Are Any of Your Salespeople Hooked on This?
Let politicians deal with the opioid epidemic.
Sales managers need to address this career-threatening addiction:
"Hope-ium."
Salespeople get hooked on it. This usually happens usually when a prospect says, “I’m interested, call me next week."
The salesperson dutifully makes a note to call next week and leaves.
And guess what?
When she calls back her "interested" prospect doesn't pick up the phone.
Her "interested" prospect doesn't return her calls or emails either.
What to do?
Make sure to teach your salespeople this magic question to ask every prospect who feigns interest: "Are you willing to work with me on a calendar basis?"
Real prospects put your salespeople on their calendars for a next step.
They engage.
However, information seekers, will blow the smoke of "hope-ium" at your salespeople to mollify them.
Plan an intervention.
Teach them the magic question at your next sales meeting.
And whatever you do, never put information seekers into your company's sales projections. Because you can't afford to have your CFO hooked on "hope-ium" too.
Commercial/Corporate Voice Actor | VO Community Builder. Broadcast quality, Source Connect home studio. Business-class hard-wired fiber optic internet for the fastest, most reliable remote live sessions available.
7 年Exactly what does "work with me on a calendar basis" mean? It's an awkward, ambiguous phrase, which only seems to beg the next question, "What?"
General Manager at Mood Media
7 年I always preferred 'no' to 'maybe'. I rationalize that the people that say 'maybe' to me, when they really aren't interested in the first place, don't have the courage to say 'no' because of their own fear of rejection. In other words, if the 'maybe sayers' have a fear of rejection, the last thing they want to do is hand it out to others. Other reasons people will say maybe is because they are not the decision maker or don't have the money but don't want to disclose the truth of their situation. Thanks for the post, Chris. It is a danger zone that can waste a salespersons time.
Audacy | Senior Business Development Executive | AUDIO | Over-The-Air | Audacy Streaming | Branding | Digital | Sports Marketing | Political | Podcasting | Events | Networking
7 年Good article Chris. Thanks for sharing! - D
Agent/Owner State Farm ?
7 年Great article! Real selling begins with "No"
Business Development/Marketing Enthusiast
7 年Get to the no. It is the second best answer you can get.