A Moment of Silence- The Cautious Pause

If you were to Google that phrase right now you would likely find several periodical articles about it. It is the term used for the conscious effort people are taking to think before making an impulse purchase. This has presented a fairly large barrier for sales people… especially those of us who sell products that some people may categorize as “unnecessary” or “luxuries.”

Given the right attitude and appropriate use of sales techniques it is still possible for a sales person to flourish, even in this economy. It has actually been proven that certain “luxuries” become even more popular in a downtrodden economy and people are willing to spend a few of their hard earned dollars for a “pick-me-up” for themselves. Keep the following two things in mind to keep your business growing (even when everything else may not be).

Choose your attitude!!

If you have worked in corporate America at ALL within the past decade you have probably seen the video regarding the crazy fish market in Seattle (and if you haven’t you should find it and read about it). In it they talk about how you can make a conscious decision every day to be positive and upbeat. You will be amazed at how it affects you and the people around you (including your prospects). Each day is FULL of choices: You get stuck behind a bus on the way to work, you spill your coffee, you wake up. Its easy to be negative, but believe me, negativity will crush your bottom line and send your sales numbers reeling. Make the decision to be a positive, relaxed and open minded salesperson and your prospects will be open to your business.

Overcoming the Cautious Pause

We’ve all seen it on television and in movies. Men and women dressed in suits walking into board rooms to pitch their ideas to old guys in black suits. The ubiquitous “Sales Presentation.” Believe it or not, every time you set foot in someone’s home to do a Demo/Party/Session you are doing almost the exact same thing (minus the old guys in black suits). In this image, inevitably the poor Salesperson starts stuttering when they hear an objection to their products. Objections are the hardest part of Sales. And the hardest objection to deal with is the silent objection, or The Cautious Pause. This is the customers’ urge to suppress their impulse to buy.

Looking at your party like a Sales presentation lets you build the responses to this type of objection before the prospect even thinks of them. You know your products, and you have likely heard some objections (if you haven’t, please let me know how much it costs to sign up to sell your product). Overcoming the Cautious Pause starts with your attitude. In order to sell your product you must believe 100% in the value of your product. If you are unsure in any way, your customer will sense it and not purchase from you. If you can show your customer “what’s in it for them” and really believe you are helping them, their impulse will win, and you will overcome their hesitation to buy.

Stay Savvy,
Stephen