Sadly, Turek is struggling to make it financially in his new occupation as a financial planner. He’s reached out to his warm market and garnered as many opportunities as he could. Now he must cultivate the cold market and he’s floundering.
During lunch, he tries to meet people at the local food court. It’s extremely challenging to strike up a conversation with strangers. Even when he does manage to exchange a few pleasantries, he’s a long way from converting these suspects into prospects and then clients. The task is daunting and Turek feels overwhelmed and discouraged.
Use LinkedIn to Generate Leads
So he asked a fellow member of his organization for help. In turn, he was recommended to consult with a coach. Very quickly the coach outlined a path for how Turek could use his current LinkedIn connections as leads in his new endeavor. It made sense, yet Turek balked. He had to “think it over.”
Individuals who lead with the Learning Style are slow to make decisions. It takes at least 7 or more contacts before they can make up their minds. They often miss opportunities because they need time to do their homework and ponder their options.
Close the Sale with Smart Buyers
How do you close the sale with people like Turek? Pressure of any kind usually pushes them away. Thus deadlines and instilling a sense of urgency backfire.
The best approach is to focus on making a “smart” decision. These people hate to be stupid or uninformed. Use their logic to guide them to your solution. Ask questions that help them think about the situation along the path you outline.
If left to their own devices, they might never come to a conclusion. So suggest a time frame for a return call and follow-up. In the interim provide information: a white paper, articles, or even a website. Refer to experts in the field. When handled in this way, you’re ready to close the sale. Because Turek is known for being intelligent, his friends often quickly follow suit once he’s made up his mind. So be sure to ask for referrals. You may have just struck gold.
About Dr. Nancy Zare
A retired professor and psychologist, Dr. Nancy Zare originated the AlikeAbility™ System to teach service-based sales professionals how to read buying styles and close more sales. She has developed a 28-day Challenge that generates 100+ leads using LinkedIn. Week 1: Revise your Profile. Week 2: Generate Leads. Week 3. Use the AlikeAbility™ System to sort the Leads. Week 4. Make Connections. Contact her for more information.
