One of my favourite techniques which seems to really hit the spot for clients if delivered at the appropriate time and in the right manner, is what I call the “how would you feel” technique.
This technique is used when you are presenting an attractive opportunity to a prospect that has a key competitor and where the prospect requires a little more persuasion to get them across the line.
Time to pull out the big gun!
The technique is to get your prospect to imagine their competitor implementing the opportunity.
Let’s say you are pitching to a prospect an opportunity to sponsor an event at which its customers and potential customers will be present.
Consider asking your prospect questions such as:
“How would you feel walking into the event seeing your competitor’s signage and their Marketing Director on stage addressing your customers and potential customers?”
“What would the audience be thinking and feeling about your competitor?”
You know that the situation is not desirable for your prospect, but don’t leave it there.
Probe to generate a deeper understanding
Probe to understand specifically why it would be an unattractive situation for your prospect; draw out exactly what it is that their competitor would be gaining.
Help the prospect see the opportunity from a different perspective
By getting your prospect to look at the opportunity from a different perspective i.e. the benefits for its key competitor, it will help the prospect to see the benefits for their own involvement, in essence doing your job for you
It’s all in the delivery
To achieve the desired effect, the question should be delivered in a manner in which there is a genuine desire to help the prospect see the opportunity from a different perspective. If this can be achieved, the technique can be a defining moment in a presentation.