CUTTER CONSULTING GROUP

[748] Transforming Your Sales Process

May 08, 2024



What makes authentic persuasion different from conventional sales tactics?

What makes authentic persuasion different from conventional sales tactics? Why is building trust so crucial in the sales process?


In this episode, I talk about the importance of embracing authentic persuasion over high-pressure sales tactics, underscoring that building rapport, empathy, trust, and hope with potential customers is key to avoiding the follow-up trap where clients retreat into their comfort zones and become unresponsive.


A personalized, client-focused approach in sales can not only increase responsiveness but also foster long-term trust and gratitude, avoiding the common pitfall of customers feeling pressured and ultimately dissatisfied.


Use genuine conversations to build a reliable pipeline and turn those silent prospects into engaged, happy customers. Stay tuned!


Get started with Selling With Authentic Persuasion for free


If you are a salesperson – get SWAP


If you are a sales leader – let’s get your team trained on the new era of sales


Subscribe to the YouTube channel


Follow Jason on LinkedIn

  • View full transcript

    Jason:

    A lot of people, by the time I talk to them or I'm doing training or I'm advising them or their companies is they say, yes, that's happening. Like, you know, I'm reaching out to these people and no one is calling me back. The first thing is understanding that it might be too late. The things that led to you ending up with a pipeline that's in this follow up trap where people aren't responding. The thing is that it might be too late. And I know people don't want to hear that. And it's tough because the results of having people who aren't calling you back is related to what's done in those sales conversations. And if you're not following the authentic persuasion pathway and the rapport and the empathy and the trust and the hope and the next step that I'm going to talk about next week, that fifth and final step, which is the most important one for all of this, if you're not doing that in these conversations and you're in the classic sales mode, which is, I'm the hero, I'm amazing.


    Jason:

    You should want what I have. I'm going to push you towards that. That is not going to work. And once those people get off the phone and they get away from you, it's kind of like somebody who's hypnotized or under a spell getting away from that person who cast a spell on them and like, it's wearing off and they realize, wait a second, I don't want that, or I don't want to do that. And that's what's happening, right. That's why a lot of people, they, they use a very gross urgency in sales because they know that if that person steps away, they're going to lose that opportunity. But that's not what I want for you all. What I want you to use is authentic persuasion and be able to sell and persuade like a professional such that people want what you're offering and you know that you have the right solution.


    Jason:

    If you're not doing that, the challenge is that a lot of times that pipeline of people that you're following up, you're trying to get back on board, you're trying to move them forward. Challenges, the damage is already done. The trust step wasn't done correctly. They don't feel safe. They have retreated back into their comfort zone and locked up even tighter. And what I'll tell you, and this is my feeling based on listening to calls, talking to people and just seeing it so many times, I feel like many times and I know this, I'll say myself as a consumer is there's times where I almost buy something, or I think about buying something and I talk to a salesperson and then I get away from it. The ability to say no, like, I use it in that moment. I don't always, but when I say no, then I step away and then I'm like, oh, my gosh, I'm so glad that I didn't buy that.


    Jason:

    Right. I'm relieved. I count my blessings and I go, okay, that is amazing. I dodged a bullet by not signing up for that service or buying that thing or doing that thing. Um, and I'm so grateful for that. And that's what can happen a lot of times when it's not done properly. Not only are they going to retreat to the safety of their comfort zone, they're going to be grateful and thankful they didn't sign up, which when you call them, is just going to aggravate them even more. Or it will also make them, make them a more difficult customer buyer in the future because they might be even less trusting of other salespeople down the road.


    Jason:

    And I know that we've all experienced that if you've been in sales for any length of time where it almost feels like you're inheriting somebody else's bad deeds and you're basically getting the distrust that that prospective person has in general for salespeople because of being burned in the past. And we've all had that, where somebody comes at you with lots of questions, lots of issues, lots of challenges. Want to know about price contracts? Oh, I never signed contracts. I never pay more than this. I would never sign up for that because of what has happened to them in the past. And that's always super important. And I don't think I have done very much in these sessions talking about overcoming objections. When I get to that part, I will explain why this happens and then also what to do about it.


    Jason:

    And if you're having challenges with overcoming objections now, or you want to get better at it, or take a completely different approach than you might already be doing, make sure hit me up, because I'm happy to send you my ebook. So email me jasonutterconsultinggroup.com dot I have an ebook, which is a sales consultant's guide to overcoming objections. Um, that's like the number one thing that people usually have challenges with in the moment in their selling process. Like the first thing they think they have an issue with. And then usually what happens is we find out there's more, and we work on more of these strategies. Um, but email me, and I'm happy to send you the PDF version of that ebook, or you can find it on Amazon, uh, on Kindle, but I'm happy to send it to you to help you. Here's the thing, though, is that you've got this person that you're dealing with. You haven't closed them.


    Jason:

    You let them off the phone, or you're done with your meeting, they're not answering. You can't get them back into your process, your pipeline, what can you do about it? Again, for most people out there, the damage is done. You can't recover that. It's not possible. What was done damaged it or caused it. To get to a point where they put their head back in the sand, they're in their comfort zone. They feel safe, they feel secure. They might be grateful they didn't buy from you, and they avoided a bullet.


    Jason:

    Uh, and it's done. In those situations, sometimes what you can do as a company is shuffle pipelines. Have a different person call those people back. Uh, and maybe that will revitalize them. Maybe a different voice will help them feel better. Right? Like they don't like John. So let me get them to Kim. They didn't like Becky.


    Jason:

    Let me get them to bill. Switch some pipelines. Maybe a new voice, maybe a different person. You never know. Sometimes that will revive some of those people. So that's the bad news. That's the downside with this, is that if you're stuck in the follow up trap, which is your people are not calling you back, sometimes there's very little you can do. Now, you could do some, uh, marketing things and some retargeting and some finding them online.


    Jason:

    But again, if they put their head back into the sand, that's a tough one. So that's the bad news people usually don't want to hear about. Let's talk about what you can do. The key is moving forward using the authentic persuasion pathway and using this process to avoid the follow up trap. The biggest thing we want to do is avoid the follow up trap. Now, why aren't people responding? One of the biggest things and reasons why people aren't responding is because they don't think you care, and they don't think you're trying to help them. And I've talked about this many times in these training sessions. I talk about it when conferences and companies have me come on stage or speak to their groups, and I'm doing trainings is one of the biggest things, is that you following this process we've been talking about, such that the people you're talking to, your prospective customers, these clients, these people you want to be moving forward in your pipeline, is you make it about them.


    Jason:

    That's why I have built this model like I have the authentic persuasion pathway with the rapport, the empathy, the trust, and the hope. And then this fifth step coming up soon is that it's all about them. And so you want to make sure you follow that process. And if you do that, that changes why they're not following up, why they're not responding. Okay, so that's one of the biggest things.

    Button
By Selling Effectiveness 15 May, 2024
The follow-up interactions in sales is equally as important when it comes to the support of relationships with the clients and prospects. Understanding the importance of follow-ups is one of the keys to the perpetuation of a strong bond and the emergence of trust. Let’s take a look at the role of follow-up tactics in creating lasting relationships, which in turn will lead to improved selling effectiveness. Acknowledging the Impact of Follow-up Communication Interactions in Sales A critical part of closing more sales is developing the skill of effective follow-ups . Through following up with clients after initial interactions, you prove that you care about addressing the needs of the customers, and you also demonstrate your willingness to go the extra mile in order to provide value. Highlighting the importance of the customer-to-customer interactions could differentiate you from competitors and make you more of an advisor instead of a sales representative. Creation of Rapport and Trust by the Regular Follow-ups Consistency is critically important in terms of earning the confidence of customers. You keep in touch with them by arranging regular check-ins to show that you are not only dedicated to their success, but also ready to make an extra effort to help them out. Customized lines that consider the particularity of every customer is an additional element that can reinforce your connection. Building Lasting Client Relationships through Personalized Communication Personalization is a great way to drive engagement with clients. Through identifying your clients' reasons for buying, obstacles, and objectives, it is easier for you to customize your follow-up messages to be appealing to their situation. Building client relationships through customized communication not only shows that you are there for their success, but also increases the chances of closing deals and creating long-term relationships. Crafting Strong Follow-Up Messages You must adjust all of your conversation to correspond with their objectives. Knowing your client’s ‘WHYs’ and how your product or service meets the needs of the client contributes to coming up with effective client follow-ups. One of the initial steps in providing an effectivefollowup message is by underlining the value and benefits that can be enjoyed by the client. Simply make it clear that your purpose is addressing the pain points or facilitating the achievement of their goals. By simply demonstrating that your business provides solutions that serve their goals, it is understood that you are concerned about their needs and are willing to help them out. Also, very important is the fact that following-up should not only be about the 'what', but it should also be about the 'why' behind the follow up - their why for wanting to move forward (not your why for closing the deal, and not what you assume their why is). Through empathizing and showing them you were actually listening, , they will see that you are concerned with their success first, not just your benefit from closing the deal. While following up, rather than sending generic messages, you should try to make the message personal and reflective of what they shared with you. This can help you to explore in-depth the specific needs of clients and show them that you genuinely value them and are interested in them doing well in the future. Even if it is providing additional resources, handling objections, timely follow-ups convey your intention of developing fruitful relationships. Conclusion It is vital for a business to create follow-up methods that allow a balance between sales and relationship effectiveness. Always remember that the main goal of the follow-ups are not just only closing deals, but also adding value to them. Beyond just being an approach, it inherently signifies a way of thinking that when successfully implemented may result to you becoming unique and standing out from the rest
By Jason Cutter 09 May, 2024
How can sales professionals effectively address and alleviate customer fears? What are some practical ways salespeople can create a sense of safety for their clients? Sales is no longer about transactions but about interactions. Understand your customer's fears and work to alleviate them, employing the SAFE method—Successful At Fear Elimination. This is an excerpt from one of my training sessions where I talked about some important closes that you should be using in sales. Join me as I explore why truly effective salesmanship looks less like pushing for a sale and more like guiding a client to a safe, confident decision.
By Asael Liam Bermoy 09 May, 2024
What is a consultative sales strategy? How effective is this approach to sales? In this episode, I talk about the nuances of consultative sales, the impact of adopting a consultative approach, and mirroring the practices of the medical field. You will learn that true consultative sales extend far beyond merely asking questions. It's about diagnosing a client's issue like a doctor, prescribing the right solutions, and sometimes even advising against a sale if it doesn’t serve the client's needs. Stay tuned as I highlight how to guide clients from their comfort zone to making decisive, informed choices with confidence.
By Jason Cutter 09 May, 2024
How can salespeople effectively personalize follow-up messages to make them more impactful? What is the difference between manipulation and persuasion in sales? In today's episode, I talk about the vital role of a 'guide' in the hero's journey and how it parallels the world of sales. I also discuss the importance of aligning your follow-up efforts with the customer's 'why,' emphasizing a more impactful connection rather than relying on end-of-quarter manipulations. Learn more about the pitfalls of discounts and incentives that may seem like bribery, setting strong follow-ups, and how you can shift the odds in your favor to close more deals. Stay tuned for valuable tips and if you're looking for more personalized advice. Let's dive into how you can avoid the 'follow-up trap' and truly move the needle in sales.
By Jason Cutter 08 May, 2024
How does reminding customers of their own 'why' help in pulling them out of their comfort zone and encourage them to embrace change? In this episode, I talk about the art of persuasive communication. I'll share how this strategy applies universally, whether you're pitching to venture capitalists or simply selling a product or service. Understanding your client's 'why' is more than just sales talk—it's about reconnecting them to their goals and showing them that you are the guide in their journey. Stay tuned as I explore these pivotal concepts, equipping you with the know-how to convert prospects into successful sales.
By Jason Cutter 08 May, 2024
What unique challenges do salespeople face in industries with longer sales cycles? Why is it important to treat each conversation as an individual sales opportunity? In this episode, I emphasize the importance of treating each interaction in the sales process as a unique opportunity, regardless of the length of the sales cycle. I also introduce the catchy concept of the "prospect witness protection program" to describe the challenging phenomenon of prospects going cold and the need for sales reps to understand and avoid the triggers that lead to this situation. Join me for these insights, stay tuned, and get ready to transform every sales conversation into a stepping stone toward success.
Show More
Share by: