Crush it on your calls to new prospects – here’s how
July 31, 2012 | Posted by Jay Kubassek | Tags: Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Perspective | 5 Comments
On Monday night’s Black Belt Mentoring call, John Lavenia drew a point-by-point map of how to improve your sales calls to new prospects. John’s approach has helped him build huge teams in the network marketing industry and make millions in sales, so it’s not theory – it’s all tried and true methods.
When John was in the sales business, he found that most people weren’t open as customers in terms of relating what they were looking for. John compares this to a customer in a car lot, needing to solve their transportation problem but not being open about what kind of car they need. “In some cases, they really don’t know what they want”, says John. “They don’t know the complete solution to their problem. They know their problem but don’t know the specifics of how to solve it. In business, you’re the solution provider who knows more about the solution to their problems than they do. To create a harmony and a greater level of trust, we must demonstrate that we know more about not just the solution to their problem, but the problem too. This is how we relate to them.”
John used to work as a car salesman, and has a trick on how to approach people who are less trusting and open to revealing what they want. “I would approach them indirectly, as I was doing something else. They would be surprised that I wasn’t going right at them and trying to sell them. Once I would introduce myself and ask them about what they were looking for, they would tell me and I would answer by telling them I would point them in the right direction and head there myself first. This would help them see that a busy guy took some time out to help them look for something they needed without accosting them. It proved that I could help them solve their problem without shoving a contract in their face. This would usually get them to follow me.”
John relates this to making a prospect call:
“Now let’s take this approach and put it to work over the phone on a business call. Psychologically, showing up on a phone call as a busy and successful person is called posture. I can prove that I know more about the problem in a way that makes them want to follow me. A typical call might go something like this:
‘
Hey Mr./Mrs. whoever, I saw that you recently visited one of our websites. You’re looking for an opportunity. I have a couple of minutes – did I catch you at a good time? Great! Well let me tell you a little bit about what I’m doing here.’
Then I go into a little taste about what I do, followed immediately by what I’m looking for:
‘
What I’d like to do is to find out a bit about what you’re looking for so we can see if this is a fit, and if I can point you in the right direction. If I can’t, I’ll tell you I can’t. If I can, great. I guarantee you we’re going to have some results here. That’s what we’re about.’
We’re not trying to build rapport or beat around the bush. There’s so many scams out there that anything that offers help is met with skepticism and scrutiny. That’s why I have a relaxed confidence in myself without trying to convince them. I have to maintain an air of non-attachment to however the conversation goes. This shows up like the guy in the car lot who has no attachment to the outcome of whether they buy a car or not.
By demonstrating to them that I don’t need the sale, I’ve put myself in a solution that’s so powerful that I’m not in their position where I need a solution. I already have it. And selling them something isn’t it.”
John Lavenia’s Black Belt Mentoring call call is every Monday night at 8 PM ET.
Catch this week’s call here.
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Jay Kubassek is the CEO of PRO U as well as a professional speaker and trainer, Baja off-road racer, member of the New York Blue Elephant Polo team, self-taught cellist, amateur photographer, amateur chef and indie film producer.
Jay went from farm-hand to selling mufflers at a Kansas City Midas shop to serial entrepreneur. What he is best known for is opening the eyes and minds of people around the world to the possibility of being an entrepreneur by teaching the exact principles he was taught by his mentors.
Thanks John for sharing your approach in speaking with potential customers. I like it as I find that even though people have given me their phone number to call them they are still very defensive when I try to find out if they found what they were looking for.
I feel that if you are serious about learning how to speak with your leads, then this call is an absolute must attend on your schedule. If you can”t make it, then listen to the recored version in the Pro back office.
yes it gave me a diffirent way of looking at it, but as I do it over and over, again and again I will get better. ( I just haven’t made a Business Call yet and wanting to.)
Very informative, helpful dialogue (brief but direct)
I’m independent agent for company in website above.
If someone wants my money he has to show me a little respect. Whether it is a car, used car or a piece of software. I am not interested in your agenda. I want to know how you can solve my problem before I give you any money. I want you to ask me what my problem is, tell me your solution (and why it will work), or be frank if you cannot solve my problem. (And preferably tell me who can.) That’s building trust. Trying to act disinterested is not.