5 seconds into your cold call, your prospect says:
“I can’t talk right now; I’m in a meeting.”
What do you say?
Most salespeople try to push forward by saying something like this:
“When can I call you back?”
“Would it be fair to ask for 20 seconds to explain what this is about? If we find it irrelevant, then I can make sure I don’t disturb you again?”
Although these statements sound good in theory, they rarely make the other person feel understood.
Whenever prospects feel you’re pushing your agenda, they enter the Zone of Resistance. The ZOR is a reflex reaction to not being heard and understood.
So let’s try another approach.
Objections carry one of two meanings:
1. They’re not true. The prospect says they’re in a meeting as a polite when to end the call.
2. They’re true. The prospect is a meeting a thought you were someone else.
Here’s an approach for getting to more truth while making the prospect feel understood:
1. Pause for two beats. (Calms things down and allow you to think about what you want to say.)
2. “It sounds like I’m calling you at the worst possible time.” (Empathy)
Pause.
3. “You weren’t expecting my call.”
Pause.
4. “I’m sorry, but would it be offensive if I asked you one question before we hang up?”
There isn’t a script for being empathetic. It’s less about what you say and more about listening without having an agenda. But hopefully, this example helps you lower the ZOR.
This shift?
Overcoming –> Understanding