Let’s start with the obvious: Sales reps talk too much. Whether it’s nervousness, fear, inexperience, or simply the conviction that if you stop talking, the prospect will say “I’m not interested” and hang up, it doesn’t matter.
If you listen to the calls from your sales reps, you’ll find that they just talk past the close. They talk about their prospects. They speak after asking a question (and don’t even let their prospect answer).
And then they talk some more…
The dangers of talking so much are many. Often when talking past the close, sales reps raise objections. This is a common problem and one entirely of your own making.
Another problem is that they talk about their prospects and therefore appear rude and give the impression that they don’t care what the prospect has to say. This makes them seem pushy and salesy, and makes the prospect want to disconnect from them.
As if all these issues weren’t enough, by talking so much they’re not learning anything about the prospect, their needs, their pain, or what they’d like help with. I have always taught that the prospect has all the answers: why he will buy, why he will not buy, what you must say to sell to him, etc. But if you’re not listening, you’ll never hear any of this.
And that means you’re tempted to keep talking and pitching…
The good news is that there is a powerful way to learn more about a prospect. When I give you this, it will seem simple, and it is, but it’s hard to practice because most sales reps are so into talking.
Here’s what it is: At any point in a conversation with a prospect, if they give you what appears to be an objection (like, “We wouldn’t be interested…”) or they’re just not offering much information, all you have to do is do is say:
“Oh?”
And then shut up and hit the MUTE button.
When you say it, say it in a way that expresses a question, let your voice go up a bit. Practice it now: “OH??”
Don’t dismiss this as silly or too simple to have much effect. It is one of the most advanced and powerful tools that a true marketer has in his arsenal.
This week I challenge you to talk less and listen more. And the technique you will use is the “Oh?” technical. Give it a try and see for yourself how much more you learn from your prospects. Remember, they have all the answers…