Working Too Hard in Your Sales Conversations? Shift the Dynamic With the “Un-sell”

Have you ever been in a sales conversation and found yourself working too hard? Like you’re more invested in your prospect getting help with their issue than they are? If so, shift the dynamic with the “un-sell.”

What is the “un-sell”? It’s where you pull back and take the pressure off your prospect, giving them the space they need to come back toward you. It’s a funny thing…the more you step back, the more likely you are to pull your clients in. (And yes, ladies — I’ve found this technique to work really well with men, too!)

Ideally, you want to remain detached from the outcome of your sales conversations. Your role is to ask good questions so you better understand your prospects’ current challenges and future goals. If it’s the right fit, you can share how you can help them get from where they are to where they want to be. You want to empower them with the information they need to come to a decision—whether that decision is yes or no.

But in reality, sometimes it can be frustrating when you know that you have the solution your prospect needs, but they’re making excuses as to why they can’t move forward with you. They move into “yeah, but…” mode and begin to talk themselves out of getting the support they need. I’m sure you’ve heard all the typical excuses before: “I can’t afford it,” ”I don’t have the time right now,” or “My husband/wife won’t let me.” (And quite possibly, you’ve used these excuses yourself when on the other end of sales conversations.) Sometimes, they’re valid concerns, but often it’s really just fear holding your prospects back from making a commitment to improve their situation.

When you’re faced with this situation, you certainly want to take a stand for your prospect and gracefully coach them through their fear, trying to help them see that unless they get support, they’ll inevitably continue to stay stuck where they are. But you never want to feel like you’re convincing them. If you catch yourself feeling pushy, stop immediately. Energetically lean back, take a deep breath and begin to agree with them. Say things like, “I think you’re right. Maybe this isn’t the right time to work together,” or “It sounds like this isn’t the right program for you.” Possibly one of my favorite suggested responses comes from The Queen of Sales Conversion herself, Lisa Sasevich: “You know what, maybe you’re right. Maybe this isn’t the right time for you. Maybe it’s best that you struggle with XYZ a little longer. A lot of growth can come from staying in the struggle.” Genius, right?!

In many cases, by shifting the dynamic, it sort of shakes your prospect up. They realize that they’re sabotaging their success with their excuses and begin to convince themselves that working with you is in their best interests. At the end of the day, if it’s truly right for them, they’ll move forward. And if it’s not, they won’t – and it will simply leave room on your calendar for a truly ideal client to come your way.

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