[dropcap]I[/dropcap] recently experienced something all business owners go through at some point in their careers: almost losing a major sale.
You know what I’m talking about. The client is ready to go and they’ve made a payment. (Phto credit: Getty Image)
You’re psyched because you just landed a huge amount of money. And then, the unthinkable happens. You get an email and your new client is back on the fence.
Except, is it really that unthinkable? Not really. Any good salesperson knows this stuff happens all the time. The key is to know how to handle it.
So that’s what I did. I saved a deal – twice.
By the end of the exchange, my client (who has also been a business student of mine in the past) asked, “You’re good. Did you just use the sales tactics you teach us on me?” My response, “Yeah, sort of.”
If you just so happen to find yourself in a position where you’re needing to save a sale, here’s what you need to do to finally close the deal.
Don’t give up so easily.
Sometimes I will have my business coaching clients record their sales calls so I can listen to what’s going on and provide feedback. One of the things I notice is how easily people give up the sale.
Someone says “I want to back out” or “I can’t afford it” and many business owners are just like “Okay” and hang up.
Or worse, the insecurity starts seeping out of their pores and they lose all control of the conversation.
Just because someone is having doubts doesn’t mean the conversation is over.
It just means that it’s your job as the business owner to figure out what those doubts are and address them.
For example, in my case, my client was having doubts about the commitment involved.
Upon further investigation, I realized they were just having a mindset issue so I helped them work through it.
Listen to what a prospect is saying.
Here’s where the being human part comes into play.
If you actually listen to what a prospect is saying, you can easily save a sale.
It’s far too often that I see business owners who simply aren’t flexible.
The reason is that they just aren’t paying attention to what is being said.
They are so focused on closing the deal that they end up sabotaging their chances.
The first step in overcoming this is to realize that it’s not about you; it’s about serving the client.
If you enter sales conversations from this perspective it’s much easier to listen.
The second step is to adjust based on what your prospect is saying.
For instance, as soon as I realized the core issue my client was facing was about their own money mindset, I pitched a different package I had available.
Why? Because I was off base the first time. It was by listening to them that I was able to provide the actual solution they needed. As a result, I saved the sale.
Work on your money mindset.
I’ve often talked about how sales is an energetic exchange between two people.
If you’re desperate, people can sense it.
The desperation sometimes comes from deep-seated issues as it pertains to their relationship with money.
That’s why I encourage many of my coaching clients to take up mindfulness practices that will help them see money differently.
This includes meditation, affirmations, and visualizations.
It also includes doing some deep inner work to heal any financial issues from their past.
Truth be told, I spent two years solely working on my money mindset.
I also rely on these types of practices all the time.
The moment I get anxious over a sale is the moment I sit down on a meditation pillow and chill out.
Final Thoughts
You can save a sale even after it seems like all is lost.
By becoming resilient, listening to your client and working on your own mindset, you will more easily close the deal.
This post originally appeared on inc.com
