5 Reasons Why You Should Always Ask For The Business
6 Minute Read
I was working with a client recently, and something interesting happened while I was there that day. Their new receptionist, who had been there just shy of a week, had decided not to come back in.
Initially there wasn’t much clarity around why: Simply that they had chosen to leave, and never come back.
As the day went on, eventually the receptionist was coaxed to come into the premises and explain: ‘I didn’t get enough training in X area; so I wasn’t sure how to deal with Y scenario. I was really overwhelmed because of that and thought it was best to just leave.’ After an open, frank discussion with management, some simple and easy strategies were put into place to solve the concerns of the receptionist, and they went on to continue work.
What does this have to do with the theme of this article? Counterintuitive, I know.
This is the perfect example of a challenge I see time and time again with young professionals today. No, not that they all leave their jobs (another discussion for another time), but rather this: People are getting less and less accustomed to having frank conversations. People are becoming more and more averse to any conversation that might invoke a feeling of momentary discomfort on either end of the table. When we start to take into consideration the likes of social media, texting instead of calling, writing an email instead of going into someone’s office: It’s much easier today to avoid confrontation than it used to be, and because we don’t have them as often, it’s easy to have a huge fear of frank conversations. It was easier, from the receptionist’s point of view, to literally quit their job, than it was to sit in an office and discuss some really easily solved issues. I have seen peers leave their jobs instead of asking for a pay rise, a change in job responsibility, annual leave for a holiday, or some other concern that would require a frank and honest conversation where they clearly assert what they want and/or deserve.
This kind of aversion mindset leads us to challenges closing the sale. To be an effective sales professional, we need to be able to dive into these frank conversations. We need to ask for the business: A conversation that can sometimes feel uncomfortable for both parties, because it requires asking someone to invest in something, spend their money, make a change.
Unfortunately, I see many hesitate to ask when it comes to this stage. ‘But the customer might not want it’, ‘if I ask them then they might get uncomfortable’, ‘what if they say no? I’d rather just follow them up until they tell me they’re ready’, ‘doesn’t that come off a little pushy? Asking them to actually buy my product?’ These limitations that we establish through self-talk become dangerous habits indeed, in sales and in life.
So in defence of assertive conversations, the next time you find yourself hesitating in a sales conversation, consider these 5 reasons why you should always ask for the business:
1. What is the worst case scenario if you ask for the business?
We know the answer to this. The person might say no. And some will, inevitably, because no one sells to everyone all the time.
The world will not come crashing down. Your life will not cease to exist as you know it. It’s really not a big deal. Don’t fear the no – often this is where the best sales conversations start.
2. What happens if you don’t ask for the business?
Like I always say: If you ask for the business, you’re risking rejection of your product or service. If you don’t ask, you’re choosing it. Why take away the customers opportunity to buy?
If you don’t ask, you’re potentially sending a message to your customer by omission: 'I don’t think you should buy this product. I don’t believe in my product. I don’t know if this product suits your needs.'
Back yourself and your product, and demonstrate that confidence by asking the question.
3. Customers seek and expect leadership
It’s helpful to both the customer and yourself to lead the customer to the next stage of the process. If you’ve led them through up to this point; you’ve qualified beautifully, consulted on their needs, presented and recommended a solution, and worked with them by guiding the customer from one step to the next – why stop now?
It actually sends a conflicting message if you suddenly stop leading when it’s time to close, and the chances are the customer is relying on you to show them what next steps look like. Be a leader.
4. The response will give both parties clarity and continue the conversation
This one is connected to the last. You might receive a no, and you might receive an objection. Both of these outcomes are great – because they give us something to work with. You can’t solve a problem if you don’t know what the problem is, and by asking for the business you’re giving the customer the chance to voice their concerns that you can work through together. It’s serving both you and your customer, and giving you the opportunity to continue the conversation and truly help them.
5. It builds positive habits in sales and life
I spoke earlier of my contention about the growing tendency not to assert ourselves in face to face or phone interactions. I could write a whole book on this, but asking someone for their business is one step towards becoming a more assertive professional. If you aren’t willing to put yourself out there and ask for a sale, what else are you holding back from? How many opportunities in your life are you missing out on because you won’t take a step outside of your comfort zone to assert yourself?
As with anything new, asking for the business will inevitably begin as something that makes you uncomfortable. But just as we develop any habit, the more you do it, the less scary it becomes. It only gets easier with time. If you incorporate it into your process and consistently take the plunge, you'll be stretching yourself until asking for the business, too, becomes a part of your comfort zone. This then helps us not only to gain more consistent sales results, but I would also contend that it can even assist us as a tool to assert ourselves more in all areas of our life. We are, after all, only as good as our habits. When we become comfortable and confident with asking someone to buy from us, we set ourselves up for long term success.
Of course, I am not condoning jumping straight into a close when you haven’t followed your process. I am not suggesting aggression or pushiness. But asking for the business, professionally and tastefully, after you’ve done the work, you’ve followed the process, and the most logical next step is to move forward? That’s assertive, rational, and necessary for success as a sales professional.
After all, our job as a salesperson is to serve our customer. We do that by providing solutions to their problems; making their business or life easier and better. Most of the time, that job isn’t truly done until we’ve delivered, installed, or set up that customer with the product that’s going to help them. And that can only happen if we harness our courage and ask for the business.
If you don’t ask, you won’t receive. In sales, and in life. So back yourself, back your product, and ask the question.
Make Today the Day,
Sonia
This blog post was originally posted on my training website, Statusone.com.au, on June 25, 2018. I have since been moving some of my favourite blog posts from there over to here, as this is now my ‘content hub’ and I want you to have access to some of the cool stuff I’ve written about before. You can still check out the Status One site if you’re interested in corporate training if you want. Also, don’t forget to sign up for the newsletter below for updates and weekly exclusive content.