The Longest Lesson Ever
Buckle up, we’ll be here a while breaking down how to sell whatever it is you are looking to sell. Are you ready? Maybe a bottle of water, a snack, iPhone charging? Facebook status so no one thinks that you have gone missing while we embark on this journey together? Ok, you asked for it, let's break down the 4 steps to sell anything. If you don't get it by now-- I’m kidding-- it's 4 simple steps that will take a few minutes to learn. Write this shit down 100 times, pretend you're in detention for saying shit in class, the 4 simple steps are:
If you understand this simple 4 step process, life tends to become much easier. Boss is pissed at you? Establish rapport, identify what he needs, show a way to solve said problem, ask for a raise (after you have successfully completed said task or tasks). Girlfriend is pissed at you for being a fuck head? Send her flowers (rapport), identify your said fuck up, show her how you will change (cough cough) take a few steps back and make sure there are no potential weapons around and ask for forgiveness. A cop just pulled you over for doing 110 in a 65, with a big smile pivot the conversation on him. Hey Officer how are you doing today!? You get the drill.
People try to overcomplicate selling when it's really that simple. This doesn't mean you were just given a genie and have unlimited closing wishes, you still need to ask the right type of questions and that is the major hurdle where most people fuck up. They ask yes/no questions (closed-ended questions) when they need to focus on their footwork in the open-ended department. You sell by asking and listening, not stepping over and telling.
When you think of these 4 steps, I want you to imagine the circle of persuasion below:
Now as you go through this 4 step process of building rapport, identifying their needs, presenting solutions and asking closing questions, you have three possible ways to tighten up the circle you are driving around.
Those three ways are:
Continue to circle around your prospect and repeat this loop. As you get closer you can start to pivot away from the questions, and instead make the statements that address their objections to show the buyer the reasons they will want to own what you are selling. Now there are times when a prospect will ask you a question if it's a smart question, answer him, dummy. However sometimes my 6th sense will start tingling and I can sense the prospect is trying to spin my wheel, and this is where you can volley back with your own question. Say someone just calls you up and asks you to let them borrow $20,000 for a lawyer or $10,000 for an emergency surgery that their loved one (needed ironically the day before they go on a 3-month vacation) or insert whatever the excuse. All of the above has happened to me while writing this program. Usually, those cheap fucks tend to pop up every few months. What would you say to them? Now the obvious answer is NO, or fuck no, however they might be a close friend, maybe even family. If you tell them to fuck off, it's going be just a tad awkward at Christmas or Friendsgiving. So let's role play for a second and let's see how you do.
Cheap Fuck: Hey buddy, you got a min? You do? Great, can I ask you for a huge favor, I am in a bind and really need $20,000 by tomorrow for an emergency surgery for my pet monkey, I just got a job at Taco Bell and will 100% pay you back asap!? Can you Venmo me it now bestie?!
More Value Task - Your reply: Go f…... , no seriously in the Value chat reply as you would in this scenario. And yes I embellished a little, but try to take it seriously and answer as you would if it was a family member or close friend that had asked for money. Don't worry I can wait.
Now that you bombed your first attempt at a friendly shakedown, here is the simple 7 word reply that has kept over $100,000 in unsent loans in my pocket in the last year.
How am I supposed to do that?
Then you sit back and say nothing, no explanation of why you can't, just those 7 words. They asked you a question and you volley right back with a question, now the person who is too dumb or broke to be able to come up with what they are trying to get from you has no clue how they expect you to give them the money. I hate using absolutes such as always or never, except this one simple question has always worked for me and never once has the buster gotten a dime. What happens after? They are going to be pissed at you because you didn't give them the money. Well, fun fact, you would never get the money back anyway (studies have shown that 70% of loans to family or friends are never paid back), and when you do ask, they will cop an attitude as if you just pushed their grandmother down a flight of stairs.
Always remember that logic is used by buyers to rationalize decisions they've made. Only emotion is involved in making the sale. So get out there and follow the 4 steps to improve on your footwork (questioning skills) by asking your buyers to take immediate action.
More Value Task - For the product or service you are trying to sell, what are 3 statements or questions you can use for each of the 4 steps in the selling process?
Establishing Rapport Statement 1 -
Establishing Rapport Question 2 -
Establishing Rapport Question 3 -
Identifying Needs Statement 1 -
Identifying Needs Question 2 -
Identifying Needs Question 3 -
Presenting Solution Statement 1 -
Presenting Solution Question 2 -
Presenting Solution Question 3 -
Closing Question 1 -
Closing Question 2 -
Closing Question 3 -