Sales managers have long coached reps to uncover a prospect’s pain. And for good reason—pain often drives urgency and action.
But there’s something equally important to uncover: the scar.
Scars are silent reasons behind a prospect’s hesitation. They are the culmination of bad experiences with vendors. These purchasing scars are invisible, however, show up as delays, vague objections, or polite brush-offs. “This sounds interesting. Give me a call in ten years?”
What kinds of scars are we talking about?
- The prospect believed in the salesperson’s “value proposition.” They willingly paid a higher price, only to receive a poor-quality product that failed.
- The prospect was promised a true partnership, but that partner disappeared after signing on the dotted line.
- They trusted the salesperson who over promised and undelivered.
These scars create buyers who are skeptical and cautious. That’s why your reps can do everything right… and still walk away empty-handed.
So how do you coach your team to uncover invisible scar tissue?
#1. Teach your reps to lose attachment to the outcome of the meeting.
Whaaaat? This sounds counterintuitive; however, prospects smell commission breath from reps that are too eager to close. This bad breath activates their defense system, and the reptilian brain takes over the internal conversation whispering, “danger ahead.” This activation deactivates any next steps.
When reps genuinely show up to help, not close, trust builds as do sales.
#2. Tune in to the unspoken conversation.
The real conversation is often found watching and listening to body language, tonality and micro-reactions. Did the prospect's posture shift? Did their voice tighten ever so slightly? Was there a furrowing of the brow?
Train your reps to pause, tune in and bring up the sales elephant in the room.
“Jeff, I’m sensing some hesitation…should we talk about reasons you may not want to move forward. And I promise not to overcome any objections 17 times.”
Create a space for truth telling conversations. Your prospect will appreciate your candor and sincerity.
#3. Apply the EQ skill of self-awareness.
Encourage your team to examine their own scars and associated emotions. For example, a person who has been the victim of “bait and switch” selling might be aggressive during a sales meeting to ensure they are never taken advantage of again. Procrastination happens because of the fear of making another bad decision.
Once your sales team recognizes how emotional residue affects their decisions, they are better equipped to empathize with what’s shaping the prospect’s.
Final Coaching Points:
Pain gets attention.
Scars explain resistance.
Teach your team to identify real pain points AND signs of a wounded buyer. When they do, they’ll earn something more valuable than the sale—trust. And when they earn trust, the sale follows.
Good Selling and Leading!
