Start Early In The Sales Process To Remove Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt
Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt (FUD) drive almost every aspect of human behavior. Human behavioral specialists (i.e. shrinks) believe we operate on a continuum between fear and pleasure. Everything we do is essentially driven by a decision to avoid fear or pursue pleasure.
The concept of FUD has all kinds of implications in sales, but there is a way to begin the process of removing FUD from the prospect’s mind before you even meet.
The Problem
Normally when we contact a prospect, we focus primarily on getting the appointment. We don’t worry too much about what’s going on between the prospect’s ears. That’s a mistake because FUD is growing with every word we speak.
As we all know, companies don’t like to change suppliers. And the reason they don’t like to change is FUD. You’re an unknown entity to them with your first call. They know nothing about you. As illogical as this sounds, companies will stick with a bad supplier for years simply because they know them. “The devil you know is better than the devil you don’t know.”
FUD Removal Process
But you can start removing the FUD on the first phone call to your prospects. Do this by giving them a little mini-course on your sales process. Teach them how you and your company work. We all know that all kinds of goblins (i.e. FUD) lurk in the absence of information. When prospects don’t have correct information, they tend to fill in the gaps with negative “fillers.”
Let Me Illustrate
“Before we schedule an appointment, let me tell you how we work at XYZ Company. Our first appointment normally takes 45 minutes. I will ask you some specific questions to determine if our services are a good fit for your company. If we both agree, then I will schedule a second appointment with you and your engineer to gather additional information. This second meeting normally lasts about one hour. After that meeting I will provide a written preliminary proposal that…”
The Payoff
Obviously, you don’t want to provide too much detail, but with every word you speak, you are removing FUD from the prospect’s mind. You are educating the prospect on who you are while filling in the blanks. You have begun the process of building a relationship of trust while displacing the negative ideas the prospect has about your sales process.
This concept allows you to proactively decrease a prospect’s FUD and will make the first appointment much more productive for all parties.
©2010 Scott R. Sheaffer
Related posts:
- 3 Reasons You Need A Sales Process
- Don’t Let Confidence Be Your God, Let Fear Be Your Guide
- Wrestling With Fear in Sales
Tags: Prospecting, prospects
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July 2nd, 2009 at 8:53 am
Excellent!
I am fighting hard not to go blue with FUD. The response I just deleted was funny though!
Seriously though Scott, this is another one of those thoughts we often overlook when working with and trying to help new sales folks learn the ropes. Thoughts like these really simplify one of the most difficult things to teach someone which is trying to read what the person on the other end of the line is thinking when we are talking.
Thank you for posting all of this great information. Your thoughts have become very valuable to our team!
July 2nd, 2009 at 4:44 pm
Scott – great catch word for the syndrome, FUD.
To your helpful comments I would add that a key part in establishing a new customer/provider relationship is that it is a relationship. That implies both sides checking each other out. This is a key phase that gets the relationship off on the right foot with the proper dynamic in place.
Consider the value in telling a prospective customer that you’d like an initial face to face meeting because if you meet and do not hit it off, then you are not going to do business together. Consider the effect on your sales success and the nature of your client relationships if you are choosy about the clients you engage with.
We are seeking long term partnerships, not quick fixes. And when you sell in a high end environment, the foundation provided by a good relationship is a step that cannot be overlooked.
July 3rd, 2009 at 8:53 am
Melanie, thanks for your input. I took the liberty of looking you up in LinkedIn and see that you are a business development consultant and partner in your firm. Your words are a helpful addition and need to be taken seriously as you see these principles in action every day with your clients.
Scott
July 3rd, 2009 at 8:57 am
Trevor, I really like this thought you added, “…read what the person on the other end of the line is thinking when we are talking…” Thanks for the input.
Scott