Being an entrepreneur or small business owner involves selling, but the question remains: how do you handle the obstacle of sales resistance? Victor Antonio, a motivational speaker with Sellinger Group, joins us on the latest episode of The Small Business Show to further discuss how salespeople can restore buyers’ confidence.
Antonio is the host of the Sales Influence Podcast and a keynote speaker who has given speeches worldwide. He has shared the stage with several top business speakers and continues to consult other entrepreneurs throughout his three novels: Sales Ex Machina, Sales Models, and The Greatest Gift.
1. A survey conducted in 2011 by the CEB firm, which is now known as Gartner, revealed that consumers are 57% into the purchasing process when they make a decision. Leaving 43% for buyers to be resistant.
2. Today, more consumers have access to information, but they lack confidence because they are confused, so it’s the salesperson’s responsibility to help in their “last mile.”
3. Antonio suggests that understanding the notion of trust is the first step towards restoring consumer confidence. Antonio further divides trust into three components: POV, SME, and BIIM.
4. First and foremost, salespeople need to consider their buyers’ point of view (POV). Here is where the caliber of the questions is essential.
5. Secondly, become a subject matter expert (SME). Salespeople need to establish their expertise and to do so, they need to offer insight—knowledge that goes beyond the obvious.
6. Thirdly, salespeople should keep their buyers’ best interests in mind (BIIM), which suggests making recommendations. Data indicates customers want salespeople to advocate for them when they offer recommendations. “The most powerful recommendation has a because..,” asserts Antonio.
7. When customers are in the last stretch of a buying decision, they’ll gravitate toward their salesperson for clarification, confirmation, and confidence.
"Buyers today lack the buying confidence to make the last decision." – Victor Antonio