No one wants to look desperate.
We all know that salespeople desperate to make a sale, do not attract people. If anything, through gut-level instinct, it turns them off.
The reality is that one of two situations exist.
One, you really aren’t desperate.
Great! So, don’t act in a way that looks desperate like:
Don’t beg. (“If you could please, please buy just this once, I would owe you.”)
Don’t threaten. (“You promised you’d buy this month!”)
Don’t make the sale about you. (“I need this to win the trip to Costa Rica!”)
Should I Tell People to Say No?
You might think from a Go for No perspective, that it makes sense to swing the pendulum all the way to the other side and encourage people to say no. “Just tell me no, it’s fine!”
You can do that. Anyone who was a true yes isn’t going to suddenly say no just because you said it was okay. (We have to be careful not to think we are quite so powerful.)
If anything, giving people “permission” to tell you no (something they don’t really need of course) can make people relax and let their guard down and take a closer look at what you have to offer. It’s often that kind of detached posture that will attract them.
You don’t have to be so apathetic to come off as uncaring… but you must remain detached from the customer’s decision. It’s up to them and your life will go on regardless. Your goal is to help them make the best decision (even if you believe it’s to say yes) but above all… make a decision, yes or no.
But what if, in truth you really are desperate?
You need and want the sale.
Nothing changes. You behave as if you are not desperate. You must maintain the exact same posture as the person who is not. It’s the only answer.
By avoiding desperate-sounding behaviors, you can be focused on helping people solve their problems or discover a great product or solution. Your goal is simply to collect a decision from them. Speaker Paul Ross calls great salespeople, “decision service technicians.”
Scarcity and Persuasion
But, what if there’s a sale or a timed offer? Do I sound desperate mentioning it?
Of course not. It’s all in how you come across.
“Hey, just wanted you to know our special ends on Sunday so if this is something you want to do, please get back to me by then. Thanks!” or
“I’ve got five tickets left and they’ll probably be gone by tomorrow night. No worries if you decide not to attend, but I wanted you to have the option.”
There is nothing desperate in helping people make a smart decision by acting now to save money or get a special deal.
There’s a tendency to believe that unless you sit back and wait for people to come to you, you must be needy and desperate. Do you think that when Sara Blakely wants to get her newest Spanx product into Macy’s that calling the head buyer would be desperate? No, it’s called taking action. Don’t confuse looking desperate for selling. They are two very different things.
Comments? Please let me know your thoughts. And if you liked this post, please share! – AW
P.S. By the way, have you signed up for ongoing NOtivation? Have you read Go for No! yet? Pick it up at our store here or on Amazon if you prefer. If you like audiobooks, you can find all of our books including Go for No! and the newest, The Diamond Line on Audible.