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Weekly Business Development Tip
Are You Too Quick To Say Yes?
Do you tell your clients the whole truth and nothing but the truth? Are you so anxious to get the contract that you stretch the truth? Do you tell your clients what you think they want to hear versus what they need to hear? Are you too quick to say YES?
You will have happier clients with fewer headaches if you tell the truth right from the very beginning. You will earn their trust and improve your own credibility if you tell the complete truth from the start of the relationship. It’s OK to tell your prospects that you cannot meet their deadlines. It’s OK to tell your clients that their approach to a project may not get them the desired outcome. It’s OK to tell a prospect that you cannot help them. Better to say NO now than have an unhappy client later.
Think about what happens when you over promise and under deliver. How does everyone feel? Your client is upset and you are feeling the pressure of trying to complete a project that you knew you could not deliver right from the beginning, perhaps, due to unrealistic expectations of the client and your own desire to get the sale closed. You said YES when you should have said NO.
A NO is typically perceived to be a bad thing. As a sales person, you may not want to say NO because you could lose the sale. The best sale may be the one that never happens. Have you ever closed a sale that simply wasn't worth the dollar amount received? The project created a lot of stress and to boot, you received a regular beating from your client.
As a sales person, you have certain rights. You have the right to tell a prospect NO! A NO allows you to remain in control of your sales process, even if it stings a little. By saying NO, you avoid the stress, the lost time, the unanticipated costs and the perceived failure of not delivering when you said you would.
Honor your personal boundaries. Don't come across as being too hungry. Know what you can deliver and when you can deliver it.
The next time someone asks you if you can perform a certain service, buy yourself some time. Give yourself enough time to consider the project. Ask yourself these questions:
- Do I want this job?
- Do I have to do this job?
- Can I meet this client's expectations?
- Is there enough profit in this job to make it worthwhile?
- When can I realistically deliver the project?
I'd like to suggest that you focus on over delivering and not over promising.
"Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still." – Chinese proverb
Ken
Ken Levine
Impact Business Solutions, Inc.
508-845-8849
SELL MORE BY SELLING LESS
www.impactbussolutions.com
Call toll free: 877-845-8849
