There is a Sandler Rule that states “a prospect who is listening is no prospect at all.” What that means, quite simply, is that if you are doing a good job as a sales professional the prospect should be talking 70% of the time and sales person only 30%.
What ends up happening far too often is exactly the opposite. The sales person does all the talking, the prospect does all the listening, the sale doesn’t get made and the only one surprised is the long winded sales person.
Selling should be a journey of self-discovery by the prospect during which his “buying experience” is successfully facilitated by the skilled sales professional through the use of a questioning strategy. While answering your questions the prospect is allowed to speak the majority of time hence the 70/30 rule.
Many sales professionals struggle with talking less and listening more when they first start to apply this approach. We have found the following mnemonic helpful in the process.
Before you start your sales call write the word WAIT in bold letters at the very top of your note book. The mnemonic stands for Why Am I Talking? and will serve to remind you that a prospect who is listening is no prospect at all.
Chuck Terry, CEO/President
Sandler Training in Denver provides sales training, management and leadership training, and professional development for individuals and organizations. Let us know how we can help your team.
