How to stand firm when they waffle.
Last week we looked at what actually happens between the time your prospect gives you a “Yes, but…” (I have to think about it, I have to talk to my spouse, etc.) and when they turn around and decide “no.”
I gave you some tips to determine exactly where the potential client is in their decision process so you can head the “ego trip” off at the pass. Today I want to give you some tools for staying firm in your knowing of what they need when they waffle, which, especially when you are in a growth period in your sales skills, you can be sure they will.
1. Their reason is your biggest clue
Remember from last week, if working with you is going to make a significant change in some area of your prospect’s life or business, which, if you are charging enough, it will, their ego or subconscious mind will take over. Their ego has been strong enough to keep them from making change so far, and the bigger the impending change, the stronger their ego’s mechanism will be.
Whatever reason they give you for hesitating or saying no is going to show you exactly where they typically stop on their path to change. Use the questions I gave you last week to gain clarity on how they are thinking about the decision. Then apply the knowledge that how they are thinking about their decision to work with you is the same level of thinking that has gotten them where they are. If they have to think about it, over thinking is killing them in other areas too. If they need to see if they have the money, not knowing their money situation is a problem they will need to face in working with you. This is an absolute certainty.
2. They know the Truth
Eckert Tolle said, “I cannot tell you any spiritual truth that deep within you don’t know already. All I do is remind you of what you have forgotten.”
This is true for your prospects as well. Often entrepreneurs get hung up on thinking they need to know the answer for their prospects and clients. You don’t. You just need to know the principles behind how people make decisions, and you need to ask the right questions.
When you know with certainty that they are a fit (you need to have a clear picture of your ideal client) and that you can help them, you also know with certainty that any excuse they give is just their ego talking. EVEN WHEN PEOPLE REALLY WANT TO MAKE A “YES” DECISION, THEY WILL GIVE YOU SOME PROGRAMMED EXCUSE. It is how we operate.
So you must become comfortable calling them on their excuses, knowing that when you speak Truth, they will recognize it.
You would say, “Tell me, is having to think about it a common experience for you? In what way might that be affecting you outside of this particular decision? Where do you see this in other areas of your life?”
Or, “Hmm, here is something I have learned. Whatever comes up to get in the way of making your decision is generally the same thing that gets in the way for you in other areas. How does not being empowered to make financial decisions in the moment get in the way for you?”
You get the idea. You’ll need practice at asking good questions, but the bottom line is you need to get comfortable asking the types of questions people don’t normally ask, trusting that they will recognize the Truth when they hear it.
3. They may or may not be ready
When you start asking Truth-based questions, some people will love you for changing their life. Likely no one has ever called them on their reasons, because, quite frankly, it’s not polite. Yet it is exactly what they need, and they will never forget the person who had the courage to make them think accurately. (Accurate thinking is one of the most important things we can do to become rich, by the way.)
Some people, however, will not be ready. They may get mad. They may be offended. They may hang up. They may even talk bad about you. You have to remember that this is just their ego-based fear reacting on autopilot because it’s not yet ready to get out of the way. It has nothing to do with you, and it is not personal. This is a great way to know that they are not the right client for you. Thank the Universe for that knowledge and move on. But do not buy into their story!
4. You’ve connected for a reason
We as human beings are made up of cells that vibrate at a certain rate. The rate at which they vibrate can be thought of as the level at which we are resonating. This rate is based on the nature of our thoughts.
When we connect with a prospect, it is because we have attracted one another at a cellular level. Some part of us is in resonance. Knowing this can help you stay grounded when your prospect is not.
You can be certain that you’ve come together for a reason – it is for their growth or your growth, and sometimes for mutual growth.
At times you won’t get to know the reason. You may never know the impact your sales conversation has had on the person who’s said “no.” That person who reacts negatively to your stand for them may become ever so slightly more open and eventually get the breakthrough, and you may never hear about it. I’ve had multiple people come back and tell me the exact words I said that eventually got through to them. I’m certain many more never let me know. This is true for you too.
You cannot be attached to them saying “yes” in order for you to make a difference. In fact, a mutually chosen “no” can often be the most world-altering conversation possible.
5. The clue is also for you
I said that their reason is your biggest clue as to what is really going on with them. It is also a clue as to what is going on with you. If we believe that we are connecting with people for a reason, they are also there to reflect back to you your leading edge of growth. Especially if you see yourself getting the same type of objection or reason more than once, and you stop yourself from calling them on it, it means you have bought into their reason.
This is like a mirror reflecting back to you the limits of your own belief system. You believe their excuse. You agree that decisions should always be thought through, or you have your own money mess that you haven’t dealt with, so you stop.
It’s cool because this means sales conversations are your own best personal growth tool! AND, it doesn’t mean you have to have everything in your life perfect to make the sale. It means you make a mental note of your next area of growth, then you stand for your prospect to break through their fear, and in doing so you grow your own limits at the exact same time!
The nuances of how the mirror reflects your own limits are infinite. This is why I recommend you have a personal coach. But if you know the objection is the Universe’s way of giving you loving clues for your own growth, you’ve got a great start in being able to hold firm when they waffle.
Need help discerning the edge of your growth in your sales? Email support@alignedentrepreneurs.com about an Aligned Breakthrough Experience with me! In just one 5-hour VIP immersion day with me (includes lunch), we’ll break through barriers to your own alignment and create a roadmap for your business – clients, offerings, and marketing.