There’s a time to sell and there’s a time to shut up… do you know the difference?
It’s fascinating how many sales reps don’t and the amount of money they miss out on because of it.
Let me tell you a story… I went shopping for a couch around the height of the pandemic.
…Clearly not the best time to buy a couch, but my wife and I were moving from LA to Philadelphia and the choices were:
Order online without seeing / sitting on it and cross our fingers…
Sit on our hardwood floors until who knows when…
Or find an open store and go buy a couch.
We chose option C.
And of course, I made it a game and was determined to make it the fastest couch buying process of all time.
So, I walk into West Elm, the furniture store… ready to buy and make a quick decision.
I found a couch that worked on the showroom floor and said to myself boom, this is the one… done deal… let’s go…
And I told the sales rep my decision.
But apparently she didn’t hear a “decision”.
No, all she heard was me firing off objections, and so she went off talking and selling, and pretty much doing everything except close and take my money.
Here’s the play by play…
1) First, she says… “You mentioned you'd prefer something a little softer, I can find one but delivery would take like 6 months.”
I say… “Yes, but no thank you, this one gets the job done and I need it in a few weeks.”
2) I casually ask the price and she says…
“It's $3,000... (followed by mass justification)… so it's a little on the pricier side... and you know we do have cheaper options etc.”
I say… “That price is fine. Sounds good.”
3) She says… “Ok, feel free to come back another day after you're done shopping around, we're open until ____.”
Very entertained at this point, I say…
“Thanks but I’m done shopping… I’ll take this one today.”
4) But the saga continues, when she learns that my wife is out of town, and she says…
“Oh your wife isn’t coming in today? Well, if you want to hold off and bring her another day that's totally ok.”
I say… “Thanks, but no need, I sent pictures, we talked, all good.”
5) And then finally we get to payment… and before taking my card, she gives me one more for the road, and says…
“Ok, so I understand this item is pricey, but we do offer financing if that would be helpful for you.”
One last time, smiling, I said… “I appreciate it, but no need.” (Meanwhile thinking, “Please take my money!!”)
It’s a funny story, because ultimately she got the sale…
But that’s only because I was qualified and 100% committed when I walked in the door, not to mention playing a game to buy a couch in record time.
(That ain’t how it typically happens, is it?)
Usually this mistake pushes the buyer away and can blow the whole deal.
And I understand, she probably gets all of those objections and what not 24/7 and they’re expected… especially selling couches during a pandemic.
But it doesn’t change anything.
Once you close the loop on the sale and the decision has been made… continuing to talk and presenting more options only sends you backward, and before long the buyer is confused and uncertain.
Which of course is the “anti-sale”.
So here’s the takeaway:
1. Listen to the buyer and assume nothing - HEAR the person, and if he or she has objections, let them tell you.
2. When the deal is done… stop selling, close the commitment, and collect the cash.
In other words, when a buyer like me says “take my money”… just take it.
I’m curious, has this ever happened to you when you’re shopping?
Be great.
Marc
PS. It took longer than expected, but I’m pretty sure I still won the game.