No Mind Reading.
This is rule #13 in David Mattson’s book “The Sandler Rules.”
No, this is not implying that salespeople are telepathic. This rule simply means that a salesperson should not assume that they know what their prospect is thinking. According to Mattson, misreading between the lines is a common way to lose a sale.
Sometimes a prospect will say things that are vague or could have different implications. When these situations arise, it is important as a salesperson to clarify what the prospect means. You should be after solid evidence of what the prospect is thinking. Get the facts.
Here are some good examples of clarifying questions or phrases to help in these situations:
- “Help me understand that a little better.”
- “Tell me more about that.”
- “Which means…”
- “You must be telling me that for a reason.”
- “And…?”
- “Like…?”
Asking a few simple questions like these gives a salesperson the tools they need to avoid any confusion of what a prospect means.
The trap of mindreading can be easier to fall into as you grow as a salesperson and become more comfortable in sales situations. You have more experiences to call on to relate to a current situation. Be careful and keep your guard up to avoid jumping to conclusions before discovering the relevant facts about a prospect. It does not matter how similar the situation feels to ones you have delt with in the past.
Next time you are in a sales situation, remember rule #13 and keep a few of these clarifying questions in your back pocket. This will ensure everyone is on the same page, and it will be easier to close the sale.
BoweryJE22
I like how this relates to the power disparity between seller and customer and how to gain power, you have to lose some and let the consumer take control of the conversation by asking them questions.