No pitching, baby
Have you noticed the lack of desire of people to listen to yet another rehearsed pitch again? I sure did. And it is not just about your pitches as much as the context of the person you are talking with and lack of timing on it.
People do not want to be pitched and sold to. Which means you need to do something else. How about challenging traditional, scripted sales approaches, and adopting more spontaneous conversations? Relying on canned presentations is good a the start of your journey with a product, service or company when you have to learn what it is about but not so when you are discussing with other people (not yet prospects).
Authentic engagement (active listening, responding in the moment and co-creating a solution together) will help establish a relationship, understand the needs of your market and overlay what you do to what is required (if at all). Ultimately there are core habits that anyone can master to persuade.
1. Think Before talking: it is import to listen and observe. By focusing on what the customer is saying—verbally and nonverbally—you can tailor your response in real time.
Example: Imagine you’re selling a software solution. Instead of launching into a preset demo, you start by asking open-ended questions: “What challenges are you currently facing in managing your data?” This helps you identify the customer’s actual needs rather than guessing.
2. Scan your surrounding:
Always! read the context of the interaction. What is his body language telling? Is he rushed, cautious, or enthusiastic? By tuning in to these cues, you can match your tone and content accordingly.
Example: If a customer seems skeptical, rather than overwhelming them with features, you might say: “It sounds like you’ve been let down by similar products before. Could you share what went wrong?” This builds trust and shows you understand their hesitation.
3. Consecutive approval: yes, yes, yes
Instead of trying to close the deal in one sweeping pitch, aim for smaller agreements that build momentum. Each “yes” strengthens the customer’s commitment.
4. Engage in the conversation and build on it.
Build on what the customer says, exploring their ideas and expanding the conversation.
5. Do not rush
Focus on building a shared understanding. This leads to more meaningful, sustainable relationships.
6. It is about them and not you
You engage in the discussion focused on their situation and their needs. This means that the product or the solution you are responsible for should solve/help them, if it does not fit where they are at the moment no sales should be made.
Be more authentic. When we are interacting with each other in real time as human beings not as prerecorded messengers real connections are formed, better understanding is achieved (because we listen actively) and smarter more sustainable solutions can be achieved.
