Thoughtful Thursdays – The tire kicker
We have all met them before. They are the prospects who appear to be genuinely interested in what you have to offer, yet after putting your best foot forward and spending a great deal of time with them, they disappear.
These prospects are sometimes referred to as energy vampires, or tire kickers. They take advantage of your good nature and willingness to help, all at your expense.
So how do you deal with these prospects? The first step is to recognize that your prospect is a tire kicker. It can sneak up on you quite innocently and in the excitement and anticipation of closing a new sale we can be blind to what is actually happening. For me, it comes down to listening and asking the right questions.
Having said that, the approach will vary depending on the prospect. You do not want to appear pushy, impatient or dismissive. The objective remains the same though. It is important to know when to stop talking and at what point in conversation you stop sharing your ideas and suggestions. If you tell them too much, they may decide to try and do it themselves.
That may be the desired outcome for them, but most likely not for you. Having a sales process that keeps you focused on what you need to do, will minimize the chances of falling prey to these situations. It may come down to asking your prospect a direct question about when they want to get started. A call to action from yourself indicating that before your go further down the road, a firm commitment will be necessary.
In any case do not be shy about asking if you sense you may be going down a dead end street. I don’t believe you will offend anyone by being honest with them.
Good selling,
Richard
Have a question about sales? Contact Sakanashi and Associates Inc. and I will respond.
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