HTSS70 - How to deal with difficult customers in sales presentations - Scott Sylvan Bell

How to keep calm in tough sales calls

Most salespeople are not prepared to work through the sales calls they run. You will find it is easy to freak yourself out especially of you think you are losing the deal. You can panic in the sales process and cause yourself some problems.  

You may have challenges with your buyer, not all buyers are easy buyers. This really is good news for you since most salespeople are lazy and wan quick deals.

Its your job to put in the work and effort. Some of the buyers you face are difficult so you give quick discounts and or concessions. This means you must be prepared to slow down the sales process.

Most salespeople are not good when they are under pressure.  Most role play is not hard enough to represent what it is like to be in a sales appointment. The closing time in a sales call can be 1/10 of the time presenting or more. You must have enough closing material, word tracks and or questions to stick in the closing process long enough and keep your cool

The 10 areas salespeople struggle keeping their cool

1. The time, energy, effort and risk trap is where you get caught up in how much time it took to get a deal. You can fabricate desperation from getting caught up in the time it takes to work a deal. Your buyer can feel your internal pressures are you in turn put them on the buyer.

 

2. Know that some buyers try to rattle your cage. This is a technique taught in buyers classes. You can–pause for a moment and slow the process down. One way to make this happen is to use your note taking as an excuse.

   

3. You may not be listening and you could be causing the problem or the rift with your buyer. This could really be your problem and you do have to accept your responsibility as a salesperson to work this process out.

 

4. Some buyers are scared and are acting out. Some buyers are looking for proof you will not quit on them and this is where they are putting you to a test. If you can handle them at their worst you will stick up for them when there is a problem.

 

5. Trust your sales skills and instincts in a sales presentation. Hopefully you practice enough to feel confident in what you are doing with your buyers.

 

6. There are tough conversation that may need to be discussed. You may have to call the buyer out for what they are doing. You have to pay attention to your pitch and tone when you do have this conversation.
7. Take solace in knowing your buyer only has so many moves that hey can use on you in a presentation. You can be prepared for each and every one of these.

• Avoid you and commitments
• Yell at you
• Complain about price
• Complain about the product
• Give you fake objections  

8. Your buyer is looking for a leader in the call, their problems may be a test for you to complete. If you freak out they freak out in the form of complaints and objections. Your ability to stick in the call is proof you are the right person for them.

 

9. Be willing to ask for the sale and close the deal. Know that tough buyers in tough situations will deflect and try to get you to not ask for the sale. You can be asked to email the proposal instead of continuing the sales process. Even angry people make purchases and you cant let their emotion hold you from closing the sale.

 

 

10. Learn what you can from tough calls, try to find where you closed the deal or where you lost the deal. One of the places to look is where you lost rapport.  

 

Bonus content for closing sales in tough situations:  

• Never deliver good news and bad news in the same spot, you may have to move. This means you may have to move chairs slightly when walking into a tense room.
• Create a commotion by dropping a pen or paperwork. You only get to use this one time in a meeting so you have to use it wisely.
• Ask for a glass of water, make the buyer do something for you and the more complicated the better. If they ask if you want ice and a glass the answer is yes.
• Do what you can to stay emotionally neutral in the sales call. If nothing freaks you out the buyer has proof you are supposed to be there.

Scott Sylvan Bell

@scottsbell

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