Why Trying to กGet the Appointmentก Can be a Recipe for DisAppoinment
by: Ari Galper
Last week, this email from Jack arrived in my inbox:
To: Ari Galper
From: Jack
Subj.: Help! I need to get more appointments
Dear Ari,
Iกve just coined a new disease for the medical books, and Iกm hoping you can help me cure it.
Have you ever heard of กfreezinguponthefirstcall paralysisก? Itกs brought on by the stress of selling!
Iกm new to sales, and, as Iกve been starting out, Iกve studied all the programs from all the กsales masters.ก
They all insist that, when I call new prospects, I should be laserfocused on getting appointments.
The problem is, when I make that first call and lead the conversation toward the goal of getting an appointment, I hit a กwall.ก
I know that if I can just get facetoface with prospects, theyกll see the value of my solution but I can’t even get there because they shut me down.
When they tell me กIกm not interestedก or กIกm busy nowก or กWe already have a vendor,ก Iกm left with nowhere to go.
Whatกs worse, I can’t even come up with what to say next.
Can you recommend some กmedicineก that will help?
Always openminded,
Jack
กWhew!ก I thought when I read this. ‘thatกs an intense email!ก Jackกs email started me thinking about the hundreds of conversations Iกve had with many of you who are out there selling your solutions day in and day out.
I realized that his กdiseaseก is so pervasive that those of you who are suffering from it could probably use a กprescriptionก from the Unlock The Game™ pharmacy.
This was my response to Jack:
To: Jack
From: Ari Galper
Subj.: RE: Help? I need to make more appointments
Dear Jack,
First of all, thank you so much for being open to sharing your painful selling challenge.
You articulated so beautifully what so many other people are experiencing, and I hope you won’t mind if I share your email and this response with my newsletter subscribers.
Hereกs why youกve been afflicted with this กdiseaseก and what you can do to cure it.
The กwallก you hit when you try to get the appointment is the prospectกs reaction to you putting your own objectives ahead of the crucial trustbuilding process that would actually allow an appointment to emerge.
By laserfocusing on getting the appointment, you’re sabotaging three factors that are vital if you’re going to build trust.
To build trust, you need to:
1. Focus the conversation on your prospectกs problems, while holding off on offering your solution.
2. Create a twoway dialogue instead of a oneway monologue.
3. Determine whether you and your prospect are a กfitก in terms of being in sync about putting resources toward solving the problems.
All three of these elements must happen in the most natural way possible… and you can help them to come about. Hereกs how:
*Invite your prospect into the conversation naturally and comfortably not by making a miniintroduction about yourself (that only triggers the กwallก), but by asking, กCan you help me out for a second?ก
*Toss out your selling scripts and create a dialogue path around the specific problems that you know your product or service can solve.
For example, rather than saying, กOur solution lowers costs,ก try, กOur solution solves three specific problems that you may be experiencing.ก
Then, state exactly what those problems are.
Identifying and agreeing on the prospectกs problems is crucial but not enough to build the trust and commitment you’re seeking.
You can continue the conversation with something along these lines: กSounds as if these issues are important for you, but, if we can just take a second, are they considered a priority, given what else might be on your plate right now? I mean, are these problems immediate enough that your company can put resources into a solution at this point?ก
You see, Jack, the basic cause of your กdiseaseก is that you’re not focusing your calls on your prospectกs perspective. But if you simply expand your mindset and begin implementing new problemsolving language, you might be surprised when your prospect suggests making an appointment.
Warmest regards,
Ari
The next day, Jack replied:
To: Ari Galper
From: Jack
Subj. Re: Help! I need to make more appointments
Dear กDr.ก Ari,
Thank you so much! Your reply gave me a huge sense of relief.
All of a sudden, Iกm feeling กhealthyก and motivated again.
Your relieved patient,
Jack
P.S. Sure, please do share our conversation with your subscribers so they don’t have to suffer the way I have.
Try this medicine and see if it works for you.
About The Author
Ari Galper is the founder of Unlock The Game™, the only selling program that completely eliminates pressure from the selling process. His Unlock The Game™ Sales Program has helped thousands of entrepenuers and sales professionals worldwide.
Visit http://www.UnlockTheGame.com to take a Free Test Drive!
This article was posted on March 21
by Ari Galper