A New Way to Disarm New Customers: Go in Naked

Before you conjure up visions of being busted for public indecency, please read on.

To understand my “Go in Naked New Customer Approach,” first focus on prospects and their probable reaction to an unknown salesperson. An invisible psychological barrier will almost always appear when a salesperson makes a first-time call. It’s a rare client who doesn’t instantly recall previous negative experiences with salespeople. Prospects also may fear that they might actually buy something from you.

Because of negative past experiences, your prospect has learned some self-defense statements that immediately place an invisible barrier between the two of you. For example, have you ever been told, “We just ordered a lifetime supply” or “Because of financial problems, we can’t buy until next year”? Objections and excuses can be endless. Customers may even lie as a defense to get rid of you. Yet, often they need the very item you are selling. It could be very profitable for them to buy your product or service but they summarily reject your first sales attempt anyway.

In perfecting the cold calling techniques outlined here, I forced myself to make 1,000 cold calls in one year. With each success or failure I worked on a success system. The end result is the “Going in Naked Approach.” It helps to tear down a customer’s psychological barriers while calming a salesperson’s fears.

The purpose of your first call should be to begin formulating a working knowledge of customers and their needs … not to make a sale. The best approach for this cold call concept is to approach a client unarmed or naked. When you walk in with a briefcase and a fistful of sales literature, your appearance gives you away. One sales trainer I know calls this the “40-pound Samsonite look.” The prospect instinctively thinks, “Help! He’s on the attack.” The barrier between you and the customer is then firmly in place. To remove this initial barrier, I urge you to leave your sales armor in the car when going to first calls on new clients. You can always go get it should the opportunity for a presentation arise. However, these opportunities rarely present themselves in a first-call situation.

Let me give you an example of how this approach might work. Open the door with new customers by making a statement such as, “Bill, even though I’m a sales representative for XYZ Corporation, I’m not here today to sell you anything. Frankly, I stopped by with the hope that you would help me. (Note: the phrase “help me” is critical.) While we are always anxious to take on new customers, I need to know a couple of things about you and your business first to see how we might help you.” This technique removes the “he’s-going-to-sell-me-something” barrier.

Then, quickly move to asking open-ended, general interest questions. You might start by determining how long the new customers have been in business, who their current suppliers are, how the new customers use their current product or service, etc. Steer the conversation by asking questions about the customers and their operation. Put your best listening skills into play. If possible, take notes.

Unless you’re selling a “one-stop, quick-close, hit-and-run-type deal,” don’t close on a first call. Instead, after gathering the answers to as many questions as you feel are necessary to give you a feel for the prospect’s business, try this type of close: “Thanks very much for answering my questions. I want to go back and discuss how my company might help you improve sales (or boost profits or solve a problem) with my associates. We work as a team to help our customers.”

Now comes the most important part of this scenario: “If I can find a way to help you, may I come back to show you our ideas? With no obligation of course.” Could you refuse to see a salesperson who was coming back to help you be more successful? Not likely. Nor will your prospects. They will often eagerly await your return.

Let’s review the steps I’ve suggested for opening a new account:

Step 1: Go in naked!
Destroy the sales barrier by leaving briefcases and sales materials in the car.

Step 2: Build customer confidence.
Give a “I’m here to help you, not sell you” first-call disclaimer.

Step 3: Ask probing open-ended questions.
Gain insight into the customer’s business strategy, problems, strengths and weaknesses. Keep control of this first visit by asking questions.

Step 4: Listen.
Probe and direct the conversation by showing you are truly interested in helping a successful business be even more successful. Remember the sales rule: people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.

Step 5: Ask permission to return.
Set the stage for your second call by requesting permission to show the customers how you can help their situation. (Even if you should run into those rare customers who say they’re not interested, follow Step 6 … you’ll have enthusiasm, confidence and a plan that will deal with any negatives when you return.)

Step 6: Go back with excitement.
Do your homework first. Then prepare, prepare and prepare some more. Go back to the customer with the good news, “YES! We can help you.”

In a world filled with people who really don’t work at learning who their customers are and what needs they have, you can and will succeed by following this tested formula. Attempting to sell without knowing a prospect’s needs is like a doctor prescribing medicine without examining the patient … it’s called malpractice!

“Going in Naked” is one innovative idea from Jerry Wilson’s “Professional Selling Made Easy” seminar. Marketing consultant, sales trainer and professional speaker, Jerry is also a past president of the Indiana Chapter of the National Speakers Association. For information regarding his services, contact Sue Sent, National Coordinator, Jerry Wilson & Associates, PO Box 55182, Indianapolis, IN 46205 or call 800/428-5666 or 317/257- 6876.