Pushy or Persistent?

The perception of a “typical sales rep” is – unfortunately – a pushy person.  You have probably met a few of those “pushy sales people.”  The truth is, buyers avoid pushy sales reps.  Think about this:  there is a difference between being pushy and being persistent.

Is persistence important? Yes, but how much persistence is too much?

There are three ways you can be pleasantly persistent.  You can persist without being a pest.  Most salespeople (80%) quit on the first “No” and another 5% quit on number two.

Three Ways to be Pleasantly Persistent

1.)  You can persist by asking questions. Ask non-threatening questions that draw out the prospect’s concerns. Try to understand why the buyer is hesitating.

2.) Demonstrate empathy by acknowledging the prospect’s concerns. Offer information to reassure the buyer.

3.) Provide additional evidence and proof that your solution is the correct one for the customer. Demonstrate your value added. Give the prospect more reasons to say “Yes” than “No.” Testimonials from your happy clients are a perfect way to provide evidence and proof of the effectiveness of your product.

The difference between pushy and persistent: 

If you press for an order after the prospect says ‘No’ because you need to sell something today, you are pushy.

On the other hand, if you press for a commitment when the prospect says ‘No’ because s/he really needs your solution, you are persistent. It has everything to do with your motivation. Are you pressing for the customer’s benefit or for your benefit?

Successful salespeople persist. The most successful salespeople persist prudently.

See ten ways to ask for the order and 29 different ways to answer objections in my e-book How to Win the Sale and Keep the Customer.