One lesson I had to quickly learn was to reduce self and elevate the client. The thing is, I’m an extrovert, and many extroverts tend to talk too much. I found out the hard way that I must control my natural tendency if I want to increase my chances of closing deals.
Talking too much is bad for a couple of reasons. It puts too much emphasis on you versus the client and secondly, it eats away at the limited amount of time that decision-makers carefully guard.
Self
In any business transaction, you are selling yourself. People like to buy from people they like. At the very least, people that don’t annoy them. The easiest way to accomplish this is to learn how to be a better listener… listen more and talk less. Remember to make eye contact and smile.
The issue many salespeople and business owners have (especially extroverts) is that they get overexcited when they talk about their product or service, particularly business owners.
They love to go into these deep stories about the origins of their offering and offer details that aren’t particularly interesting to the prospect. This is understandable because business owners have a deep connection to what they are selling. Their offering may be something they’ve worked on for years so it’s hard to not let those emotions show.
The only problem is that most buyers, especially B2B buyers simply want something that’s going to take care of a problem they have. They don’t want to know about all the additional features or your inspiration behind starting your company.
To combat overtalking in this situation, start by asking open-ended questions to get the buyer talking. Figure out what needs, desires… problems are so you can quickly offer them a solution. Nothing more, nothing less.
Time
If you are selling to business owners, executives, and decision-makers, time is of the essence. These individuals don’t have time for fluff. Their schedules are usually packed to the gills, and they usually have gatekeepers that make connecting with them even harder.
Therefore, when you get a chance to speak with them, you must make it count.
This goes back to reducing self and elevating the client. There is no time to give your backstory, your goal is to offer value immediately. When dealing with decision-makers, any wasted time or energy lowers your chances of speaking with them again and/or getting a deal.
Remember to ask relatable questions, and then shut up, maintain eye contact, and smile. Only speak when the time is right.