Episode 161, Top 3 reasons why new prospects don’t want to meet with us.

Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings."  Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word  topics to motivate and inspire your sales team.

 

Episode 161,  Top 3 Reasons new prospects don't want to meet with us.

 

I was having a conversation with a sales executive, and they shared that they were trying to connect with a prospect they were targeting. I asked them to walk me through how many attempts they had made to connect. We reviewed was the account a good fit for our product and services? The answer was yes. They went on to share that they left a voicemail, emailed, and sent industry trend research but still no response.  

 

I shared that connecting with a new prospect takes about eight attempts. Many of you listening may be experiencing the same and having challenges getting that prospect to call you back.

Did you ever wonder why prospects don't want to meet with you?  

I recently read a sales blog by Anthony Iannarino that was a great reminder as to why a client may be resistant to a meeting that has nothing to do with you. The first step is that we must uncover why they don't want to meet with us and create strategies to change their mind.

 

Here are the top three common reasons why prospects refuse to meet with us and some recommendations to help you stand out and show value in meeting with you.

 

Unprepared for change
One factor causing prospects to refuse meetings could be that the buyer and their company aren't ready to make a change. They may be happy with their current vendor. Most people do not like change! It takes time and energy to make changes. Change can be scary, especially during times of uncertainty. The past several years have shown us.  

 

But a change can improve their results in many cases, but that doesn't make it any less scary," he explains. Anthony shared, "Some of it stems from the increasingly challenging internal process for any change initiative."

 

You can ease these concerns by acknowledging the difficulty of change and showing empathy. Showcasing compassion sets you apart from sellers who aren't as understanding. Nurture a relationship immediately with this dialogue, which will help put the prospect at ease. 

 

No need for a salesperson
Another reason prospects refuse meetings is that they believe they don't need assistance from a seller. This is rooted in the trend of decision-makers "consumerizing" B2B sales. As Iannarino writes, "Rather than risk allowing another salesperson into their office and their life, these stakeholders decide to go it alone: researching companies on the internet, mistaking information for insight, and overvaluing facts where experience and good counsel are needed." 

 

SalesFuel's research supports this; our  Voice of the Buyer survey  found that 40% of B2B buyers attempt to solve a problem/meet a goal with current resources before seeking assistance from a vendor.

 

To overcome this challenge, be prepared with research or something of value you can give to the client. It could be something that will save them time, create a better process or solve their most significant business needs. You are making the pathway to answering why meeting with you is so important. 

 

Bad experiences. 
We all have bad experiences, whether it's a restaurant where the food or service was average. You have a terrible experience with a company or service provider. Let's face it; our clients have bad experiences with other vendors. 

 

Our prospects hold on to those experiences with salespeople, which may be why prospects refuse meetings with anyone new. Those situations present a big challenge for us. While you can't erase their past experiences,  you "can make certain that every interaction you have with a prospect provides such a good experience that they will open to a conversation or  schedule time on their calendar for you."

 

Credibility is vital to show the prospect that you are a sales professional who engages in buyer-first selling and best practices; you must show that you are different from everyone else. SalesFuel offers plenty of tips for establishing credibility, from establishing social proof to weaving valuable research into your conversation. 

Remember No, means not yet. When prospects refuse meetings, don't give up. You can create many reasons that meeting with you will be a valuable and insightful experience worth their time. Remember,  "Your number one initiative should be increasing your effectiveness as the person guiding your prospective client through the process of exploring change, pursuing better results, and delivering new and better outcomes."

 

Just as Winston Churchill famously said, " Never give up, never ever give up."

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Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.