By Tibor Shanto
When we were young, we accepted things we were told but knew not to be true. We also understand that ignoring some of the facts can add to the discussion. The example here is the old saying about sticks and stones and words and the ability of these to hurt. We all know that words can hurt, and over time, do much more damage than sticks or stones. This is especially true in sales, where so much hangs on what the buyers and we say. Words drive thinking and actions, or at times inaction if the word brings fears. What we call something will determine how we look at it, act, and react as a result. Consider the way we look at disruption vs. interruption.
“As nouns the difference between disruption and interruption is that disruption is an interruption to the regular flow or sequence of something while interruption is the act of interrupting, or the state of being interrupted.”
Yet one is sought after, the other shunned.
An Unvirtuous Circle
There are many reasons people do not like to prospect. Near or at the top of the list for many the fear of rejection. It paralyzes many sellers, which is a drag when you consider that rejection is part and parcel of cold calling. Let’s nail down what we mean by cold call:
Any call that is not scheduled! No matter how right and tight, your buyer persona is, how much of your drips they have downloaded, or any other factor. If you are not in their calendar, you are interrupting, and therefore inviting rejection. And why not. Most people are trying to pack 16 hours of work into a 10-hour day; they are in catch-up mode morning till night. The last thing they need is an interruption from someone not scheduled, talking about something that is not a priority. Given a choice between listening to that or getting work done is why we get rejected.
Part of the problem is what we say when we interrupt. It’s usually a cheery overview of a solution and the vast numbers some clients have seen using your widget. Not questioning the facts of your statement, but the delivery screams for rejection.
Change the words
Sure, we are going to look at how to change the words in your script. But let’s start with the words that most directly impact your success. That is the words you use with yourself before during and after you make a prospecting call.
Start by accepting what you do for a living, and you interrupt people, plain and simple. Nothing wrong with that, we have all benefited from people interrupting us and sharing insight with us. Start by understanding how current customers have changed by your offering. Stop talking about solutions on prospecting calls. The word implies that you have a thorough understanding of what they are trying to “solve”. Seriously, how can you talk about a solution on a first call? No matter how brilliant your buyer personas are, it’s wrong to spew “solution”, when they are still reeling from your interruption.
It is better to spew (if you must) things that are relevant to them. These are rarely if ever defined in the form of your solution. Be it a problem they are trying to solve, or a wave they feel they can ride to success. It is usually defined in processes and specifics these processes are meant to address. If your solution can indeed help prospects facing challenges relating to these processes, it makes more sense to start with those, rather than things they were not thinking about when you called.
Get In Their Head
Imagine, not only someone broadsiding your morning, but then breaking into a soliloquy in a foreign language about something or other? Better to start with something they can relate. What is that? Isn’t it in your personas, what they are likely to be focused given their role? If not there, you can start here to figure out what to lead with.
Many decision-makers will indeed take calls and action for well-presented insight if presented right. But you can’t blame them for tuning out when they don’t hear anything relevant to them. While your product may be the right fit, it needs to start with them and their view of the world. Unfortunately, we still wind our sellers up to lead with the safety of product, which leads to predictable rejection. Persistent rejection wears people down, and it’s the classic not wanting to prospect for fear of rejection.
What’s funny is that most Sales Accepted Leads have about the same rejection or success rate as the right person connect to appointments, but you don’t hear sellers complain about these leads. Why? Their attitude and outlook, which is directly determined by attitude, which is impacted by words.
Ease up a touch and consider it. Everyone and their sister these days want to be disruptive; companies kill to be labeled disruptive. So – what if instead of thinking of a cold call as an interruption – a negative; focus on being a “Disruptive Marketer.” You can be the Uber of whatever segment you’re in, just take the right posture.
Affirm Forward
Think of it as a cold caller’s approach to winning through affirmation. Affirm to the buyer that you get where they are and are trying to go. And self-affirmation that it is OK to disrupt if it all ends well for the buyer in the end. It is all a question of what you tell yourself about cold calling – is it a disruption or interruption. And what’s the difference, make the call.
Coming February 10, 2020 – Sales Scrum!
As you may have noticed with some recent webinars titled Closing the Sales Gap, with Fawn Annan, President, and CMO ITWC, exploring ways to tighten the interactions with sales and marketing to drive new opportunities and growth. If you missed the first two, you can catch them here, and register for the monthly series.
As part of this broader initiative, ITWC is also producing a new podcast called Sales Scrum, with me as the host. Starting Monday, February 10, 2020, and every other Monday after that, I’ll be hosting a range of people looking at all aspects of day to day selling. Not just techniques, a range of things that you can consider, integrate into your sales routine. In the coming weeks, I’ll let you know who is on and more. Listen to a trailer here.
