MISSION: POSSIBLE
How to Penetrate Impossible Accounts

The words "No, thank you. We are not interested!" rings in the ears of sales people every day. Customers who are satisfied with their current product or vendor present a difficult challenge. Either by their lack of familiarity with other products or unwillingness to 'rock the boat' with new products or people-some customers just don't want to buy! With shoe horn, crow bar or solid sales strategy, the best salespeople are willing to try anything to get their products in the hands of new customers. Here are four steps that will help you pry open the minds of even the toughest prospects:

#1 DO YOUR HOMEWORK

The first step in penetrating an impossible account is to investigate the customer's current condition. Your goal is to determine What, Why and How Much. Find out What product or service they are currently using and How Much. This valuable information will help you qualify the account and narrow your sales presentation to a single competitor. Talk with staff members, other vendors or colleagues to determine Why they have selected this product or service. Find out What motivated them to buy that product and determine What their experience has been. Investigate how familiar they are with your product and its specific benefits. All of this information will provide a strong foundation for Why the customer will buy from you in the future.

#2 GET IN THE DOOR

The sharpest detective work will go nowhere without a customer to sell to. Reaching the decision maker is one of the toughest jobs salespeople face and getting in to see the impossible account takes special measures. You must do whatever it takes to get in the door. Consider the following tactics to earn yourself a few precious moments with the decision maker:

o Win Friends and Influence People: Solicit the advice of staff members or others who helped you learn more about this account. Ask them for their suggestions to meet to the prospect.

o Through the Eye of the Needle: Meet the prospect on their terms at a time that is most convenient for them-including late evenings or on the weekends. Prospects who are 'not interested' are often just too busy to see reps during normal business hours.

o Ask for an Inch: Few prospects are willing to invest a considerable period of time in an appointment with a product they have no interest in. Ask for a minimal amount of time. Ten to fifteen minutes should be enough to sell the appointment for a full presentation. Don't violate their trust by trying to extend the initial appointment time. You won't have another chance to hear customer needs because you will be out on your ear-with good cause!

o Make Outlandish Claims: Can your product increase productivity or reduce operator time? Are you able to provide significant savings over the brand the customer is currently using? Quantify these advantages and use them to win an appointment. Be aware, this approach only works if you can back up your claims.

o Reach out and Touch Someone: Sometimes sales calls in person or using telephone just won't work! Consider the alternatives by sending a correspondence via email, fax or an old fashioned personal note or letter. Be sure to include something to "hook" their interest in meeting you and maintain control by confirming a follow-up time to schedule an appointment.

#3 UNCOVER A NEED

Once you have secured an appointment you must use it to uncover a need. Otherwise, why else would the customer buy? Don't make the mistake of rattling off a variety of features and benefits before you understand the prospect's current condition. The background work you have already completed will come in very handy to narrow down your questions and demonstrate your sincere interest in understanding their needs. Ask the decision maker to share their current experience, their expectations for products like yours and what their buying motivation is. Listen and write their answers down so that you can clearly respond to these "hot spots" in your presentation.

Use your product knowledge and expertise to describe limitations in their current condition and explain how your product has overcome them. Provide a fair review of the competition and describe how your offering meets more of their expectations and value the prospect requires. Share the unique advantages your product, company and representation offer over the alternatives. Describe in detail the value you provide in exchange for the customer's investment. Be sure to present these advantages in a way that demonstrates your earnest desire to educate the customer into the sale and not embarrass him for making the "wrong choice" in the past.

#4 CREATE INTEREST

Once you and the prospect recognize a need, it is time to tailor your offering to their expectations. Use your research to demonstrate how well your product fits into their current practice and procedures. Show how the transition to your product or service will be seamless and include all of the unique benefits you offer.

Another way to stimulate interest is to use proof sources. Back up your claims with clinical articles and letters of recommendation. Be sure to use customer testimonies and success stories the prospect can identify with. A creative alternative to typical written testimonies is to capture happy customers on audio or video tape. Hearing the praises of your products from others is a powerful approach. The more specific you are about improving the prospect's current condition, the more effective you will be in creating interest and motivating them to consider your product.

Finally, demonstrations, evaluations and samples help the prospect to experience the benefits of your offering. Remember to provide more support and hand holding in during this time to ensure the best results and a positive first experience. The impossible account may be just out of sight but not out of reach. Use these ideas to turn "We are not interested" into interesting success stories!

For more information on this topic, check out SPORT SHORTS™ audio tapes on our web site.