193: The Cold Calling On Zoom Salesperson - Part Three

<p>The Cold Calling On Zoom Salesperson - Part Three</p> <p>In Parts One and Two we looked at the early stages of the cold call, getting rapport established and then asking for permission to delve deep into the client’s situation.  The initial questions we need answers to are either “what is your current situation?” or “where would you like to be with the business?”.  We are searching for a floor and a ceiling.  We want to know how things are travelling at the moment and what they aspire to achieve.  Why do we need a floor and a ceiling?  The perceived distance between the two tells a lot about our prospects of making a sale.</p> <p>If the gap is felt by the client to be very close, sadly, they will imagine that they are fully capable, given time, of getting to where they want to be unaided.  On the other hand, if the gap is large and they have realised they can’t bridge it by themselves, then they are possibly open to our help.  Even if they believe they can do it by themselves, the salesperson’s job is to demonstrate that it will take longer, cost more or divert valuable resource to do it that way. Ergo, they are better off using our solutions. </p> <p>Now the client presumes the cost of doing nothing, of taking no action, is zero.  That is absolutely, inescapably, inextricably untrue.  Never allow a buyer to harbour such a toxic lie in their mind. The salesperson has to point out the weighty and substantial opportunity costs of no action.  They also need to emphasis the value they personally bring to the equation.  They buy the company’s solution and the salesperson comes free, to support the buyer. </p> <p>Often companies get to a point where they see the floor and ceiling gap and think they can do it themselves, but in fact they never get around to doing it at all.  Different personnel changes interfere with the progress or the resources for this project are overwhelmed by the need to focus on another more pressing priority.  In retrospect, if they had used us, it would have been done already and they would