Selling Psychology

Philadelphia, PA – “Procrastinating clients don’t need to drive you crazy,” asserts Dr. David Burns, Philadelphia psychiatrist and author of the best seller, Feeling Good, in a recent interview with Personal Selling Power.

Think about how you’ve handled your last procrastinating prospect. Remember the familiar phrases, “I’ve got to think about it,” or “I’ll get back to you,” or “I’ll talk to my boss (my lawyer, my accountant, my friend, etc.) about it.” “If you are in a depressed market segment, you may have listened to put-offs like “It’s not the right time, everything is slow, it’s a darn good idea, but we have to wait…”

“The first step,” explains Dr. Burns, “is to pinpoint why the client procrastinates.”

That’s not an easy task, since it requires a great deal of tact, sensitivity and empathy.

“Don’t get judgmental, but try to see the problem through the client’s eyes,” says Dr. Burns. “Your own attitude towards the client who procrastinates is very crucial. Don’t get demanding, coercive, defensive or hostile. These are some of the most common behavioral traps salespeople need to avoid.”

In his book Feeling Good, Dr. Burns explains 12 different types of mind sets most commonly associated with procrastination and indecisiveness. Reading about them can give you greater understanding and sensitivity toward people who seem to resist you. This can be the first step toward better rapport and – ultimately – a sale.

One comfort trap to look out for is perfectionism. The client isn’t totally certain he should buy your product. He thinks he should always be right and is possibly afraid of making a mistake.

Another trap is sensitivity to coercion – the client may sense your eagerness and feel pushed. He then decides he has to resist you to stay in control.

These are just two of numerous reasons why a client might be slow in closing a deal, while from your point of view there seems to be no rational basis for his reluctance.

“Your best approach,” advises Dr. Burns, summarizing his clinical experiences with countless procrastinators, “is to employ simple verbal techniques such as: 1) empathy, 2) inquiry, and/or 3) multiple-choice.”

If your client responds to your closing question, “I’ve got to think about it,” you could easily follow up with an inquiry like, “What are some of the issues you have to think about?” Or, you may directly focus on the client’s resistance by asking, “What are some of the things that are holding you back? Would you share some of them with me?”

Be sure to communicate positive attitudes. If your nonverbal expressions signal defensive attitudes, you could easily reinforce the client’s (irrational) defenses.

Imagine this reply to your enthusiastic sales pitch: “I’ve got to talk to my boss about this purchase.” If you are unprepared, this surprising answer may take the wind out of your sails and leave you speechless. But with a little advance preparation and role-playing, you may disarm the procrastinator quickly with, “Of course you do. What are some of the things you would talk to him (or her) about?”

This allows you to agree with the reluctant prospect. This approach puts you both on the same team and encourages him to open up and trust you. By responding with empathy (“Of course you do”), you put yourself in the client’s position; by using a judgmental or defensive reply like, “Why can’t you decide on this as you promised …,” you’d be reinforcing the client’s hesitancy and he may even add you to the list of subjects to be discussed with his boss.

“In some cases, the client won’t respond to your empathy and/or inquiry technique,” adds Dr. Burns. “That should not hold you back from using multiple choice questions.”

Let’s say the buyer in the example above mumbles a reply like, “Oh, I’ve got to get his opinion on this purchase.” You may follow up with, “Would you be exploring if this is a good purchase in comparison with a competitor’s product or would you be wondering about the financing?”

“Display an attitude of genuine caring. Paraphrase your questions in a noncoercive yet open way,” counsels Dr. Burns. The key is to balance empathy with firmness.

“Asking questions and displaying positive attitudes is only half the battle,” explains Dr. Burns. “Dealing with procrastinators also calls for managing your own negative thoughts and feelings.”

Most salespeople tend to overlook the relationship between thoughts and feelings. Dr. Burns writes in Feeling Good: “The most important thing to realize is that all your moods are created by your thoughts, not by how other people are treating you. In other words, the things you are telling yourself silently about your client can influence your moods negatively; and the moment you let yourself feel irritable or frustrated, you can kiss the sale goodbye.”

For example, as you hear the client stall, you may say to yourself, “I have an excellent product. He shouldn’t do this. I’ve offered the best possible price. He’s got no right to be so unreasonable.” Or, you might get mentally self-critical like: “Gee! I really should be able to close this deal. What’s wrong with me?”

“Your emotions follow your thoughts just as surely as baby ducks follow their mother. But the fact that the baby ducks follow faithfully along doesn’t prove that the mother knows where she’s going,” writes Dr. Burns.

You can prepare yourself before you see potential procrastinators,” he explains. “Remember not to defend your self-esteem by putting the other person down. In the last analysis, only one person can make you happy or miserable and that person is you. And, if you’re thinking about yourself in a positive and realistic way, you feel good and have the world’s most potent sales force at your disposal – self-esteem.”

Don’t read motives into the customer by telling yourself, “He enjoys being resistant. He just wants to give me a hard time.” This prevents you from uncovering the real reasons underlying his procrastination. Remember that handling procrastination has nothing to do with getting the other person to give in to you; the solution to resolving the client’s hesitancy lies in allowing it to be expressed. Showing genuine concern for your client as a human being -and not as an object to be manipulated – is as crucial to an effective sales career as it is to a happy marriage or a lasting friendship.

Guidelines

Thus, the steps for handling the procrastinating client are:

1. Prepare yourself for a possible delaying maneuver – before the call.

2. Pinpoint the reasons and show your openness, your empathy and understanding (don’t judge – observe).

3. Manage your self-talk. Don’t put the client down, don’t put yourself down.

4. Help the client realistically appraise his reasons for and against buying now. And if it’s not in his best interest to buy your product now, urge him not to. He’ll respect you and you’ll feel better about yourself and you’ll make out better in the long run.

“Selling to procrastinators can be very rewarding and profitable,” concluded Dr. Burns. “It’s like Zen. When you want the sale most, it moves beyond your reach. Instead, you temporarily abandon your preoccupation with control and success. As you open yourself to your client’s experience, you are creating new space which is needed to dissolve the client’s hesitancy. Once the pressure is removed, your client will be able to objectively reappraise your proposals (with your guidance) and make a decision.

“No matter what the outcome, you’ve created a win-win situation and you’re ready to make your next call without the burden of unfinished business and, most likely, with the satisfaction of another sale.”

David D. Burns, M.D., is assistant professor of Clinical Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He is a featured speaker at major psychiatric symposia; he has appeared on numerous national TV programs and has addressed many business audiences and sales groups. He is author of the bestseller Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy. (Now available in paperback by Signet, New American Library.)