How To Open Closed Minds
One of the most important skills you, as a salesperson, can master is the ability to open a closed mind.
Most minds, like mine, are a bit closed most of the time. So you’ll have to do this every day. Every. Single. Day.
A book that you don’t see referenced every day is ” How to Improve Your Human Relations By Straight Thinking “, written by William J. Reilly around 1942. It’s another great read on influencing people, much like Carnegie’s ” How to Win Friends and Influence People.”
In his book, Reilly says that the first thing you have to do to open a closed mind is to adopt the right attitude.
If you look upon a person as the enemy, you can’t open his mind.
If you look upon him as a dimwit/loser/crackhead, you’ll never open his mind.
You have to accept everyone as an intelligent, cooperative individual.
Reilly contends that there are four mental levels :
1) The closed mind - this is the most common. This is a tough sale.
2) The open mind - the kind that says ” show me. ”
3) The confident mind - they trust you and will listen to reason.
4) The believers - The very few who say ” If you say so, I’ll buy it. ”
EDIT: Your job, if you choose to accept this mission, is to elevate your prospect as near Level 4 as possible.
Good luck.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
I learned a long time ago that an objection aka”a closed mind” is a result of a lack of information. It is the default position. By asking questions, many of those minds can be opened!
You’re right Michael. Do you think we should wait for the objection, if it comes, so we can answer that specific objection, or should we overwhelm them with info in hopes of elimination all objections ?
Mike;
Good (loaded) question! I think it depends on the tone of the discussion. It is good to be prepared to respond to the objections that might occur.
Mike
I’m more inclined to offer enough info to see what objections might arise, rather than provide fodder that wasn’t needed and might have never been brought up.
Thanks for coming along for the ride Mike.
Mike,
While I agree with the four levels, I can think of plenty of times I have bought goods and services for my company when I was only in either level 2 or 3. I have very seldom been in level 4. Are you sure its necessary for a salesperson to shoot for level 4 every time? I think, even for those companies that practice CRM, level 3 would be sufficient.
Regards,
Glenn
I agree Glenn, that you don’t have to get every client to Level 4.
I meant to point out that there are four levels and didn’t mean to imply that you have to move every client thru all four of the levels, just that they are on one of those levels. I see the mistake I made.
I’m going to edit that last sentence and once again prove how powerful the comments sections of blogs can be.
Without Glenn taking the time to point out a momentary lapse in my sales sanity, we’d have a statement on this post that I didn’t mean to imply.
Thanks Glenn for making this post better with your comments and advice.
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