The Number One Reason Why Prospects Don't Purchase

by Jim Klein

Last week I shared with you the final steps in your presentation and how to assume the sale.

This week I will share with you the major reason why prospects don't purchase.

Do you know the major reason why prospects don't purchase?

They were never asked!

That's right; no one asked them for the business.

Doesn't that seem strange to you?

A sales person goes through all the steps and then will stand back and wait for the prospect to make a decision, instead of taking the final step and helping him make the decision.

So why don't sales people ask for the business?

Either;

They don't know how.

Or...

They don't want to.

What do I mean "they don't want to"? Well, in my 25 years in sales and sales management I've seen many sales people who are afraid of the word "no". And there are also some who are afraid of the word "yes". If you fit in either of these categories, it's time to get over your fear or get a new career.

You need to realize that unless you sell 100% of your appointments, you will get some no's and you have to get past the no's to get to the yes', and in order to increase your closing ratio, you need to get more no's.

That makes sense to you, doesn't it? Great!

Salespeople, who are trying to avoid hearing no, do so by not asking for the order. They are afraid they will lose the sale. What you need to realize is you can't lose a sale you don't have yet, and you won't have it unless you ask for the business first.

If you truly believe in the product or service you are selling, then you should be driven to make sure your prospect owns what you're selling.

Another reason why many sales people don't want to hear the word "no" is that they take it personal. What you need to realize is that the prospect is not rejecting you personally. They are saying no to your product or service for one reason or another.

To get past not knowing how to ask for the order, prepare ahead of time a couple of closing techniques that you like, write them out word for word, and practice them until you have committed them to memory.

Such as...

"What do you see as the likely next step"?

or...

"When would you like to take delivery"?

When the time comes in the presentation to ask for the sale, you'll know what you are going to say.

If you intend to earn your living in sales, you better prepare how you will close the sale, get over your fear, and ask for the order.

In closing, continue to write and rewrite, practice, refine, record and refine your sales presentation until it's so good that when you reach the end the prospect has got to have your product or service.