[Ed the Roofer]

You now meet the potential customer and discover on your first gut reaction that you can't stand them.

Do you proceed and just go through the motions of making the sale?

Do you allow enough time in the presentation for them to possibly change your mind about the type of person they seem to be?

Do you just mail it in and walk away, hoping you don't ever hear from them again? I don't really mean postage mail, but just do the bare minimum and leave as fast as you can.

Do you come up with some excuse to get the heck out of there?

Ed

 

[tinner666]

"Do you allow enough time in the presentation for them to possibly change your mind about the type of person they seem to be?" If that doesn't change anything, I multiply my est. X 3, put it on my card and leave. I still get some of those anyway, and if it goes smoothly, I tell them I got a deal on something and knock something off the final.

 

[RDRoofing]

Hopefully, most of the information I need to "qualify the prospect to buy from me" is provided during the initial phone or email conversation. If we both feel that we're a good fit for each other, we'll go on to the sales call. I usually go through with my presentation, unless they make it obvious that there is no sale at the end. I've found that is helps me build confidence in my ability to sell, because I get to practice with a difficult prospect. I also have been around enough people to understand that some people's attitudes are either a) a defense mechanism, or b) their way of negotiating. Sometimes I've come across a topic or conversation that put the prospect's mind at ease, which allowed me to close the sale.

 

[Grumpy]

I allow enough time for them to change my mind. I have walked away, one thing I have learned is to go with my gutt. However sometimes people just have a chip on their shoulders because of the last salesman, and they are expecting you to be the same.

I am fully prepared and I do walk away from multiple buyers every year for what ever reason. Sometimes it's the person, sometimes it is the project.