Signals That Customer Is Liking Your Sales Pitch
The meeting set up between INV’s Sales head Vikram and one of the better salesman of ShoeShine, Ravi was unplanned one. Ravi was trying to strike a tie-up deal with INV, so that ShoeShine could get better recognition in the market. Vikram was maintaining a good level of eye contact with Ravi and nodding in agreement when he understood the points that Ravi was raising. Ravi was explaining the benefits of the new ShoeGel and how it was different from all the products already available in the market. The research behind the product seemed to be impressing Vikram. He was using a lot of evaluation gestures, (like rubbing his chin) while reading the advantages that ShoeGel would be having over its competitors in terms of the longetivity of every shine.
He showed an increased level of interest when the focus shifted from research to pricing, leaning forward on the table and decreasing postures of shifting around in the seat. Ravi realized that Vikram had unconsciously started mirroring him, placing his weight on the arm of the chair when Ravi did so, using two open arms to communicate, just after Ravi did so and so on. They discussed how the entry level pricing of ShoeShine would be attractive enough to entice customers to buy their product. (To see how good mirroring looks to a third person, check out these pictures from a real life talk show)
Ravi was now sure Vikram had gotten into a more comfortable zone with him so the issue of how ShoeShine could be placed on the shelves of INV shoe stores could be brought up. That is when Vikram shifted from the accepting zone to the decreased interest zone.
Since any discussion is a two way communication, Ravi had to not only show enthusiasm from his end but also ensure that he could sense if and when Vikram was shifting into the negative zone. Like Ravi, if you definitely observe the customer displaying congruent signals indicating the same, it is good to be able to spot these. You can then help the customer transform from being totally shut off to your ideas to hearing you out with an open mind.
Read Sales Case Study day 5 Customer’s Fading Interest in Sales Pitch
