How do you really feel when someone is negative with you?
You know, the client who always finds reasons why they should stick with their current solution, or doesn’t see the need for change in any way.
If you’re like many salespeople, it jars with you and you scratch around trying to find ideas that will make them change their mind, often unsuccessfully.
What this needs is a form of ‘reframing’, that is, getting someone
to think of the same situation from a differing viewpoint.
This can be achieved by a simple question format that will get the negative person to look at the situation through a different lens. Remember, everyone sees the world though their own viewpoints, and by getting that person to see it through a different lens, it can change their whole perception. An example of a simple reframing question could be, “How long have you been thinking this way?” or “How long has this situation been in place?”
Immediately, you get the client to reflect on their view and, maybe, identify if it is still pertinent to the current situation. For example, they may say that they have no need for your product as they have been using a competitor as a supplier. Your reframing question could be “How long have you been using them?”
If they offer an answer that runs into the years, you could ask whether they have checked if they are still getting a good deal, or whether there may be better options out there.
If they say that there aren’t the solutions in the marketplace for their business, you could ask “How long have you been feeling that way?”
By highlighting that the market may have changed considerably, even over the passed three of four years, you get the negative client to ponder whether there may be a shift in perspective needed.
A simple reframing question can get the other person to reflect on what they have been doing and thinking, and review whether a change could be necessary. And this is done without putting any pressure on them to buy from you. Their answer to your reframing question could take you in the direction of solving an issue they may have thought difficult to solve. Happy selling!
Sean McPheat is Managing Director of MTD Training.
For information call 0800 849 6732 or visit www.mtdsalestraining.com.
