All systems check, thrusters ENGAGE! It’s time to turn your prospects into official customers. This is the section in sales that, if done incorrectly, causes both you and the prospect to feel manipulative, pushy, or greasy.
But before we take that next step, ensure everything aligns. At this point, we should have confirmed BANT
BUDGET: Available
AUTHORITY: decision-maker identified
NEED: Problem agreed to
TIMELINE: Understood
For instance, unless you can demonstrate a clear benefit justifying the breach of their contract, you shouldn’t attempt to close a deal with someone who is interested but has expressed an unwillingness to change solutions until their current contract expires (misalignment on TIMELINE).
Buying Signs
Assuming we’ve verified alignment on BANT, how do we know if we’ve sufficiently convinced our prospects of the value of our offerings and if they’re ready to take the next step to purchase? Buying signs, while not definitive, are potential indicators that signal our prospects are ready. Here are some examples:
| Physical | Verbal | Virtual/Behavioural |
|---|---|---|
| • Leaning forward • Smiling • Nodding • Hand hovering around their wallet • Pulled out their wallet! • Mimicry | • Agreeing • Positive words • Delighted tones | • # of times an email is opened • The extent to which an email is circulated within the organization (gauged by the # of opens from different IP addresses) • Engagement on the website (time spent on the website, which pages were visited, how often they revisited, etc.) • Using a trial |
Some of these may be painstakingly obvious but are often easily overlooked in the heat of the moment. I’m not suggesting you actively elicit them from your prospects. Instead, it’s about being mindful and noticing when they are exhibited.
Mimicry, also known as mirroring, is one example; it occurs when an individual exhibits the gestures, speech patterns, attitudes, or behaviors of another. For instance:
- If the salesperson is nodding, the buyer nods along.
- If the salesperson has their arms crossed, the buyer does the same.
- If the salesperson leans forward, the buyer does so too.
Mirroring is a subconscious psychological phenomenon that occurs when we desire to be liked by the other person. We do so unconsciously to be perceived as similar, signaling our agreeableness.
It is manipulative to intentionally and consciously mimic your prospects in an attempt to accelerate rapport. You should avoid it not only because it’s unethical, but also because this inauthentic form of mimicry is noticeably artificial and awkward. Prospects will notice, and it’s a big turn-off that can instantly kill the interaction. If you aren’t intentionally mimicking but notice they’re subconsciously mimicking you, then that’s a positive buying signal. Recognizing this does take some experience and attentiveness, and it’s what I’m suggesting here.
For the virtual/behavioral examples in the table above, CRM tools like Salesforce or HubSpot make it possible to track our prospect’s actions even if we can’t observe or hear them. Further details on how this is achieved are explained when I discuss CRM under Sales Tools.
ASSIGNMENT
Do some people-watching! Go to the mall and mindfully observe people. Notice how they behave when they’re ready to make a purchase. You can do this at the food court or in a store.