Occasionally, buyers skip the Fear step altogether. In fact, this is the only step of the buy-learning process that may not occur. If your customer is fearless, it’s time to celebrate! Very likely you will proceed directly from the sales presentation into a negotiation of terms.
However, today most customers have more fear about buying, not less. For your customers, more technology, more change, and more choice means there’s more to learn. And downsizing has forced many C-level executives to delegate buying authority to people in the Core-level to people who are closer to the problem that needs to be solved and more knowledgeable about it. But when the power to buy is delegated, those with buying authority feel greater pressure to make the right choice. As a result, many salespeople tell me it’s taking more time for customers to make up their minds. This is proof that there’s increased fear in buying situations.
It is natural for customers to question their decision when it comes time to put money on the table. If you are prepared for this turn of events, customer fears present you with the chance to solidify your position and show again, in another way, why your offering will be valuable.
When the customer slows down, you must do the same. You have to become a Therapist who is skilled at helping the “patient” explore and resolve the uncertainty and doubt that is causing the fear.
