As sales methodology continues to evolve by
the minute, the days of fast-talking, railroading salespeople is gone. Today’s
buyers won’t stand for being bullied into a deal.
That’s where the empathy statement comes
in. If your idea of empathy is throwing an “uh-huh” or “I see” into your
conversations every few minutes, think again.
Given below are a few empathetic statements
every salesperson should use. They’ll show your prospects you’re more invested
in their interests than closing a deal -- and that’s what will set you apart in
today’s competitive sales landscape.
1. “Thank you for staying so positive.”
Every deal has ups and downs. Your prospect
may work with someone who’s championing another company. Or their budget may
have been reallocated, leaving them struggling to cover the price of your
product/service.
When these situations arise, thank your
prospect for staying positive -- even if they’re having a hard time doing so.
They’ll appreciate you’ve noticed the difficult position they’re in, and you’ll
encourage them to continue dealing with it constructively.
2. “You’ve been with [Company] for [# of
years]. That’s a long time.”
Leaving a long-time vendor relationship can
be tough. Show your prospect you understand and are honoured to be considered
as a replacement. You can also use this approach when their tenure with another
company is only a few months.
Say something like, “You’ve been with
[Company] for [# of months]. I know you’re not shopping again because you love
talking to salespeople. Tell me more about what prompted this search for a new
product/service.”
If they’re looking for a new vendor so
soon, your prospect is probably dealing with some fallout on their end, so a
little humour will be appreciated before you get serious about what their needs
are.
3. “If I were in your position, I bet I’d
have the same concerns.”
It can be tough to stay positive when you
hear the same objections repeatedly or are hearing your fifth objection of the
day. But step into your prospect’s shoes for a moment.
Remember they’re considering your
product/service for the first time, and show them you understand where they’re
coming from. By validating their concerns before giving a well-worn rebuttal or
solution, you’ll build trust and rapport.
4. “That would be frustrating to me too.”
If your prospect is frustrated with your
product/service or with the sales process itself, start by understanding where
they’re coming from. Validate their frustration before telling them what you’re
going to do about it.
For example, if your product experienced a
bug during the prospect’s free trial and they’re frustrated about it, respond
with, “That would frustrate me too. (Pause) Let me tell you why this happened
and what we’re doing to make sure it never happens again.”
5. “I think you might find [feature, offer,
or content] helpful in this situation.”
When your prospect is facing a roadblock --
in their work, with your product/service, or in the sales process -- don’t just
be empathetic, offer a solution.
For example, if your prospect is expressing
concern that a competitor offers a feature you don’t, reply with, “You’re
right, we don’t have X feature. But I think you might find Y feature serves a
similar purpose and also does A, B, and C. A lot of our customers prefer Y
feature over [competitor]’s X feature.”
You’ve affirmed that your prospect is
right, and you’ve presented a solution. Avoid the temptation to get defensive
and lash out with, “Well actually our Y feature does pretty much the same thing
as their X feature, and our clients think it is way better.”
6. “If I can make a suggestion …”
When you’ve been selling for a few years
and hear similar objections and feedback every day, it’s easy to steamroll
ahead of client concerns with solutions or canned replies.
Before you share that response you’ve given
50 times this week, pause and say, “Uh-huh, that’s a great point. If I can make
a suggestion, you might find this article on our blog helpful. I’ll send it to
you after our call.”
Your response instantly feels personalized
to their concerns and you’ve shown that you really listened to their question.
7. “How can I make this process easier for
you?”
This is a question you should be asking at
every stage of the sales process. Close your discovery call with it, ask it in
your presentation, and make sure to include it as you’re working on the
contract.
Buying a product/service is usually a
lengthy, time-consuming, and expensive process. Do everything you can to make
your prospect feel supported through it all.
8. “What’s the best-case scenario for your
company?”
This is a great question to ask in the
discovery call. When you’re determining your prospect’s needs, wants, and
business goals, slip this question in. It demonstrates you’re thinking about
long-term success for their company beyond meeting two or three key needs.
9. “How am I doing so far? Am I meeting
your needs?”
This is another question to ask often
throughout the sales process. Once you finish making a key point about what
sets your service apart from the competition or demonstrating a technical
portion of your product, pause and check in with your prospect to make sure
they’re following.
To really make this question impactful,
also ask them if you’re providing value to them. It’ll surprise and delight
your prospect and serve as an indicator of success for you.
10. “Is our product/service meeting your
needs so far?”
The most important goal of selling is to
ensure that your product/service is going to meet your prospect’s needs.
Throughout the sales process, say to your prospect, “I’ve given you a lot of
information about Harvey’s Moving Company. Are we still ticking off all the
boxes for you? Are there any gaps?”
This protects you from being blindsided by
their concerns later in the process, and it ensures your offering is still
giving your prospect what they require.
