Sell or Be Sold(29)

You’re right! I’m with you! I agree! Let me see what I can do for you! I understand! I will make that happen! Done!

Regardless of how off-key or incorrect the buyer may be, it’s critical that the relationship is built on agreement if you want to make the sale.

Some people will say that agreeing when you don’t really agree is manipulation. While I’m willing to agree with them that they see it as manipulation, I see agreeing as my attempt to get along. I think that disagreeing with people manipulates you out of a sale, and that doesn’t make sense. If you say it’s hot and I think it’s cold, I’m able to agree with your viewpoint that you think it’s hot. What have I lost? I’m simply acknowledging that you think it’s hot. This is not manipulation; it’s understanding. You didn’t ask me what I thought. All I did was agree with your reality without adding that I think it’s cold, which would only serve to make you wrong. By establishing basic agreement, you’re creating the opportunity to help the buyer purchase your product or service. If the buyer never gets a chance to see what you’re offering because of an earlier disagreement, then know that you’ve made an error by not allowing the buyer to see your product or service in the proper light. All you’ve done is put their focus on the disagreement rather than on your product.





HOW TO SOFTEN ANY BUYER


Let’s say a customer tells you he’s only got ten minutes and you know you can’t do your presentation in ten minutes. I’ve watched salespeople spend ten minutes talking about how they can’t do the presentation that quickly. A better alternative is to agree that ten minutes would be fine and go right into your presentation. If you start the relationship off with agreement, you’ll have a chance to tell the prospect about your product. Additionally, you’ll come across to the customer as understanding, easy to deal with, and professional.

I’ve been in hundreds of selling situations where the entire process started off with the buyer limiting the amount of time I had. I love this because I immediately tell them the time they offered me is more than enough. By the customer’s response, you’d think I’d just stepped into a phone booth then flown out with a cape on. The buyer looks at me like I am SUPER SALESPERSON and immediately knows he’s dealing with a professional. Customers respected me because of the fact that I agreed with them, not because I was slick at handling their objections. What created this response or change in the buyers? It wasn’t some tricky, manipulative line. It was because I agreed to their limitations and I was willing to work with the amount of time they’d offered me. I showed them my appreciation instead of voicing disagreement. I’d rather have ten minutes than no minutes! By first agreeing with them, you can then move on with your presentation. Nothing will soften a buyer more than an agreeable salesperson.





THE MAGIC WORDS


Regardless of whether the customer is right or wrong, you need to make it safe for him to be right so he doesn’t get so stuck in his “rightness” that he’s unable to change his mind.

If you want people to agree with your viewpoint, all you’ve got to do is agree with their position, agree with their opinions, and step into their shoes for a moment.

If you want to keep an argument going with someone, tell them that they’re wrong. If you want to keep a raving maniac going on and on about how right he is, just disagree with him. If you want to get him to shut up, agree with him, and he’ll stop behaving like a raving maniac.

There’s no easier way to instantly end an argument than by agreeing with the opposition. A friend of mine who’d been married for seventeen years said that the magic formula to her relationship was telling her husband, “You’re right.” Who can argue with that? By ending silly arguments, one can move on and enjoy the important things in life.

Customer service problems can be handled the same way. When you get a complaint, go ahead and agree with the complaint. “You guys screwed everything up!” the customer shouts. “I agree with you, sir,” you say. “Let me figure out how to correct it for you.” But if you tell him he’s wrong, you’re only adding gasoline to his fire of disagreements.

You’ve probably experienced this phenomenon in your life. As an exercise, try it with your spouse or a friend. Wait until they say something and then tell them they’re wrong. Watch what happens. You’ve just fueled an argument. To end the argument, tell them they’re right! By agreeing, you cool off and put out the fire of disagreement. End of argument!