What Your Buyers are Really Thinking

Do you know what your buyers are really thinking when you're presenting your sales pitch? All salespeople like to assume they do, but what's really going through their minds?

This is a key part of becoming a successful sales rep and the most important lesson you'll ever have to learn in the profession. Without this, you're pretty much just closing your eyes and hoping for the best when it comes to seeing whether or not your pitch will result in a sale.

Understanding what their thought process is when going through a sales pitch will help you not only convert more leads, but allow you to personalize a generic service for your customers.

Why are they taking up my time?

Regardless of how friendly they seem, all buyers are thinking about how much time they are spending talking to you and - more importantly - why. This means that right from the start of your conversation you need to address this question and judge whether or not they want to continue with the pitch.

Sales may be your job, but it's not to anyone else. Often the last thing people want to be doing is talking to a salesperson, so you need to value their time and be prepared for their questions. People are short on time and you won't get a second chance if you make the wrong impression or fumble around with the details.

What will it do for me?

With every product or service you need to make it clear how it will benefit the buyer - or quickly determine that it doesn't and follow another lead. If you have quality lead generation then your buyer will already be somewhat sold into what you're selling but most will care about the finer details.

Once you've established that they are a quality lead, get stuck into the details of your product, leaving them plenty of opportunities and time to ask questions or correct you on certain points.

Am I being scammed?

No one wants to be ripped off and, like it or not, salespeople don't have the best reputations. With this in mind, most buyers will approach you with a sense of caution until they understand what you are offering and how much it will cost them. This is also why it is so important to know your consumer and identify the main pain points for them.

Being aware of this natural distrust of sales reps is important whether you're approaching business customers or consumers, though they are divided on their priorities. If your leads constitute both, you need to understand the differences and how this will affect their buyer cycle.

How can I cancel/get a refund?

No matter how bought in they are to your product, buyers want to know how they can cancel or get their money back if they're unhappy with what they get. Approach this head on by telling them up front the process for cancelling the service or returning your products but also highlight any customer support you have available to them. This is all part of ensuring the sales experience is as enjoyable for buyers as possible so they will commit to the sale and even act as an advocate to others in the future.