When customers don’t purchase products or services, many salespeople assume that they’ve lost the sale to their competition. But, in reality, the competition may not be the problem. About 60 percent of qualified leads fall by the wayside because the customer doesn’t find value in purchasing something new and therefore, they decide to forgo any type of change.
According to Tim Riesterer, co-author of Conversations that Win the Complex Sale, most sales training programs aren’t effective because salespeople are being taught how to beat out the competition, not how to convince a prospect to make a change. “Salespeople are being trained to view the competition as the enemy,” says Riesterer. “They use a sales pitch that targets why their audience should choose them over the competition.”
But, that may be the wrong approach. “Most people aren’t even sure they want to do something different,” says Riesterer. He suggests that salespeople begin by focusing on why there needs to be a change in status quo, rather than assume the customer has already committed to doing something different.
I think he's right. Often, we assume people are in the action stage of change. But, in reality, they may only be in the contemplation stage. (See my previous post on the five stages of change.)
I interviewed Riesterer to learn more about his thoughts on how salespeople can gain more sales and he offered some interesting tips which are summarized below:
Brain Science and Sales
A successful salesperson needs to reach the audience’s lizard brain - a primal part of the brain that is responsible for ensuring survival. The lizard brain quickly assesses safety issues and decides whether or not to create change. Unless it senses danger, the lizard brain tends to advise the body to keep the status quo. Customers often choose not to make any changes because their lizard brains don’t see the need to take a risk that could move them from safety to the unknown.
The Three C’s that Wake the Lizard Brain
Riesterer says the secret to sales is to stimulate the audience’s lizard brain by using the three C's:
1. Context – A prospect needs to know the dangers of not making a change. Explain the dangers, problems and challenges of the status quo to create a sense of urgency that encourages the lizard brain to seek a safe alternative.
Providing context is the best way to help your audience see the potential danger. For example, if a tornado siren sounds on a sunny day, most people don’t take action. But, on a cloudy windy day that same siren can lead people to take action. A simple change in context makes all the difference.
2. Contrast – The lizard brain needs to be able to contrast the difference that will result from making a change. Providing a side-by-side comparison about what will change if the audience buys the product or service will show the value. Before and after stories and visual tools are the best ways to show contrast.
3. Concrete – The lizard brain hates anything abstract or overly complex, so concrete examples work best. Simple visuals that depict the contrast and context make your message remarkable. Avoid using metaphorical images or text-heavy communications, but instead, stick with simple graphics to appeal to the lizard brain.
“Battling the status quo is a constant struggle for marketers and salespeople alike – but it doesn’t have to end in defeat,” says Riesterer. Create a customer-focused message that appeals to old brain techniques to fuel your success and overcome the status quo barrier.
