When a deal seems too good to be true, clients may become suspicious.
Nick Glimsdahl is the Director of Contact Center Solutions at VDS. His goal: help clients assess their current systems, identify and implement solutions and provide ongoing support – filling a much-needed gap between manufacturer and customer.
As a middle man, Glimsdahl’s services come at no additional cost to the consumer, which can generate a certain degree of skepticism from potential clients. He joined Negotiate Anything to share his best tips for overcoming suspicion to close deals.
Leading with Compassionate Curiosity ™
In the Compassionate Curiosity™ Framework, an original approach from the American Negotiation Institute, the primary focus is getting curious and asking questions that will help you better understand your counterpart. When it comes to helping potential clients overcome suspicion, Glimsdahl leads with a similar approach.
First, he notes that people are more willing to have a conversation once they have reached a certain level of inconvenience. In Glimsdahl’s business, oftentimes clients become frustrated with a lack of support after purchasing a product from a manufacturer. As a liaison between the two companies, his team comes in to offer relief from this pain point.
To the degree that you can identify potential pain points your counterpoint is experiencing – do it. That said, asking questions is a great way to gain understanding and help build trust.
“If you ask thoughtful questions and then actively listen to what they are saying (or not saying) and then follow-up on those questions you are continuing to build trust in that moment,” Glimsdahl shared.
There isn’t always one right question to ask. Practice active-listening to get a full picture of what your client is trying to achieve.
What’s the Catch?
Because Glimsdahl’s services come at no additional cost the client (beyond what they would pay the manufacturer directly), prospective clients are often suspicious of a deal that seems too good to be true. This is a common question during sales transactions, so how does one overcome this suspicion to close the deal?
In this scenario, it’s important to be honest about where and how your company earns their money, while reiterating the value added by the service you are seeking to provide. In Glimsdahl’s case, he is keenly aware that his company can offer ongoing support and relief that the manufacturers won’t provide. He’s also aware that a product is useless if the client doesn’t fully understand how to use it. This is a tremendous value added for no additional cost – a deal clients shouldn’t be able to pass up.
“Our goal is to focus on customer lifetime value, not to just to make a sale,” Glimsdahl shared.
Knowing Your Audience & Securing an Ambassador
Building trust is critical to any successful relationship. As you seek to grow your influence, it will be important to have an ambassador: somebody that can (and will) advocate for your value. Oftentimes, this will mean an introduction from a champion to a decision-maker in the company.
This hand-off will require your champion to put their own name and brand on the line to a degree. Because of this, not only must your service be excellent, but you should also know how to speak to that next person’s needs as well.
For example, the pain points of executive leadership may vary from that of a coordinator or sales representative. When leveling up your conversation, take time to consider what the decision-maker may value and how their success is measured. From there, work backwards to address how your service will assist.
Glimsdahl had one final piece of advice for listeners to consider, “How does that person want to be talked to? Some people may want a 20-slide deck, others may want to be able to read something quickly on their phone.”
This is important advice to consider, as oftentimes we assume we know the best way to communicate, but as Glimsdahl demonstrates, this may vary from person to person and can cost you a deal in the long-run.
Follow Nick Glimsdahl on LinkedIn. To listen to the full episode, click here.
