Great Ideas: K.O. your competition

There can be dozens of reasons why a prospect isn’t being won over by your sales pitch. It’s especially tough, however, when the prospect simply prefers your competitor’s product. In his book Tough Calls (Amacom), author and seasoned sales pro Josh Gordon offers a handful of ways to get around the situation and ultimately win the sale.

• Give a comparative, not competitive, presentation. Use side-by-side facts or ideas: your numbers compared to their numbers; your track record compared to their track record, etc. Let the numbers, not you, do the attacking, and let the prospect come to their own conclusion.
• Get the prospect more excited about your product. This is done partly by your own enthusiasm, but mostly by tapping into what excites your client, and playing up that aspect of your product. Start by asking the client, “What things get you most excited about the product I sell?” or “What are the best things for your company about the product I sell?”
• Pick a fight. It may not be your style, but a fight can work when you’re dealing with an insecure client. By staging a confrontation where you insist your client is making a huge mistake by buying the competition, you may just win the sale — and if you do, most often, you’ll be forgiven. If you do not get the order, however, you may have burned the bridge forever.