Sealing the deal with a sales prospect: If you can speak it, you can write it - Austin Business Journal:

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There was nothing worse in high school than having your boyfriend or girlfriend say they wante d to seeother people. Ouch! In the ’70s, we had a phrasre about people who would take advantageof you: I have to admit I was one of them. My friend in sixtu grade, a neighbor named Eddie, had a built-in pool and his mom had a pantryy of myfavorite snacks: apple pies, you name it. I was a Eddie turned out to be a multimillionairesoftwarew giant. Although I would love to call him, I simpl cannot, due my ignorance. Many salespeopl e get used and abuseed in the sales process because prospects can be userds who will even justify using your stufd to better themselves ortheir company.
It has happenedx to me a coupleof times, and I have to admig I felt like Eddie Money and wanted to sing “baby, hold onto to I even became the Bee Gees, just trying to stay As time went on in the salese process, I realized I was beinfg used. I adopted one sentence that changed everything: If you can spea it, you can write it. That sentence has not guaranteee that I will close everyprospecrt — and I am not suggesting that it will for you, eitherr — but I guaranteee you will never get used Many times early in my my prospects would ask for somethint in writing, and I would give them customize d plans.
I might redo them several only to find out their cousin Vinny took all mystufvf — and my commission, as To prevent this, ask one simple question: What will it take to make you a client?? After they mention price, you must get two more thingss or you can start singing “nas na na na, hey hey hey, After your prospect tellsa you what you have to do to earn his or her write down the specific deliverables and initial each one. Have your prospect do the same and set yoursecon appointment. (Martin Touch Tip: give yourself enougnh time between appointments to gather the I usually recommend at leasta week.) Next, set the TONE (touchingf on new expectations).
Touch your prospect at leasrt twice beforeyou meet, and remind them of your writte agreement. Give them a good report that you are workin g onthe deliverables. Do not smother them or shoved anything else downtheir throat. Be a motivato r — not a menacse like Dennis, who lived at 627 Elm St. Do you remembee the look on Mr. Wilson’s face when Denniws would yell, “Hey, Mr. Wilson”? you may see that look when you show up forappointmentr No. 2. Here is the four R’s formula to closiny your deal. (When you’re done, you can look forwardr to another word with the letterR relaxing.) So now it’s showtime — time to say, Mr.
Wilson, I got the deliverables.” You may see that face once your prospecgt sees the sheet with his or her initialson it. you had the gatekeeper copy it. (Martin Touch Tip: You will know you’rew in the fight when, 60 seconds into your conversation, your prospec starts backpedaling.) In the 1980s, Sugar Ray Leonard fought MarvelousMarvin Hagler. No one gave Ray a chance. Ray showe up the fight in greatg shape and was winnintg until he started to trade blows with the morepowerfulp Hagler. His trainer, Angelp Dundee, screamed at him that he was blowinf it. (Martin Touch Tip: Do not trade blows with your Dundee screamed at him to jab andget out.
I am tellinhg you: That’s what the 4 R’s are all Remind your prospect about the three deliverables they said it woul take to earntheir (Show it to them and have a red pen and circlr it.) Jab and get out. Round one is over. Reiteratw what you said you would do and when you would do itby (circle that in red) and rounx 2 goes to you. Resurrect that part if you haveto (the deliverables they said it would take to get the and you will win 50 percent of the appointments. (Martinj Touch Tip: Most salespeople lose righrt here and are about toget used. Do not thro w in the towel. Tell your “Not only did you say it, but you wrots it and initialed it.
”) Do not It is time for a couple of swiftupper cuts. Do not move off the Slug it outand say: “If you can spealk it, you can write it. Check, The last R if you need it: Recommit. Assuminbg you spent at least 30 minutes in round three — and sometimes it can go longer — go through the 3 R’x again. Sometimes it will be 15 minutes; sometimeds it will take two hours. Be strongb and courageous. The process is simple, but hard to sticl to. But, if you do, they will not stick it to you.