195: The Cold Calling On Zoom Salesperson - Part Five

<p>We have moved along the continuum of the sales process, from making the cold call, getting the appointment, building trust, asking insightful questions to presenting our solution.  This is when the wheels can fall off and the sale gets lost.  Up until this point of the presentation we have been in control.  We have imagined we understand what the client wants, have amassed the materials to explain what we can do and how it will work, but we may have been delusional.</p> <p> </p> <p>One of the disappointing parts of being in sales is dealing with clients.  If we didn’t have to deal with people everything would go so much smoother.  We wouldn’t make any sales either so that isn't going to work.  Some clients are a bit crafty.  They sit there answering our questions – remember we asked their permission for us to ask questions – and yet they have been fooling us.  They have been telling us about the tip of the iceberg of their problems, but hiding the real issues under the waterline.  Why would they do that?</p> <p> </p> <p>Trust is the answer. There isn’t sufficient trust yet for them to share with us all their dirty laundry, all the fail points inside their company, all the horrendous problems they are facing.  Remember, we just walked in off the street or came down the line to their Zoom screen and they don’t know us from Adam.  Why would they be inclined to share the gruesome details of their disaster, their living nightmare, with a complete stranger?  Now we don't know that.  We have imagined we have built up enough trust for them to tell us what they need.</p> <p> </p> <p>When we get to the solution explanation point, they start to reveal their true colours.  They start to point out all the shortcomings of this solution.  The failing salespeople start to argue, begin to defend, to justify and to explain why the client is wrong.  I hope this isn't you!  If it is, salvation is at hand, so listen up.  When we get this type of pushback, we must realise we haven't identified their true problem and our solution is