by Lisa Sasevich
I’m thrilled to address this topic today, because it really transformed my own thinking. In fact, the first time I spoke of it during a teleclass last year, I was moved to tears.
The Head vs. the Heart
When you’re in the gap with prospects, which means that you’re supporting them as they feel the distance between where they are and where they want to be, they are also connected to their heart and intuition. In that place, they have the most inner knowing about whether something is right for them or not. They may feel a tingle in their gut. And sometimes it’s an “oh, no” feeling. They may be thinking, I wasn’t planning to transform in this area today. I wasn’t planning to step into my total greatness TODAY!
As prospects move through that tension inside themselves, it can be uncomfortable. But it’s actually a magical place, as they realize the possibility of who they could be.
Now, imagine a prospect, connected to her inner knowing, who never before has seen so clearly how her pain could be transformed. She’s in a lifeboat with you. You’re showing her the way. But, alas, you encourage her to go off and “think about it,” to use her intellect to decide whether she wants to invest. You return to the ship, and she’s out there alone, adrift, with her logical mind, her small self and her fear to help her decide. You probably thought that you were honoring her process, but what if you were actually encouraging her away from her intuition, from her best, highest source of information?
Do you see what a disservice that would be?
Instead, encourage your prospects to remain in the lifeboat with you until they decide from their hearts and intuition YES or NO. Here are 4 ways to facilitate that process.
1. First of all, remember that people are investing in themselves not in you. When you really understand that people are not investing in you, but via you, you take ego out of the equation, and so many things become possible. You’re more able to tolerate a person’s tension while they’re in the gap, you can price your services based on their value to your clients, rather than trying to gauge your own personal value, and you can serve your clients better, from a higher place.
2. Don’t focus on the delivery system. I’ve seen this so often: presenters spend 90 percent of their time talking about the delivery system, whether it’s a teleseminar or CD or webinar, and only 10 percent on the outcome or transformation their offer provides. Prospects don’t care much about the form in which the transformation arrives, they want to hear how your offer will improve their lives!
3. Elicit specific information. Vague questions yield vague answers. But specific questions, such as “How many fights did you have last week with your wife? Or, what is your body fat percentage?” elicit specific information that connects your prospects with their pain. Once they get in touch with what their situation is costing them, you can then have an authentic dialogue about the possibility of transforming that area.
4. Encourage them to make a decision. You’re not trying to get your prospects to say yes. You’re supporting them to make the best decision for themselves. Assisting the prospect to either a yes or a no is a real service. If it’s a no, this isn’t for me, then the person is now free to find something that is. And if it’s a yes, it’s a hell yes! and now you have a client fully invested in the transformation you’re about to embark upon together.
That’s why I believe this work is such a privilege. Whether your prospects say yes or no, you’re doing God’s work in the world.
Sales-from-the-podium expert Lisa Sasevich has x-ray vision for seeing the sales opportunities that exist in every company, and the creativity to convert them into gold! If you’re looking for simple, quick and easy ways to boost sales without spending a dime, get your FREE Sales Nuggets now at www.theinvisibleclose.com.
