This rule goes hand-in-hand with another Sandler Rule: “There are not bad prospects, only bad salespeople.” What do these rules mean? Salespeople can sometimes be their own worst enemies, creating roadblocks and detours that prevent their sales efforts from moving forward, yet blaming the prospect for the occurrences.
You shouldn’t be angry with a prospect for doing something that appears to stall the process when you didn’t discuss the potential roadblock in advance of the event. Here’s an example. At the conclusion of your presentation, your prospect reveals that she is extremely impressed with your presentation. You believe you’re about to close the sale. Then, she informs you that she will give you a decision in a few days, just as soon as she review your information with the procurement committee. “Committee! What committee? You didn’t tell me about any committee,” you’re thinking.
You can’t get angry with the prospect for not telling you about the committee. But, you can take responsibility for not asking how the buying decision was to be made and who else in addition to the prospect is involved in making that decision.
Identify potential roadblocks—past experiences are good indicators and discuss them with your prospect before they occur. Then, decide on a course of action that serves both parties. You’ll have more control over your selling efforts, the results will be more favorable, and your foot won’t hurt so much.
