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Whether this is your first contact with your prospect or your fifteenth, it can be difficult when you realize the other party isn’t quite as eager to buy as you are to sell.
This doesn’t mean you should simply accept that the sale won’t happen—at ReminderMedia, we’re big proponents of the One-Call-Close Mentality. On the other hand, it won’t do you any good to pressure a client who isn’t ready, as this will likely only scare them away from doing business with you in the future. In sales, as in any other part of life, the cliché remains true: patience is, indeed, a virtue.
If you find yourself getting restless on sales calls, here are a few tips to help you become more patient and better able to close even the most time-consuming deals.
Take a deep breath.
Yes, this is the first suggestion anyone will give you when you’re feeling anxious or impatient. But that’s because it works. Breathing deeply triggers a neurohormonal response that causes your body to relax.
If you don’t already use this technique, try it the next time you feel anxiety coming on. Whatever you do, though, make sure not to exhale into your headset—your client will hear it, and they definitely won’t get the impression you’re relaxed. They’ll just think you’re being rude.
Try meditation.
Meditation is another way to cope with impatience and anxiety by taking a step back. Of course, you can’t meditate during a call. But getting a session in before work or on a break can help your mind and body relax. You’ll be better prepared to face even your most challenging sales calls, along with whatever else the day throws at you.
Bonus: there are a number of helpful resources out there, including mobile apps like Headspace, Calm, and The Mindfulness App.
Practice delayed gratification.
When you notice yourself getting testy during sales calls, odds are pretty good you have some difficulty being patient in other areas of your life. Luckily, you can work on becoming a more patient person by making small changes to your everyday routine.
If you normally put on the TV as soon as you get in from work, make a conscious decision to stare at the blank screen for a minute or so. Before diving into your dinner, let it rest in front of you for a spell.
These suggestions might sound silly, but research has suggested that even tiny behavioral modifications can have a positive impact on your personality. By teaching yourself to practice more self-control in your daily life, you’ll be more likely to give your clients the time and attention they deserve.
Really listen to your client.
Sometimes, when we’re so eager to make a sale, it can be difficult for our clients to get a word in edgewise. It’s important to resist this temptation to keep talking—not only because it’s rude, but because you might be missing out on valuable information. The more your client talks, the more likely they are to reveal pain points you didn’t even know they had. From there, it’s just a matter of working through those issues.
Of course, there are other benefits to being a better listener. By really taking in what your customer has to say, you’ll feel more connected to the human being on the other end of the line. This will help you become not just a better salesperson, but possibly a better person, full stop.
Remind yourself of the long game.
Remember: doing well in business isn’t simply about crushing your short-term goals. You also need to think about where your future deals are going to come from.
The need to build relationships can feel like a burden at first, when you’re not quite bringing in the level of income you feel like you deserve. But, viewed another way, it’s all about making an investment. Every time you’re on the phone with a prospect, you’re making progress toward not just one deal, but all the future deals you’ll close with that client—not to mention the deals you’ll close with people in their network.
At the end of the day, when you look at every difficult sale as a piece of the larger puzzle, it’s so much easier to avoid feeling impatient.
