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They Should be Forced to Wear a Scarlet
'T'
By Ronnie Hannesen
Many of us have experienced the phenomena of ‘the tease’ in romantic relationships. You know, that elusive person who keeps you hanging on with the ‘promise’ of a relationship but never fully commits. Worse, when you want to give up, they come back professing their love again and give you all the pretty promises and compliments making you think that this time they are sincere. This cycle can go on for months and even years. It keeps you toxically hanging on and keeps you from moving on to someone new.
Coincidently the same happens in business with ‘potential’ clients.
If you are in sales you would have come across this type of ‘potential’ client. That’s the key word ‘potential’. They never actually become a client, but they keep you hanging on thinking there is a chance for a sale.
Example: You and a potential client begin a dialogue about your product / service. The ‘tease’ smiles, nods appropriately, agrees with what you are saying and you begin to get excited thinking you have got interest. Then the dance begins.
• They set up a meeting with you and are very interested but are not ready to commit.
• You follow up and they are very happy to hear from you and are still interested but they haven’t had a chance to review the info. They ask you call back in a few days
• You call back
• Unfortunately they were so busy, they ask you to call back in a week
• You call back
• They ask for more information
• You send it and follow up again
• They ask more questions, to make a more informed decision and ask you to call back after they have digested your answers
• Frustrated you give up, thinking you have invested enough time
• They call YOU to discuss
• And you are hooked again- convincing yourself that they must be really interested because they called YOU
• Now you can close this client and they tell you they don’t have the funds right now, can you please call back next month?
• And the dance starts all over again.
If you are in sales, this example will seem uncomfortably familiar and hopefully it will wake you up and get you to recognize that you have been or are currently being played. If you are reading this and recognize that you are the ‘tease’…. then know that I am here to expose you and your toxic business practices.
These potential clients / teasers can destroy your business, not just because you never actually get a check from them but they attack your sense of ‘business’ self. That is the most dangerous thing that can happen to your business, because your confidence becomes eroded and that goes beyond the loss of money you may have spent on gas or lunches. You start to question your openings, follow up and closing abilities. You also start to question your marketing material, your website and your message.
If your sales are down and you need the money or if you are on a quota, a potential client becomes not only seductive but necessary, beyond the challenge and the rush of closing the sale, you need to get that check. That is the ‘power’ the tease has – they sense your need and will make you work for even a crumb of their attention.
They may also manipulate you into giving them opportunities / products in your hopes of a sale.
Examples of The Tease making you ‘work’ for a sale:
• I am interested in your product / service in the mean time could you send out my info to your mailing list
• Could you send me extra samples
• Can you connect me with a high ranking / highly sought after connection you have.
So how do you protect your business from ‘The Tease’?
1. Recognize that there are business ‘teasers’ out there. Why they behave the way they do, only an expert can answer that, you can just avoid becoming their victim.
2. Volume of potential clients – the biggest protection you have is many ‘potentials’, this is one of the key reason I say it is about fresh blood and sales is a numbers game.
3. Continuously seek new potentials no matter how many deals you are negotiating. This could be in the form of networking, ads in magazines or other mediums, extra sales staff or newsletters. This keeps your coffers full of potentials and frees you from thinking you have to hang on to the tease.
4. Recognize that social media is the ‘teasers’ greatest ally – through sites like Facebook, they get you to believe you have a relationship with them beyond business and they should receive special consideration because you are ‘friends’
5. When they get angry or start insulting you / your business because they feel you slipping away and losing interest (and they will), avoid defending yourself / your business, you only play onto their hands
I will concede that every sale is a dance and there is definite give and take in every business relationship but recognizing the danger signs that ‘the tease’ displays will help you to focus on the potential clients that truly have interest and will give you that sale. There are times when a potential client truly needs time to think about the deal, discuss with partners or get the money together however they too have to ‘sing or get off the stage’. You will see your sales significantly increase once you see ‘the tease’ for what they are.
Happy selling!
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