Prospects and horses …

A while back I wrote, “Prospects are a lot like horses.”   I promised to circle back and explain.  Today’s the big day, LOL! 

Throughout my sales career several managers left “a very certain impression” on me.  I bet you have had those very certain impressions left on you, as well. 

Mine started this way; “Gary, you need to sell more.” Or, “Gary, you need to schedule more appointments.” Or, “Gary, you need to close more deals.”  Sometimes embellishments for emphasis and urgency were added like, “Gary, I sense a turnover.”  

See the trend?  These statements focus on the “what”.  Telling someone what they need to do is almost always ineffective.  You and I know “what” we need to do, right?  It’s the “how” to do it that matters for most people – most horses, too: 

You can tell a gelding; you can ask a stallion; but you must discuss it with a mare. 

Unknown Sage 

Horses teach us to simplify how to do things.  Being around horses requires us to pay attention to them while setting all the other clutter, stress, and B.S. of our day on the side; even if just briefly: 

Love the horses God gave to you because he will want them back someday. 

Unknown Sage 

When I coach sales people I like to simplify how to leverage sales tools, tactics, and techniques.  Too many salespeople over-complicate things.  OK, but horses and prospects are alike?  There are more parallels than you think.

When you’re around horses you learn quickly that they behave in a very certain way.  If you’re standing in their space, they will step on your foot.  If you make a sudden move, they will spook.  If you’re shy or afraid, they will attempt to establish dominance by nudging or rubbing on you.  When they put their ears back, watch out!  They’re getting ready to kick or bite. 

How do you learn to predict these equine behaviors?  Well, you only have to get stepped on or kicked once.  It gets your attention!  That’s how it works with prospects, too.  If we pay attention, prospects’ behaviors (like horses’) are observable and predictable. 

For instance, when the prospect asks, “How much does your product/service cost?” and we give them that traditional, non-answer, answer; “ Oh, we would need to do a much more thorough analysis of your needs before we could possibly address that question”… watch out!  They won’t put their ears back but they will almost always tune us out.  Behaviorally, prospects hate the non-answer, answer to the “Money Question”.  (BTW – We do too when we’re the prospect, don’t you agree?) 

When selling to prospects, we need to pay attention to the questions they ask; the objections they pose; what they say when brushing us off.  We can literally create a short list of their predictable behaviors.  Once we have it we can do the things that generate positive reactions and avoid saying those things that generate negative outcomes. 

Now you might say, “Gary, it’s not that simple.”  Well… OK… back to horses.  Success in working with horses is to keep things simple and consistent.  I believe successfully selling transactions is to consistently simplify the process for the prospect.  Complexity leads to confusion.  Confused prospects won’t kick us - they won’t transact either. 

Starting to feel this connection between horses and prospects has merit?  Want to learn how to think like a horse?  Grant Golliher thinks you’re not alone. 

GAP 

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.