How to be a Professional Salesperson.©
Free Sales Training Video Series – Not knowing everything.
Not knowing everything.
Nobody knows everything. Relax; your prospects and customers know that. They’re not looking for a walking Encyclopedia or even a Wikipedia. What they arelooking for is someone who can get answers so they can make a decision about your product.
Believe it or not, sometimes you’re better off not knowing the answer to a question. I was once working on a deal and I got a question that stumped me. This was not a problem for me. I went back to my support people and had an answer for the customer in 20 minutes. When I came back with the answer, my prospect thanked me and said she never had a sales rep turn around an answer so quickly and she was extremely grateful. From that point on we had a very easy buying cycle and she became a long term customer.
That event really triggered something in my head that I never forgot: It’s not always how smart you are, how well you speak English, or how nice a car you drive that impresses a customer. It’s what you do, how well you do it, and how quickly you can get it done that impresses a customer.
While I have been tempted on occasion to tell a prospect I didn’t know the answer to a question that I actually did (which would be dishonest) I have never felt bad saying, “Good question. I don’t the answer, but I will find out for you.” It gives me a chance to show my value to them. So, don’t run because you may not know everything. Accept their question as an opportunity to show your value.
