Lie detector test

“We ended up going with another vendor,” said Jason, head of procurement.

After months of working together, getting approvals, and buy-ins, someone I barely knew told me I lost the deal.

It’s not totally their fault. Why would my champion let this happen? (complete sarcasm).

There are many reasons why some salespeople hit quota, make money, put the company on their backs, and are never out of a job.

One of the biggest being their ability to source the actual truth.

Buyers don’t lie because they are evil.

They just don’t feel the need to tell you all the truth. Probably because some air-wasting salesperson who shouldn’t be given the title oversold and undelivered in the past.

The better you are at uncovering the truth, the higher probability it is you win the deal.

Let’s start get back to our friend in procurement.

“We ended up going with another vendor.”

That sentence should have triggered your brain to think of an exact moment that’s happened to you. Something so vivid it brings you back to the exact second.

First you get the news. Then you think about updating Salesforce. Then telling your boss. You ask yourself “is it really lost?”. You were banking on this deal to take the family on vacation. What will you do next?

It’s a rollercoaster of emotions (mostly shitty ones). And it sucks.

How you respond is all that matters.

There are a thousand different responses.

Before I give you a few, think about what you would say.

Yup. Keep thinking.

You got it?

Okay..

Are you attacking the source of truth or are you trying to figure out why they didn’t sign with you? There’s a difference between the two.

Some potential talk-tracks to “We ended up going with another vendor.”

“Any reason we didn’t have a conversation before you made a decision?”

“Did they give you everything, 100% that you wanted?”

“What did they say when you told them they’ve been picked?”

“What did [champion name] say when you told them?”

“Are we done for now or are we done forever?”

There are 5 examples. Go add 20 more.

Then think about other areas prospect “lie”.

What questions do you ask?

You should be pressure testing the source of truth throughout your sales process.

A statement or answer cannot be a truth and a lie at the same time.

I say this again because of its importance.

A statement or answer cannot be a truth and a lie at the exact same time.

They are either telling the truth.

Or they are lying.

The best translate lies into truth.

Have you caught your prospect in a lie lately?

Did you slow down to ask? Or just keep on the sales process because all prospects tell the truth?

Until next week,

Chris