Finding That Compelling Reason - Part One

How do you convince someone to buy your product or service? Think about how you buy a product or service. Even the richest people in the world with "money to burn" do not buy for the sake of buying. Yes they can buy whenever or whatever they choose, however there is a reason that they buy. People love to buy, they just don't like to be sold. Have you ever sat in front of a prospect and tried desperately hard to sell them something? You've asked lots of questions and you just know that your product or service will solve their problem but for some reason they just haven't given you the purchase order, the credit card or even the go ahead to get started. If you're like most business development people, account executives or salespeople, sometimes you just can't figure out why a prospect doesn't want to buy. In your eyes, they are very much in need of what you have to offer and you know that you can help them, if they'd only let you. If you haven't stepped back from the situation and analyzed why they aren't ready to buy, then perhaps now would be a good time to do it. Some people like to help or I like to use the term, 'rescue' people when we see them struggling. Have you ever stepped back and asked yourself whether the prospect needs or wants to be rescued? Sometimes we try so hard to fix a problem that in the prospect's eyes isn't big enough, or causing them enough pain so they don't see the need to spend the money to fix it. Only when a problem has a personal impact on the prospect will they have that compelling reason to buy, not before. Step back and debrief your past few sales calls and determine if you were trying to rescue or were you helping the prospect discover that compelling reason. Learn the questions that will help your prospect discover that compelling reason in Part 2.