I do freelance work remotely, and recently I’ve had the good fortune of being contacted by people who need my services. Having learned more about the process of sales this semester, I have been able to navigate the situation with much more ease than I would have previously.
First, although they contacted me, I had to be sure I could help them with what they actually needed. Asking the right questions led me to a good picture of what their situation was. When budget came up, I was able to give them an offer they could afford, because I knew more about them and what they needed. However, before the conversation ended, I asked to talk with them more about it later.
At this point, even if my offer had been too high, the chance to have a further discussion about it meant that they were unlikely to say no immediately. They wanted more time to negotiate, and I wanted more time to research. By going for the appointment, I could take what I had learned from our conversation and apply it to our future conversation, after I had time to process it. When we talk about who has control of the sales conversation, it is important to realize that disengaging from a tricky situation can be just as effective as always having the answer. By going for the appointment, you ensure the conversation remains focused on what the customer needs.
BoweryJE22