Hello Reader, We’re now on week 4, and by now you should know how to build, think and find, but… None of that matters if you don’t truly understand your prospects. So, this week we move on to understanding. To truly understand people, you must (at least to some degree), behave like a therapist. Have the patience and temperament to stay cool, calm and collected at all times, so you think before you talk. More strategy, less diving in headfirst! To learn more about that, we need to break down Step D in the 7 Figure Sales Programme – Understanding. Understanding is all about breaking down barriers, asking great questions, matching the right solution, and nurturing your prospect to a decision. It’s what separates salespeople who push for a deal from those who guide prospects toward a confident “yes.” So let’s break it down. Before a prospect buys, they need to trust you. But let’s be honest – many, if not most or all, arrive with their guard up. Why? Because they’ve been sold to before, and not always in the right way. So it’s sort of been etched into our brains to be on high alert whenever someone tries to sell us something. How to remove resistance:
Example: If a prospect says, “I don’t think we need this right now,” instead of pushing back, respond with, “That’s fair, can I ask what your biggest priority is right now?” This shifts the conversation to their needs, not your sale. Action Step: In your next sales call, listen for hesitation and focus on lowering resistance by addressing it openly. Sales isn’t about having all the answers – it’s about asking the right questions. Great questions do three things:
Powerful sales questions:
Example: If you sell marketing software, instead of asking, “Do you need help with marketing?” ask, “How are you currently tracking ROI on your marketing spend?” This question leads the prospect to recognise inefficiencies without you having to tell them. Action Step: Before your next sales conversation, write down five open-ended questions designed to uncover real needs. Once you understand the prospect’s pain points, it’s time to connect the dots between their problems and your solution. The mistake most salespeople make? They list all their features instead of focusing on what matters most to the potential customer. Or they send out generic documents that aren’t always specific to enough to the prospect’s problem. How to match your solution:
Here’s how that can look:
Example: Now, let’s tie all 3 points together. Let’s say a prospect says, “We’re struggling with customer retention.” Instead of diving into all your features, say, “You mentioned retention is a challenge. One of our clients faced the same issue and saw a 30% improvement after implementing our automated follow-up system. Would you like me to show you how we helped them achieve this?” Action Step: Practice linking your solution to a prospect’s specific challenge instead of just listing features. Not every prospect is ready to buy today. But that doesn’t mean they won’t in the future. The best salespeople stay top of mind without being pushy. Effective Nurturing Strategies:
Example: Instead of following up with “Just checking in – are you ready to move forward?” say, “Hey [Name], we just helped [similar company] achieve [specific result]. I thought you might find their story useful. Let me know if you’d like to chat.” Action Step: Look at your pipeline and identify one prospect to follow up with using a value-driven message instead of a sales push. So that’s Step D wrapped up. Now you have a framework to nail understanding in sales. Because sales isn’t about pushing – it’s about understanding. Just remember to break down barriers, ask the right questions, match your solution to their needs, and nurture them to a decision, and you’ll create a natural path to the sale. Next week, we’re moving on to Step: E, where the action happens! Can you guess what it is? Okay, I’ll tell you… Next week, we dive into selling! We’re getting into the main parts now, so we’re approaching the home stretch – hang tight. And until next week, keep focusing on understanding, channel your inner therapist, and maybe even become one for your prospects! James How would you rate this edition? 🤏🏻 So-So |
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