A white lie here, a fib there… Just how honest is your prospect being with you? We uncovered the top 5 lies favoured by your prospect. They’re naughty, but here’s how to play the lying game the professional way…
Lie 5: We don’t have the budget
Almost never true, lie 7 really means “we have budget, but it’s been assigned to other projects with higher priority.”
Your move: Ask questions to find out where money is currently being spent. Once you’ve discovered what’s funded and why, reposition your offering and the value it provides so that it becomes higher priority than budget items that are currently funded.
Lie 4: I make all the buying decisions
NEVER does ONE executive make all the buying decisions. There is always consultation with others, or a decision-making process that needs to be followed.
Your move: Ask about the specific reporting structure and gently probe to find out the “stakeholders” who “influence” the decision. Read between the lines and you’ll probably be able to figure out which people actually have to be sold in order for a deal to go through.
Lie 3: Your competition is cheaper OR We always get a discount
This may be true, or it may not be true. Either way, don’t fall for this popular tactic – it’s simply meant to entice you to drop your prices.
Your move: Position your offering, and the privilege of working with you and your company, as being of much higher value than working with your competitor. If they’re demanding a discount, they’re testing to see whether they ‘got the best deal’. If you do indeed drop the price, you’ll lose credibility and end up cutting a non-profitable deal. Both loses, and no wins (for you).
Lie 2: I’m sorry I missed our meeting
If they miss a meeting more than once, then there’s no way that they’re telling the truth. Fact is, they may want to blow you off and they don’t have the courage to say so.
Your move: Once you’ve calmed down, reassess the viability of meeting with the client again and try to schedule another rendez-vous if you think it’s worth it (it’s almost ALWAYS worth it).
Lie 1: She’s not in the office right now
If you’re cold calling, this is almost undoubtedly a lie – fed to you by the PA or receptionist or similar gate keeper.
But the gate keeper is just doing their job: keeping you away from the decision-maker.
Your move: Pretend that it’s true, always, and remain calm. Ask when would be a good time to call. You may need to sell the gate keeper on the idea that your call is important enough to put through.
