The Elephant in the Room

Ever had a sales call and something just doesn’t feel right? You sense your prospect is holding something back. Your client is being polite but tentative.

Some salespeople miss that sensation completely because they’re so focused on their objective they’re not really in the moment. Some, even if they feel it, choose to ignore it and just plow ahead with their agenda.

We’re talking about the elephant in the room. And you’re better off addressing that pachyderm right then and there. Even if you don’t what it is, if you’ve known that person for some time, there’s nothing wrong with saying, “Is everything ok? Something seems a bit off today.”

What if they’re a prospective client, and you have an educated guess about what the issue is? And the issue is what I call “baggage”? Everyone has baggage. Baggage is that negative perception, based on truth or not, that lingers beneath the surface.

When you sense it’s there, address it. Most of the time, the client will not resent your question about baggage. He’ll respect you for asking. It shows confidence and competence.

But, maybe the baggage you lay on the table does kill the deal right then & there. So what?! Did you really think you were going to win that deal?

I come from the school of “if you’re going to lose, lose early”. Better to find out now than spend any more time on something that’s not meant to be so you can pursue something better.

Here are a couple of examples of dealing with baggage:

“Kevin, I’m new in this business. If my inexperience is going to be a problem in this deal, let’s talk about it now.” The prospect replies that the only problem he sees is if you can’t handle something that you’ll call in someone who can & if so, he’s okay with your newness. “That’s fine with me. Are you sure it’s okay with you?” Prospect says yes. “All right, done. If I can’t handle something with complete confidence, I’ll call my boss to help. That’s our deal. Agreed?” Issue raised, addressed, and confirmed.

“John, we’re much smaller than your current supplier and even though we’re confident we can handle your business, what matters is if you are. Can we talk about it?” And so on.

Key message for this week: Address the elephant in the room.

Have a great day!