Episode #133: No Hard Sell

“We are going to be in your area next week, would you be available on Tuesday or Thursday?”.

“Really? Which part of my area will you be in?”.

“Are you available on Tuesday or Thursday?”.

“Wait a minute, you just said you would be in my area, so which part of my area will you be in?”

“Akasaka”.

“Really that’s interesting. Akasaka is a big place, which part of Akasaka?”.

“Are you available on Tuesday or Thursday?”.

This was an outbound investment sales call. The object was to sell me on investing my hard earned cash in their company’s investment product.

By the way, this conversation carried on far beyond what I have extracted here and became even more ridiculous, if that is actually possible. The essence was that I didn't believe that what they were saying was true. They started with a suggestion that they would be in my area and could just drop by. They say this to appear indirect and less “hard sell”.

However, when you push back on the validity of what they are saying, out comes the blatant hard sell - their constant annoying refrain of “Tuesday or Thursday?”. Why would they be doing this, when it is so obviously ridiculous? The answer is lack of sales skills and proper training.

There is a set script in place and I departed from the sacred text by challenging what they were saying. I did not believe that they will happen to be in my area and therefore that they could just drop by. It sounded unlikely to me, so I pushed back on their basic assertion. If they wanted to see me, why not just say, “we would love to visit you, would Tuesday suit or how about Thursday?”. Instead they started with a lie or at best, a dubious assertion, that has close to zero credibility.

Now this sales call is for an investment offer, where you cannot see, taste, hear, touch or smell the product and you won't know if it is any good for years. The trust factor on this type of sale is huge, yet they start the proceedings with an obvious lie.

How could they have done it more professionally? “Hello Dr. Story, we have not met or spoken before, but my name is Taro and I am with xyz company. We exist to serve the interests of highly discerning clients like yourself. Do you have a few moments to speak?

Thank you.

We offer information, insight and help busy executives like yourself to better manager their wealth. Our clients often tell us they are so busy helping everyone else that they tend to sacrifice devoting enough time to their own personal wealth management. Is this the type of experience you have ever had?

We may or may not have something that suits your situation, but the beauty of spending a short meeting with our experts is that they can at least outline some of the most successful portfolio structures that have been working for executives similar to yourself. Are you in a position today to be able to consider investing in products which you might find attractive?”.

Instead, all we had here was a hard sell for a Tuesday or Thursday alternative of choice, built off a lie about the fact they would be in my area next week. There is no congruency between what they are selling and how they are selling it.

In this modern age, boiler room induced hard sell doesn’t work. The client’s interest has to be paramount. Salespeople who don’t get this basic point are not going to be around very long. Re-design the sales approach and put the client’s success at the center and then you will meet clients and make sales.