward.
