11 Rules for Selling to a Skeptic
 by: Vicky Therese Davis, William R. Patterson, D. Marques Patton

Let's face it: the greatest accomplishment for a member of the sales community is closing a deal with a skeptic. Many who are proficient at this art agree that it is far more gratifying to convince someone who initially felt your product was not necessary that it indeed is, than to complete what the industry terms an "easy sell." Lucky for us all, plenty of doubters buy products and services everyday. Let us examine eleven of the fundamental techniques used by those who succeed in persuading the worst of cynics.

1. Know your product/service

Know it inside and out, backwards and forwards. You should know its strengths, weaknesses, and any proprietary features. Also understand the factors that influence its supply and demand. All of these will strengthen your presentation and help the skeptic make a more informed purchasing decision. There should be nothing that anyone can tell you about what you solicit. You will definitely be asked questions, so be prepared to demonstrate all aspects of your product/service in response.

2. Know your prospect

Along with knowing your product comes knowing your prospect. Strive to know all you can about your target demographic and potential clients. Make sure you deal with the decision maker. You should know their purchasing habits, what motivation determines their choice, and how long a buying decision takes. You must understand how your product fits into their overall purchasing strategy. When you know the buying habits of your prospect, you can use it to develop a longer-term sales plan—that means repeat business. Put yourself in the most favorable position to get a "yes" by focusing on what most concerns your prospect.

3. Believe in your own words

You will never be effective selling something you do not believe in, particularly to someone who is already skeptical. Your lack of enthusiasm will be an obvious as you attempt to convince your potential buyer. When you emanate passion and confidence, you break down the wall of doubt the cynic has built. To not be a pillar of strength during your presentation is a sure-fire ticket to an abrupt "no." If you are lucky enough to sell a product you do not believe in, you still lose because you risk killing referral business and losing the trust of your customer.

4. Be transparent

Too often, we give strong pitches with lots of hype and little information. We will say, "If you want these benefits, buy my product." This is done with the hope that a prospect's curiosity about your bold claims will be enough to convince them to purchase. The idea that if you divulge too much information, you could dissuade your prospect is a far too common falsehood. Be prepared to give as much information as needed to convince the potential buyer to make a purchase. Transparency builds trust. Things people do not understand will always be greeted with "no." The more information available when making a purchasing decision, the more likely they are to say "yes." Another benefit of being transparent is the more resources you divulge free of charge, the more likely you are to generate interest in your product/service.

5. Gain trust by associating yourself with things they respect

By offering endorsements and testimonials, especially from well-known sources that your target market respects, you strike the chord of "trust." Many a skeptic has purchased based on the recommendations of individuals they respect. Secure associations along these lines and look to align yourself with trusted agencies through strategic partnerships. Major endorsements mean less resistance and lots of sales.

6. Offer a free trial, incentive, bargain, or guarantee

The structure of your offer can play a key role in building trust and enticing your prospect to buy. There are many variations of each, but incentives and guarantees are great ways to gain your potential buyer's confidence. Guarantees and free trails allow the skeptic to try the product/service before determining if your offer is a good fit. Incentives and discounts are also valuable tactics as they make the cynic feel they are getting a value. People always love the feeling of getting something for free and buying when it is a low/no-risk transaction. By guaranteeing the quality of your product/service, you disarm the skeptic and encourage them to buy. You also communicate an important message that you are confident in what you sell.

7. Compare and differentiate yourself from your competitors

Know the nature of your business. Is it commodity based, where the low price bidder wins? Is the strength of your brand a factor? Is there something unique about your offer? You must understand your competitors and their advantages and disadvantages. Once you have both the knowledge of your competitors and an understanding of the skeptic's needs, you can choose the most effective marketing angle. We offer such phrases as:

"The lowest cost"…you play to the desire for value

"The official"…you validate for authenticity

"The best"…you show superiority

"The only"…you offer exclusivity

If possible, demonstrate the differences that make your product/service unique or superior.

8. Sell the relationship, not the product

Contrary to popular belief, the best salespeople not only close deals, they foster relationships. Relationships are more valuable to both you and the prospect than a one-time transaction. For the salesperson, relationships bring repeat business and the ability to cross-market your offerings; increased referrals because you gain access to the prospect's network base, and the ability to charge a premium because of the higher perceived value of your relationship. For the skeptic, relationships help build trust. These bonds let them know they will not be abandoned after the transaction is finished. Ultimately, they are buying a relationship with you and your firm, not the product/service, so approach selling that way.

9. Focus on benefits offered and value delivered

Self-interest is the skeptic's primary concern, so focus on how your product/service solves their problem, fulfills their need, or satisfies their desire. If your prospect is solely bottom-line focused, your presentation should be centered on how your product or service will make or save them money. If your product satisfies a desire, focus on how it fills an emotional void. Emotional selling differs from bottom-line selling because it focuses on feelings rather than metrics. Remember to focus on the benefits that concern your potential buyer; anything else will make a skeptic lose interest and you lose the sale.

10. Isolate their objection

In life and business, two of the greatest challenges are making intelligent decisions and properly following through on them. One of your fundamental goals as a salesperson is to help people make informed decisions. To do so, ask two types of questions: those to better understand your potential buyer and his/her needs, and questions designed to lead your prospect to buy. A series of well-placed questions will allow you to isolate any objections. You should brainstorm every possible reason a skeptic will not buy from you and comprise an effective solution or rebuttal for each. Any other question should be crafted in a way that allows for only one reasonable answer, and that answer should compel your prospect to agree with you.

11. Don't seem desperate!

Your emotional state will be apparent to a skeptic. Never appear as though you "need" a sale. Everyone avoids a hard-pressed individual. Often we are conditioned to give to and buy from those who do not need our money. It is the same principle that makes us more likely give a rich man fifty-cents to make phone call because he has no change, than to a homeless man in need who makes the same request. Therefore, it is imperative that you operate from a mindset of abundance. Understand there is always a bigger sale out there, so you need not be pressed for this one. Your confidence will put the cynic at ease and make them more likely to buy from you.

Once internalized, these 11 points will mesh into an effective sales strategy. You will begin to think of them not as individual points to be mastered, but one comprehensive selling technique. They are designed to compliment each other and give you a thorough footing for selling to those who are naturally doubtful about you and your service. Master them and win!

About The Author Vicky Therese Davis, William R. Patterson, and D. Marques Patton are co-authors of the acclaimed business and personal finance National Bestseller, THE BARON SON: VADE MECUM 7. Vicky Davis is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Indulgence Jewelry Corp. William Patterson is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Warcoffer Capital Group, LLC. D. Marques Patton is President and Chief Operating Officer of The Warcoffer Capital group, LLC. To receive their breakthrough book and over $3,631 in FREE bonus gifts, visit: http://www.baronseries.com. ac_feedback@baronseries.com

3 Steps to Completely Eliminating Scams from Your Life
Copyright 2006 Tony Mase

Not long ago, I received a question from one of my newsletter subscribers that went something like this (I've edited out the personal details):

"1. What about the Swiss Cash scheme? Trust or don't trust? Any evidence of previous failure to this scheme?"

"2. I am in debt due to scams. Give me your brightest idea that won't fail. I need to recover $200,000.00 lost in transit... appreciate you sir."

Well...

I don't know the first thing about the "Swiss Cash scheme" nor, quite frankly, do I care to.

However...

I do have a "brightest idea that won't fail".

Are you ready?

Here it is...

Stop looking for something for nothing.

Just in case you missed it...

Here it is again...

Stop looking for something for nothing!

Now...

I fully realize this statement is rather blunt and some (especially the questioner) might find it downright harsh.

But...

You know what?

It *really* needs saying!

In a recent month, on the Yahoo! Search Network alone, 439,530 searches were conducted on the word "free".

In addition...

Millions upon millions of searches were conducted the same month for "free" practically anything you can think of including (my personal favorite :-)) the 41,817 searches that were conducted on the term "free money".

What do all these searches have in common?

Simple...

They were all conducted by people who are looking for something for nothing. Each and every one of those searches was conducted by someone who's looking to get something of value for themselves without giving anything of value in return.

And...

Because they're looking for something for nothing, they leave themselves wide open to every scam that comes down the pike!

Here's the deal...

I believe it was Earl Nightingale who once correctly said, "The only people who make money work in the mint. The rest of us must earn money".

In other words...

Money isn't "made"...

It's *earned*!

It's the misunderstanding of this very simple concept that causes those who are looking for something for nothing to fall prey to one scam after another.

There's one and only one way to earn money and that's by providing people with a product or service that's useful to them... that'll help them live a fuller and more complete life.

We exchange our product or service for the other person's money.

That's how we earn money...

It's that simple!

Now...

Here's the real secret to earning money...

In his classic masterpiece, "The Science of Getting Rich", Wallace D. Wattles wrote:

"Give every man more in use value than you take from him in cash value; then you are adding to the life of the world by every business transaction."

"Take an honest pride in doing this, and let everybody know it; and you will have no lack of customers. People will go where they are given increase; and the Supreme, which desires increase in all, and which knows all, will move toward you men and women who have never heard of you. Your business will increase rapidly, and you will be surprised at the unexpected benefits which will come to you. You will be able from day to day to make larger combinations, secure greater advantages, and to go on into a more congenial vocation if you desire to do so."

There you have it...

The *real* secret to earning money...

Lots of it...

Give every person with whom you deal more in use value than you take from them in cash value.

By giving every person with whom you deal *more* in use value than you take from them in cash value you're *adding* to the life of the world with every business transaction.

So...

Here's my advice to this questioner and anyone else who finds themselves involved in one scam after another...

Step #1 - Stop looking for something for nothing.

Step #2 - Provide people with a product or service that's useful to them... that'll help them live a fuller and more complete life.

Step #3 - Give every person with whom you deal more in use value than you take from them in cash value.

Well...

There you have them...

Three simple steps to completely eliminating scams from your life.

Follow these three simple steps and you'll not only completely eliminate scams from your life...

You'll open the floodgates for financial abundance to pour into your life!

About the Author:

Tony Mase is a serious student of the works of Wallace D. Wattles and the publisher of "The Science of Abundant Life" ebook by Wallace D. Wattles...
http://www.thescienceofabundantlife.com