HVAC Sales: Save Your Ammo

Most salespeople say entirely too much. We talk ourselves out of more sales than we talk ourselves into.

I can usually make a better improvement in the sales skills of others by taking things out of their sales presentation than I can by adding things to it.

When running calls, every word that comes of your mouth is nothing more than an opportunity to get into trouble.

You were given two ears and one mouth. Use them in that proportion.

The most pleasant sound to most people ears is the sound of their own voice. That’s why most salespeople talk too much. They can’t help themselves. They love to hear themselves talk. Consequently, they’re blowing the whole thing, because the most pleasant sound to your prospects’ ears is the sound of their own voices as well.

Opinions Count

Based on observing their selling style, you could almost say that most salespeople think that a sales presentation could be described in its simplest terms as their providing their prospects with their opinions on everything.

Your prospects are the ones making the decision. It’s their opinions that count. Make more of an effort to learn their opinions rather than volunteering your own, and you’ll make more sales.

The Fine Art of Listening

One of a salesperson’s best friends is silence. You’ll never know the power and the magic of silence until you learn to silence yourself and let your prospects do most of the talking.

Most people think that salesmanship is talking people into things. You don’t talk people into buying. You listen them into buying. Listen long enough and most people will tell you exactly what they intend to buy and how to close them.

Listening consists of more than just keeping your mouth shut while you’re thinking of what you want to say next. To be a good listener you must clear your mind of all thoughts and opinions while the other person is speaking.  fter they’re done speaking, allow there to be about two seconds of silence before speaking.

The less you talk, the more they talk. The more they talk, the more you learn about them. The more you learn about them, the easier they are to close.

You learn a lot more with your ears open than you do with your mouth open.

How much should you say? Only enough to make the sale. No more.

Too much information can lead to confusion, and a confused mind always says “no.”

Ask Yourself Four Questions Before Speaking

Before saying anything, ask yourself these four questions:

1. Who cares? (If you realize you’re the only person who cares about what you’re planning on saying, don’t say it.)
2. Can I make the sale without saying this? (If the answer is yes, don’t say it.)
3. Will what I’m about to say make them feel good about buying from me? (If not, don’t say it.)
4. How can I word what I’m about to say in such a manner that the person wanting to spend the least amount of money possible can relate to it?

Why You Should Save Your Ammo

When it comes to deciding whether or not say something, remember that you can always say it later. See if you can make the sale without saying it. Save your ammo.

If you say everything you have to say before giving them their first opportunity to buy, when you get a stall, an objection or a put-off, what’s left? Begging, pleading and repetition, all of which are annoying and insulting.

Limiting the amount of information you offer prior to making your first closing attempt allows you the room to make multiple closing attempts without high-pressuring people or repeating yourself.

Say only enough to get some positive buying signs (i.e., head nodding and other signs of agreement), then give prospects an opportunity to buy. If you get an objection, a stall or a put-off, you’ve still got a ton of additional information to share.

You can provide a little more information, which is basically more reasons to buy, then give them another opportunity to make a buying decision. That’s not offensive in the least. In fact, you can even say, “Based on this additional information, does this seem like something you’d like to go ahead with?”

This is what I mean by “save your ammo.”

A Challenge

I challenge you, starting right now, to see how little you can say during your calls, and still make the sale. That advice alone will make you a better salesperson, give you more time every day and change your life for the better.

What your customers really want, more than facts and figures, is to feel good about buying from you. That’s who prospects are eventually going to buy from — the person from whom they feel best about buying.

Stop conducting technical seminars disguised as sales calls. You don’t sell by educating the consumer. You sell by learning. Learn what they want to buy and why they want to buy it, and you’ll close more sales.