A prospect gets in touch with you, asks you for information or a proposal, and really seems motivated to do a little business.
It's a great feeling, isn't it?
Effortless, calm, pleasant, upbeat, you name it. It's very much like floating on air.
In fact, it's the very feeling of joyous, silky-smooth success that you expect to experience when you've worked hard for a number of years, developed a good reputation, and are more than ready to enjoy some of the fruits of those labors.
So, you do the proposal, get it out quickly, and then wait for a quick call, informing you that you've earned the deal.
But, you hear nothing the next day. No problem, no reason to push; I'll wait for tomorrow, you tell yourself.
Still, there's silence. Well, some people are busy; I am, too!
Ok, let's relax, and give it a few more days. No biggie!
More silence. At this point, you're more than curious. You're starting to get paranoid. What's going on?
So, you decide to call your once-hot prospect, but he's unreachable, even on his cell phone.
Hmm, you calculate, he probably has caller I.D. so he knows I'm trying to get through, but he's avoiding me. That sucks!
What's up with this?
I'll tell you, what's up: your prices, at least in the mind of the buyer.
He wants what you have, but your proposal induced a sudden sticker-shock, and he doesn't have the time, interest, patience, or even courage to tell you.
You have a choice: (1) Stick to your guns, feel self-righteous, and tell yourself, that's my offer, take it or leave it! (2) Or, you can make a fast adjustment.
The adjustment call is really a message or an email. You need to say, perhaps I misunderstood your needs, or my proposal missed the mark in some way. I'd like to do business with you, so please let me know when you'd like to chat, and I'll be happy to make the proper adjustments.
Believe me, this is a deal-saver.
It's an effective remedy for sticker-shock, but remember, it has to be administered quickly!
Dr. Gary S. Goodman, President of Customersatisfaction.com, is a popular keynote speaker, management consultant, and seminar leader and the best-selling author of 12 books, including Reach Out & Sell Someone® and Monitoring, Measuring & Managing Customer Service. He is a frequent guest on radio and television, worldwide. A Ph.D. from USC's Annenberg School, Gary offers programs through UCLA Extension and numerous universities, trade associations, and other organizations in the United States and abroad. He is headquartered in Glendale, California, and he can be reached at (818) 243-7338 or at: gary@customersatisfaction.com.
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