by Jacques Werth
This may be the single most important buying concept that most salespeople never learn.
- People don’t buy because you convinced them. Persuasion creates resistance.
- People don’t buy because you think they need what you are selling, even if you are right.
- People don’t buy because you create an urgency.
- People don’t buy because you need to make a sale.
- People don’t buy because they are interested.
Prospects who are merely “interested” are not ready to buy. Yet, salespeople try to get prospects interested in their products and services. Those salespeople believe that educating prospects is a good sales strategy, and that a prospect will feel obligated in some way. However, this makes the prospect feel uncomfortable. Therefore, when prospects really are ready, willing, and able to buy, they seldom buy from the salesperson who educated them.
The good news is that, at any given time, a small percentage of the market for your type of products and services is ready, willing, and able to buy. The best salespeople know how to find them and close sales with them quickly. Meanwhile, the other salespeople are spending their time with prospects that are not ready to buy.
