Despite your best assumptions, your best conclusions, your gut feelings, you don’t know what your customer wants until you ask.
You may believe the customer won’t accept a price increase, you may think the customer wont give up buying from the competitor, it may feel like there isn’t a chance in the world the customer will implement the beta version of the new software, but you’ll never know until you ask.
It’s not your job to say “no” for the customer.
Too often we assume we know the answers. We draw conclusions, we make assumptions, and then decide for the customer. We assume “no” will be the answer and we don’t ask the question. But, that’s not our job.
Our job IS to ask. Let the customer say no.
When we say “no” FOR the customer we are operating from fear. It’s our lack of confidence, our fear of rejection taking over. It’s our way of protecting ourselves.
The problem is nothing comes from protecting ourselves; opportunities are squandered, conversations are never had, new products are never launched, competitors are never beaten.
Sophisticated sales happens in the difficult discussions. Fear avoids the difficult conversations. Don’t let fear win.
It’s your job to ask the tough questions. It’s your customers job to give you the answer.
You ask the question and let the customer say “no” or . . . “yes.” It’s the natural order of things.
