The fear of loss gene is present in us all. When we were little kids and lost our toys, our friends, our teachers and some of us even our parents, we learned to have this fear of loss. It basically stems from fearing change. Change makes us all uncomfortable and challenges our current state. Most humans, salespeople included, hate change and refuse to get uncomfortable.
When we grow up, many of us find ourselves working in the sales field. We sell cars, houses, services, goods and anything else we feel we can earn a good living doing. Then when we hit the floor, get flooded with prospects and start trying to close people, the fear of loss gene kicks in and some salespeople refuse to fight it and ask for the business.
If you don’t ask for the business you will starve in sales.
I’ve sold cars, foreclosure prevention, mortgages, coaching, consulting and digital training, to name a few. Every time I’ve been a top performer. While at the same time I’ve seen salespeople with the same tools, same leads and same surrounds fail miserably. Why? Because they refuse to get uncomfortable and ask for the business.
For some, it’s easier to NOT ask for the business and NOT be rejected, but NOT make a sale, than it is for them to make the prospect come to a decision. I’ve never had this problem. I’ve lost everything in my life at one point or another and I’m not scared to lose shit. Fear of loss just doesn’t exist in me. If the prospect isn’t going to buy, I don’t want to waste my time talking/selling to them.
At the same time, I watch other salespeople literally shake when they are in a negotiation setting while hoping the prospect decides to buy on their own. Newsflash: your prospects need you to lead them to a decision. If you can’t get them to decide they won’t make a decision at all and no decision equals no commission.
It only takes two things to close sales. Empathy and Confidence. The way to let your prospect know you have empathy for them is by asking questions to understand their situation and let them explain why they are there and what solution they think they need. Once empathy is met it takes confidence to diagnose what they need and ask for the business. If you have empathy for your prospect and know what they need, confidence to close should come naturally.
Most salespeople fuck this up by talking more than listening and the prospect can’t tell you what they need if you don’t shut the fuck up. Real talk. You’re more likely to talk your way OUT of a sale than into a sale. Look at every episode of CSI, the bad guy never talks his way out of being charged for the crime. The criminals that go free shut the fuck up and let the cops do the talking.
Silence is golden in the modern sales era. While most trainers will load your lips with scripts, word tracks and fancy sales sayings like “lean on the pen” the prospect wants someone who will listen to their needs and help them make a decision.
If you struggle to as for the sale, here’s what you can do to get over that fear of loss gene and onto bigger commission checks. First, ask questions. Let the prospect talk about what they need and why they think they need it. Don’t interrupt and don’t make any suggestions until you’ve heard the full story. Don’t be afraid to go deep with them. Ask them questions that challenge them and make them think outside themselves.
As they are talking, keep your mouth shut and show them that you are listening attentively. Once they are done talking, and you know exactly what it is they need, in order to passively ask for the business, simply say “would you like me to help you with that?” I know it sounds too simple, because it is and simplicity sells.
Instead of trembling and worried about saying the right thing, simply listen, find the need and ask if they would like you to help them. If they say “yes” simply make an offer and let them decide. if they say “no” simply ask them “how much longer will it be before you are ready to get help?” Most salespeople try and talk their way into a sale but like I said, you’re more likely to talk your way out of a sale. What most don’t know is that the real key to modern selling is to ask your way into a sale. Real talk.
Of course the world is not perfect, so you will get objections and stalls and that’s all a part of the game. You can practice handling objections with my new product Closer Cards which you can get for less than $10 + free shipping at www.closercards.com these sales flash cards will help you improve your objection handling skills. Asking questions plus closing over objections takes the fear of loss gene out of your DNA. Grab your stack of closer cards today!
