Sometimes It’s Okay To Play It Safe – Just Don’t Forget To Sell!

Sometimes you might want to play it safe with a prospective customer.  You don’t want to talk too much or they might think they are being “sold to”.  You don’t want to over promise, or be too excited, or get into any areas that might lead you into a conversation you don’t want to have.

That’s all okay, we all have to play it a little safe from time to time, particularly when we know our target market will appreciate us more for it.

But please don’t forget to sell. Not hard sell, or over-the-top sell, but simply “sell”.  Don’t forget to put in at least one or two messages that enthuse, persuade or influence in some meaningful way.

When the prospective customer hangs up she should ideally be thinking differently about you, compared to when she picked up the phone.   Otherwise your call could be instantly forgotten.

Here are three tips to ensure you sell, even on the safest of phone calls:

a.  Make your company different: If they think you are just like one of the others, then you haven’t sold.  You must be thought of in a different light to your competitors.  Try this simple test:  go to a competitor website.  Look at it while pitching your company or solution  (out loud).   If your pitch could equally describe your competitor, you need to work on making your statement remarkable.

b.  Probe: If you don’t understand something your prospect has just said, you should qualify it.  If you don’t understand what “UK Wide Accreditation” means, then ask.  If you are unsure of who sits on the panel, ask!  When your prospect hangs up the phone, at the very least they should feel that you are a thorough, curious professional who is taking an interest in their business.

c.  Further action: Sometimes all the planets aren’t lining up for you on this “safe” call, but you can make amends on the next one.  Get something in the diary to ensure you have another shot at selling them on your idea next time.

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