Sometimes you gotta trick someone into doing what’s best for them. As I’ve said before, in numerous blog posts, humans hate making decisions. Decisions come with consequences and humans lack the confidence it takes to be subjected to those consequences. 

Warning! Before you read on, and I take you down this path, you have to promise not to use this information to mislead or take advantage of a prospect. This strategy is to be used for good only. No evil sh!t. Umkay?

The great Robert Cialdini calls the method I’m about to explain to you, the ‘click wirr” method. In his book titled ‘Influence’ he gives an account of how this process works, using door knocking, cold sales. The example he uses is a lady who is selling movie tickets. The brilliance behind the strategy is intriguing. 

The saleslady shows up at the prospect’s door. Instead of pitching what she’s selling she simply ass “Sir, do you like going to the movies?” of course the prospect says “yes”. Who doesn’t like the movies? From there, she goes on to ask “and when you’re at the movies do you usually order drinks and popcorn?” Again, the prospect says “yes” From there she simply asks “If you could save money on popcorn and sodas would that entice you to go see more movies?” again “yes”

With those three questions asked, she can now go in for the kill. All she has to do is simply repeat what she said, with the prospect’s answers and give a simple call to action. Like this: “Since you already go to movies, and each time you order popcorn and soda, I’d like to save you money. You can buy these packs of movie tickets with popcorn and soda included, at a 40% discount from what it cost direct from the counter. Surely you’re tired of paying exorbitant prices at the theatre and would like to save money. How many would you like to buy?”

Many of us salesmen rely on ability to speak well, to close sales. It’s a huge misconception in the sales industry that you have to be a good talker to be a good closer. Actually, the opposite is true. Good investigators and good listeners make the money. Talk is cheap, even when it comes to sales. 

Being a salesman is like being a detective. The prospect gives you a few clues to what would solve their case. Your job as a salesman is to take those clues and solve their problem. In other words, you have to investigate. Investigators ask questions. They don’t tell, they ask. It’s your job as a salesman to ask for more clues until you can ask for the business. 

When you watch CSI or whatever crime drama on TV, they always interrogate the suspect. They never let him in on their thoughts or what they have up their sleeve. They ask question after question and keep stem memory on what was said. As soon as they catch the suspect slipping up, they go in for the close. They are intentionally trying to trap the suspect with his own words. 

You can use that same strategy in sales, to close more prospects. Interrogating a prospect is just like investigating a suspect. Except there’s no jail time or murdered dead bodies involved (in most cases). Let me share three, simple, strategies with you that will lead you to more closed sales via stuttering prospects. 

1: Ask them leading questions: In the above example of the movie ticket sell, the sales lady knew the prospect liked movies. She knew because BEFORE she tried to sell him anything she asked. She asks this question for two purposes only. One: to use against the prospect later Two: to get him to realize he regularly uses what she was selling.

If you can ask leading questions before you reveal what you are selling, you can get the prospect to easily admit they need what you are selling. They just won’t know you are selling it until it’s too late to back out. 

2: Get them to admit they need help early on: As you’re walking the prospect through the sales process by asking open ended questions, the whole point is to make them aware that they need some help. If they admit they need what you sell early on, you can always hit them with the “but you said yourself that you needed my help” when the objections try and rear their ugly head.

Taking away objections up front is an art. You’ve got to know your audience and why they buy what they buy AND why they should buy it from you. Asking them leading questions that get them to admit they use or need your stuff, is a sure fire way to word trap someone who’s trying to crawfish out of a sale. 

3: Hold them accountable to their words: After they’ve answered your questions and they’ve realized that you’re about to close them, the fear of decisions and consequences will stir up inside them. These feelings manifest themselves in the form of objections. This is where it’s important that you remind them of what they said and encourage them to make a good decision (for once) by working with/buying from you.

If they say “yeah that’s a great deal” then remind them of how great it is and that they even went so far as to mention it back to you. “Sir, you must know this is perfect for you. You said so yourself earlier when I asked if you used XYZ” It’s hard for a human to go against their word. It happens but not very often. The subconscious makes it difficult to do so, unless you’re a sociopath.

If you’re talking too much, you’re blowing sales. If you’re spending time trying to convince prospects to close, instead of investigating their circumstance, you’re not conducting your sales job to your fullest ability.  Questions lead to confessions and confessions lead to convictions (closed sales) just like a detective does, ask questions and anything they say can, and will, be used against them in a court of closing. 

If you’d like to know more about my sales process and how I’m able to confidently dish out killer advice like I did in this magnanimous blog post, you should totally check out my UIL Selling System at www.inboundleadcloser.com Stop chasing the sale and start trapping the prospect. *for their own good, of course*

If you’d like to know more about what products I offer and which one is right for you, simply take a few minutes to fill out the form below in detail. From there, we will set up a time to talk about your needs and how what I have to offer can help. Lastly, don’t forget to do your homeboy (me) a favor and share this with your friends on social media and at the office.