If a prospect says YES, does he mean NO???

Often times, when a prospect tells you a 'yes' after your sales pitch, you imagine that your Goa vacation is getting closer to reality!

You brag to your boss and colleagues that you've closed a deal!

But

But

But when it comes to making the payment, the prospect backs out!

The truth is that they never said YES. They just escaped from the conversation.

This happens a lot in India (not talking ill of our country. I love India. But that's how we are!)

The problem is that, we Indians, find it very difficult to say 'NO'

We don't want to hurt the other person. We grew up this way!

Remember the times when the tele caller called you. There must be either of the two things that you must have done - hung up the phone or just said YES after every question he asked and said NO at last when you were asked to make a financial decision.

There are 3 types of 'Yes' which a prospect can tell you!

1. The counterfeit yes - The counterfeit yes is the yes in which the counterpart plans on saying NO but feels that saying YES is an easier escape route or just wants to keep the conversation going just to extract more information. This is more of window shopping. There is absolutely to intent to buy!

2. The confirmation yes - The confirmation yes is generally innocent, a reflexive response to a black or white question. It is sometimes used to lay a trap but mostly its simple affirmation without any promise of action. The prospect has said a 'yes' on face value. He ain't serious.

3. The commitment yes - A commitment yes is the real deal. It's a true agreement that leads to action. Either the prospect has asked you to send the payment link or he's ready to take the conversation to the next level (like setting up the meeting with technical head - anything which advances the conversation)

So you need to be smart enough to decode which category does the 'Yes' from the prospect belongs to.

One technique to uncover this is to ask the prospect a trick question!

After the prospect says 'Yes', ask him 'So what's the next action step'.

If the prospect falters here, then you know it's either the counterfeit yes or confirmation yes.

Prod him further as to what's stopping him to move forward and then the real objection will be out!

Move the prospect from a counterfeit yes or confirmation yes to a commitment yes!

It'll save you a lot of time, effort and money!

P.S - Give me a commitment yes that you'll try this out next time!