The sales conversation was going so well. The salesperson was able to get real pain on the table and understand root causes. Until everything fell apart…
What happened?
The salesperson skipped a critical step.
The recap.
The what now?
The recap.
Instead of taking a few minutes to summarize and recap what they heard, the salesperson excitedly jumped into “solution mode.” They talked and talked about all the things they could do to help.
But all the prospect said was, “that’s interesting.”
What was going on?
Think of it this way…
Imagine, your spouse pulls into the driveway after getting into a fender bender. You run out and say, “Don’t worry, I’ll take it straight to the body shop, go on inside and say hello to the kids!”
How do you think your spouse would feel?
Cared for? Appreciated? Understood? Heard?
No.
They’d feel crappy.
As a trusted guide, the recap is a critical part of the sales journey. It lets the prospect know that you’ve heard them. It lets them now that you know.
In this scenario, the prospect was not ready to transition to solutions.
Here’s what you can do…
Here’s a simple 4-part framework to help make this transition:
PERMISSION: “Would it be okay if I give back to you what I heard and you can tell me what I missed?”
RECAP: “You started by talking about X, Y, and Z. This is impacting both A and B. At the same time, you’ve noticed a decline in X, which is straining the organization. If things don’t change, it’ll cost in terms of morale and revenue – roughly $X per qtr. Tensions are high with A and B teams right now, and even though you have a lot on your plate, addressing this is your top priority. You’re even asking how you can lead your team better through this.”
CONFIRMATION: “Did I get that right? What did I miss? Is there anything else?”
Done right – prospects typically smile in appreciation and respond, “No – you nailed it!”
Last thing in order to make this a smooth and safe transition….
FREEDOM OF CHOICE: “I’m not sure if what I have will resonate with you, but would it make sense to explore some possibilities, or should we end the conversation here?”
Done right – prospects typically say, “No, sounds good. Let’s keep going!”
I hope this helps!