by Duane Weber
Recently, a friend of mine began interviewing financial advisors following a land sale. Originally, she planned to interview just one. The advisor came highly recommended by the family attorney. Why look anywhere else?
And then they met. The alleged advisor’s message was clear: This stuff is complicated and you need me. He gave her performance data, terrified her about making the wrong decision, and then spent an hour collecting personal information. In the end, she felt considerable more anxiety and worry than comfort.
This is a selfish, one-sided strategy I see frequently. Step 1: Overcomplicate the situation. Step 2: Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you. It’s flawed and in this case it backfired. Since the salesperson made the situation appear horribly complicated, my friend was compelled to search out other options.
If this is your intentional, or worse, unintentional strategy, stop! Consider the opposite: Simplify the solution. Success doesn’t come from your magical ability to demystify some ultra-complicated solution. It doesn’t come from being the knight in shining armor that will rescue the day – especially when you created the impression of complexity in the first place.
Success comes from your ability to listen to the prospect and fully understand the impact of the problem they are experiencing. What are their fears, concerns, frustrations? You will earn the business by helping the prospect understand how these problems are personally impacting them. Oftentimes they don’t even know. When they trust you can solve the problems they have, the business is yours. And the simpler the better.
At Sandler Training, Trustpointe we teach our clients active listening skills and questioning strategies. To learn more about unnecessary complications, mutual mystification and earning business, contact Duane Weber at 317-845-0041 or dweber@sandler.com.
Cancel the rocket science class, boss, there might be another way…
You might also be interested in:
