B2B Sales During the Pandemic

[resultsassoc]

This is posted in Clients because they are infinitely more likely to be engaged in B2B sales than are freelancers, and in the end most freelance work supports a B2B/C sale. It is impossible to sell an unlimited benefit at zero cost to a customer whose hair is on fire, knows that the solution is XYZ, and until he hears XYZ, cannot hear what you are saying. There is a partial fix; it is never quick, and often fails. Other approaches not including kidnapping usually fail more often.

Agree with him. Say “XYZ.” That wasn’t hard, was it? Now, you’ve got him engaged. He will probably be too surprised to shut you down. Avoid, “Yeah, but,” because but negates yeah. Use “and.” Agree, don’t argue, never contradict, just “and.” As long as he’s engaged, you’re making progress. You’re expanding his frame of reference. This is not an instant solution. If the sale is important, success is getting a second appointment. If your success is only a signed contract, just skip the preliminaries and go bankrupt.

This is not easy to do. It cannot possibly save millions of small businesses. It will fail for B2C sales in nearly all cases. It does work, but takes both patience and practice. Rarely is it a one-step process. The first time you use it you will probably fail. The two hundredth time it might be a fifty-fifty proposition. Let the client be emotional, your role is agreement and empathy. The good news is that you have lots of chances to practice every day.

You bump into someone in a grocery, he calls you A Nasty Name. Agree. “Yes, I’m A Nasty Name.” Short-circuits confrontation. Agree with your critics, use and; eventually you have a chance at progress. This will not salvage a single freelancer. It can help clients, who can help salvage freelancers. You already know that the second worst outcome is losing an argument with a client; the worst outcome is winning. This approach applies the same principles.

Yes, every criticism of this is correct. And, …