“Progress always involves risk; you can’t steal second base and keep your foot on first.” Frederick Wilcox
Your prospect now enters the Buy stage of the process, having completed the Need and Learn stages. In the Buy stage the prospect first experiences fear, putting the brakes to the whole deal. Eventually, if you pay your Therapist role correctly, the prospect will move to Commitment.
Some buyers never Fear, and move right to Commitment, so you can celebrate! However, many buyers need your help in resolving their fears so they can make that final commitment.
What makes a buyer Fear? People begin to fear that they will regret their decision. Negative images begin to cloud their thinking. They feel they are taking a risk, and they fear that they may be making a bad decision. Certainly, if you have done your job well in the prior stages of the process, these fears by the prospect are unfounded, driven by emotion, not the facts. Often times the prospect can’t even tell you why they are fearful. Perception may not be logical or real, but it can drive your sale into the ground.
As a sales Therapist, you cannot “fix” these fears and concerns through traditional objection-handling techniques. All you can do is help your prospect resolve the concerns themselves. Traditional objection handling does not give prospects the chance to express their emotions. Since these fears of buying are largely emotionally-based, and since emotions must be dealt with by open expression and discussion, your role is to help the prospect express these fears and work through them.
THE THERAPIST’S FOUR STEP TREATMENT PROCESS
Be sensitive and observe
Explore concerns
Empathize with feelings
Discuss alternatives
These are all things actual therapists do in counseling sessions. The therapist does not solve problems. The therapist helps patients solve their own problems.
