Here’s why prospects are skeptical of salespeople.
(And what you can do about it.)
I’m 7. I’m into comic books.
I keep seeing ads for Sea Monkeys.
“Instant pets.”
“They play tricks.”
“Teach them to obey your commands.”
They look like tiny aliens. I want them so bad!
(For those not familiar, Sea Monkeys are brine shrimp typically sold as fish food. Their eggs can lay dormant for decades. When you add water – boom. Instant life. It’s called CryptoBiosis.)
My dad lets me order them.
My Sea Monkeys arrive six weeks later.
I couldn’t wait!
I add water.
Sigh.
The humanoid animals in the ad bear ZERO resemblance to the weird transparent aliens I saw.
I couldn’t train them.
I was disappointed by the short lifespan too.
I felt confused and ripped off.
I’ll never forget that feeling.
Why am I telling you this story?
Your prospects have been ripped off too. So have you. So has everyone.
Prospects are skeptical of messages that come from people who have a vested interest when they say things like:
“You need to flush your engine right away, or it’s toast.”
“You need to top off your A/C’s refrigerant otherwise you won’t have. cold air.”
Trust is dead.
What’s the way out?
Don’t promise the moon and the stars.
Tell people the whole story, not part of the story.
Not this:
“Here are the four reasons why our product is right for you.”
This:
“We’re not for everyone. Based on what you told me, here are the benefits and the drawbacks.”
Not this:
“Every flatbread on our menu is AMAZING!!”
This:
“If you’re not a fan of tons of ricotta cheese, say away from the lemon flatbread.”
Not this:
“We’re the only solution that fits your needs.:
This:
“You have a few options. Let me walk you through the benefits and drawbacks of each so you can decide what makes sense.”
Not this on a cold call:
“We’ve discovered a breakthrough solution that allows you to increase leads and accelerate your pipeline. The reason I reached out to you today is to get 15 minutes on your calendar to share this breakthrough with you. Do you have your calendar?”
This:
“Since you’ve had a long and successful career in sales, I’m curious, what’s your take on using video when prospecting?”
Knowing how to lower skepticism is a good skill to master.
