Sales conversations work best when prospects feel comfortable and at ease with you. If they feel rushed or judged, they won’t share openly and you won’t uncover real buying signals. That’s important. You need trust to get honest answers about their needs and concerns.
How can you create a safe, respectful space where prospects start sharing? According to Tristam Brown, the CEO of LSA Global, you need a blend of psychology, empathy and strategic questioning. We share his tips to get prospects to open up in this issue of PromoPro Daily.
Put the other person first. The more you care about helping the prospect, the more receptive they’ll be, Brown says. See them as a person, not a potential sale. Brown says you should genuinely care about helping them succeed personally and professionally. Another good tip? Try to exceed their expectations.
Build trust from the beginning. Honesty requires trust. Brown says prospects are more likely to open up when they believe you understand their challenges and will not misuse sensitive information. Show that you have prepared for the sales call by researching their business and understanding the pressures they face. Be transparent about pricing, timelines and limitations to signal that you expect the same openness in return.
Ask the right questions. If you frame your questions correctly, you’ll get better answers. Brown advises asking open-ended questions that focus on their challenges, goals and past experiences. He says you should also avoid asking questions that suggest a “right” answer. For example, instead of asking, “Would this solution meet your needs?” ask, “What challenges have you experienced with solutions like this in the past?” This encourages discussion of pain points rather than superficial agreement.
Use silence strategically. Oftentimes, prospects will fill silence with additional information. That’s why Brown recommends getting comfortable with silence. When you sit with silence, it can prompt the prospect to provide a more complete answer and give you deeper insights.
Normalize honesty. Express that you appreciate candor. For example, you could say, “Please feel free to let me know if this isn’t the right fit right now” or “I appreciate honesty about your priorities so we can avoid wasting each other’s time.”
Follow through. Brown says that if prospects see that you act on what they tell you, they are likely to continue sharing information openly. Always clarify misunderstandings and adjust your recommendations. This is how you build a pattern of transparency.
When prospects trust you, conversations go deeper. Start by putting them first, asking better questions and following through. This is how you show that honesty is welcome and valued.
Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Tristam Brown is the CEO of LSA Global. He’s also an executive business consultant and organizational development expert with more than 3 decades of experience.
