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How do you deal with your curiosity

by thet
9 replies
This question is not so much about rejection, it's more about curiousity when prospecting.

You have a CIO on the phone. He tells you he is not interested (or he says there are no projects, no way to add value, whatever it is)

At some point, you tell yourself: "Next!"

What I mean with curiousity is this: I often wonder if there really isn't a way we can help, if there really isn't a way we can provide value. So I talk about our products, our awesomeness, I ask open questions to see if there are pain points.. I hold on to it like a hyena.

So i continue the talk, sometimes with the prospect ending up irritated because I am not listening. I am, i heard he said he is not interested, however, I just dont want to give up. I am like the dog at christmas continueing with his bone.. until he pukes. He likes the bite to much.

My question might be: When do you give up? When do you hang up?

The answer obviously comes with experience, feel on the phone.
I am getting better at it,
but perhaps more experiences cold callers can provide some input to all of us.

Or we are able to discuss this with eachother.

I myself give myself a 3 strike out-policy

No budget

Really?

No time

Really?

No projects

Really?

Okay bye.
#curiosity #deal
  • Profile picture of the author kirbymarketingconcierge
    I'm just curious?

    would having this CIO be good for you as a contact?

    what if he goes to another company next year??

    what if you go to another company, start a biz., or change to a new product/service??

    what if he liked you 1st, and didn't mind you keeping in touch by email???

    just wondering......


    * If I got warren buffet, brad pitt, or jeff bezos on the phone

    they would like Kirby
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  • Profile picture of the author kenmichaels
    Originally Posted by thet View Post

    This question is not so much about rejection, it's more about curiousity when prospecting.

    You have a CIO on the phone. He tells you he is not interested (or he says there are no projects, no way to add value, whatever it is)

    At some point, you tell yourself: "Next!"

    What I mean with curiousity is this: I often wonder if there really isn't a way we can help, if there really isn't a way we can provide value. So I talk about our products, our awesomeness, I ask open questions to see if there are pain points.. I hold on to it like a hyena.
    Are you doing that before he talks? before you do a warm up?

    Nobody wants the super direct approach - even though millions say they do.

    Do you want me to call you and say hey thet i have this widget its amazing
    buy it, buy it, buy - what do you mean no ... its awesome... here is why
    ... blah blah blah - buy it.

    You have to connect with the prospect first. It does not matter what the
    connection is about - it could be the weather, it could be a pain point
    you know about ahead of time - anything.

    AFTER you have the connection, then its time to get down to business.

    Seasoned sales people will use that connection period to skillfully
    qualify the prospect - in a way that the prospect doesn't even know its happening.

    Do it properly - they never know - AND - they never even realize you
    transitioned from a chat into a sales pitch.

    Originally Posted by thet View Post

    So i continue the talk, sometimes with the prospect ending up irritated because I am not listening. I am, i heard he said he is not interested, however, I just dont want to give up. I am like the dog at christmas continueing with his bone.. until he pukes. He likes the bite to much.
    There is a high probability that you actually ARE listening. Something they
    said or did is telling your gut to not let them go yet. So now you know you
    have some basic sales instincts - that is a good thing.

    Now you just have to learn to use your instinct to ferret out the REAL reasons
    for not letting them go. If you learn to do that, then your on your way to
    super star status



    Originally Posted by thet View Post

    I myself give myself a 3 strike out-policy
    That's not horrible. It can help build a routine for yourself.
    Routines are good in sales because you will eventually be hardwired to
    respond certain ways to specific questions / phrases/ actions.

    I dub it auto pilot - and it's the holy grail of sales ability.

    The thing you need to be aware of is they need to be the proper
    three "no's", or you will auto pilot your self into bad selling habits.

    ... and to further add to the confusion.

    the better you get at sales, the more sales experience you have under your belt
    the more you can mimic and qualify and .... blah ...

    You stop hearing the word "no". People don't hang up on you.
    Rejection just ends. You will wake up one day and realize its
    been years since you have even had to use a rebuttal.

    which means this --->

    Originally Posted by thet View Post

    My question might be: When do you give up? When do you hang up?
    doesn't even come into play anymore.

    Until you get to that point - just follow your gut instinct and try different things.
    Everything you do, say, hear, witness - is a learning tool for you to use later.
    If you don't have a good memory - write it down.
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    Selling Ain't for Sissies!
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    • Profile picture of the author thet
      Best wishes Kenmichels

      Are you doing that before he talks? before you do a warm up?
      No. I am short and to the point.
      Now I am calling with:

      "Hi name, best wishes. Is this a bad time?"

      Then I just state what we do, and ask for the meeting.



      You have to connect with the prospect first. It does not matter what the
      connection is about - it could be the weather, it could be a pain point
      you know about ahead of time - anything.

      AFTER you have the connection, then its time to get down to business.
      That's interesting. The best calls are when I tell them he knows or from a tradeshow. Or now, with the best wishes. It brings some connection in the equation. However,

      It becomes harder when there is nothing to refer to like new year or a tradeshow. Maybe asking how their day is going works?

      Might sound a bit fake for me at first, but with practice comes natural behaviour

      Seasoned sales people will use that connection period to skillfully
      qualify the prospect - in a way that the prospect doesn't even know its happening.

      Do it properly - they never know - AND - they never even realize you
      transitioned from a chat into a sales pitch.
      I am not here yet, in my development, but i believe that will come with experience

      There is a high probability that you actually ARE listening. Something they
      said or did is telling your gut to not let them go yet. So now you know you
      have some basic sales instincts - that is a good thing.
      Not sure about that. Yesterday a long sales meeting. All the sales guys are such Type A personalities. High energy, talking over eachother, a lot of pooh-hah and small chit chat.
      I am really not like that.

      A good listener does not make a great salesperson perse, does it?

      Now you just have to learn to use your instinct to ferret out the REAL reasons
      for not letting them go. If you learn to do that, then your on your way to
      super star status
      Comes with experience?


      That's not horrible. It can help build a routine for yourself.
      Routines are good in sales because you will eventually be hardwired to
      respond certain ways to specific questions / phrases/ actions.

      I dub it auto pilot - and it's the holy grail of sales ability.

      The thing you need to be aware of is they need to be the proper
      three "no's", or you will auto pilot your self into bad selling habits.
      You mean, "no budget", "no time" and "no interest" is 3 proper, but what isn't?

      ... and to further add to the confusion.

      the better you get at sales, the more sales experience you have under your belt
      the more you can mimic and qualify and .... blah ...

      You stop hearing the word "no". People don't hang up on you.
      Rejection just ends. You will wake up one day and realize its
      been years since you have even had to use a rebuttal.

      which means this --->



      doesn't even come into play anymore.

      Until you get to that point - just follow your gut instinct and try different things.
      Everything you do, say, hear, witness - is a learning tool for you to use later.
      If you don't have a good memory - write it down.
      Exactly. Just do it, in 10 years some things will click on a level I can't even imagine now.
      Signature

      Recognize reality even when you don't like it - especially when you don't like it.
      — Charlie Munger

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  • Profile picture of the author digichik
    In most cases, I will take that, seemingly dead, lead and put it in a file to follow-up with a few weeks to a few months later. Unless you really really annoy the prospect, most won't even remember talking with you a few weeks from now. Remember, they may be having a bad day, they may have a deadline they are working to meet, they really may not have a need for the service when you call.

    Life is change, and three weeks later, their circumstances may have changed and now they are in the market for your products or services, or they now have the time to talk.

    This is why corporations will work and re-work, and then re-work again, a list of leads. They keep making new sales from it.

    Just a little food for thought.
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    • Profile picture of the author kenmichaels
      Originally Posted by digichik View Post


      Just a little food for thought.
      Digi !!!

      How are you you? Haven't seen you in forever. Is your bizz treating you well ?
      still working the phone? .. etc, etc ...

      It's nice to see some of the old guard still kicking around.
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    • Profile picture of the author thet
      Originally Posted by digichik View Post

      In most cases, I will take that, seemingly dead, lead and put it in a file to follow-up with a few weeks to a few months later. Unless you really really annoy the prospect, most won't even remember talking with you a few weeks from now. Remember, they may be having a bad day, they may have a deadline they are working to meet, they really may not have a need for the service when you call.

      Life is change, and three weeks later, their circumstances may have changed and now they are in the market for your products or services, or they now have the time to talk.

      This is why corporations will work and re-work, and then re-work again, a list of leads. They keep making new sales from it.

      Just a little food for thought.
      Interesting. That's what I realised too. You can just call them a month or so later with no problem. You either had a connection or you didn't. If you didn't, you can call back because he will forget you.

      So in the end, a call doesn't matter so much?
      Signature

      Recognize reality even when you don't like it - especially when you don't like it.
      — Charlie Munger

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  • Profile picture of the author Skystar
    .
    Here's the question: does your relentless pushing ever pay off? If not, (and I can't believe you can ever convince anyone with just more demanding talk), here's how to look at it:

    a) Have a good product that's priced right.

    b) Look at it like you're giving the prospect an opportunity to buy rather than trying to coerce him into buying.

    I have never sold _anything_, and sometimes even tell my clients (in a nice way) "If you can do better, good luck."
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    • Profile picture of the author thet
      Originally Posted by Skystar View Post

      .
      Here's the question: does your relentless pushing ever pay off? If not, (and I can't believe you can ever convince anyone with just more demanding talk), here's how to look at it:

      a) Have a good product that's priced right.

      b) Look at it like you're giving the prospect an opportunity to buy rather than trying to coerce him into buying.

      I have never sold _anything_, and sometimes even tell my clients (in a nice way) "If you can do better, good luck."
      I am not super aggressive in nature, but I can be unfriendly.

      So not so much demanding talk, i just don't want to give up while I do notice this should have been the end. So that's where digi comes in.

      Give up, and call back in a month.
      Signature

      Recognize reality even when you don't like it - especially when you don't like it.
      — Charlie Munger

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  • Profile picture of the author Rearden
    Originally Posted by thet View Post

    This question is not so much about rejection, it's more about curiousity when prospecting.

    You have a CIO on the phone. He tells you he is not interested (or he says there are no projects, no way to add value, whatever it is)

    At some point, you tell yourself: "Next!"

    What I mean with curiousity is this: I often wonder if there really isn't a way we can help, if there really isn't a way we can provide value. So I talk about our products, our awesomeness, I ask open questions to see if there are pain points.. I hold on to it like a hyena.

    So i continue the talk, sometimes with the prospect ending up irritated because I am not listening. I am, i heard he said he is not interested, however, I just dont want to give up. I am like the dog at christmas continueing with his bone.. until he pukes. He likes the bite to much.

    My question might be: When do you give up? When do you hang up?

    The answer obviously comes with experience, feel on the phone.
    I am getting better at it,
    but perhaps more experiences cold callers can provide some input to all of us.

    Or we are able to discuss this with eachother.

    I myself give myself a 3 strike out-policy

    No budget

    Really?

    No time

    Really?

    No projects

    Really?

    Okay bye.
    Just sell the appointment and get in the door.

    Worry about WHAT you are going to sell after you physically meet your prospect.

    Establishing a relationship is an important goal.
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    David Duford -- Providing On-Going, Personalized Mentorship And Training From A Real Final Expense Producer To Agents New To The Final Expense Life Insurance Business.
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