Sales people are expected to persuade. When you confront sales prospects, they instantly recognise your sales role. It is as if you have it blazoned on your forehead. They know that you are supposed to persuade them to buy. Until they are convinced of your good intentions, they remain suspicious and keep their defences in place.
People don’t like to be sold to. You have probably been someone else’s sales prospect many times, when taking an uninvited sales call. Note how many telephone sales people flatly deny that they are calling to sell you something. They even argue with you about it. "No sir, I’m not selling anything, I’m just calling to let you know about a saving you can make ...."
You can’t sell people anything until they believe in your honesty and integrity. First, you have to convince them that your primary purpose is to help them do what they want to do.
How quickly can you convince people of your good intentions? If your powers of persuasion are strong, it’s likely you’ll behave as follows:
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When you want to get people change their mind or take some action, you’ll take time to think of a strategy rather than say the first thing that pops into your head.
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You’ll focus on “what’s in it for them” rather than “what’s in it for you”. Making the effort to understand what makes your prospect tick lead to higher rewards for you.
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You’ll have trained yourself to persuade using nothing but questions. Closed questions will stop your pitch short.
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You know when to keep quiet. Knowing when to listen may be the most powerful of all persuasion techniques.
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You’re an expert in your chosen industry. You need your prospects to believe what you’re saying.
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You’re perceptive enough to read a person’s body language and have the empathy to respond to their emotions.
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You can express yourself succinctly and effectively, and most importantly, with charisma and enthusiasm.
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You quickly build a rapport with strangers. Establishing a relationship quickly is crucial to gaining trust.
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You can construct and present a logical argument.
