Patience Is A Characteristic Of All Successful Salespeople

As the proverb states, “Patience is a virtue” and everyone could stand to use a bit more in their sales process. Never lose sight of the principle that people don’t want to be sold they want the opportunity of maintaining personal control of the buying process. Buyers want the purchasing moment to be their decision, not someone coercing them to move beyond their comfort zone. Use patience in all aspects of the sales process to build sincerity and trust with the buyer. Here are ten ways to apply the principle of patience in the sales process.

1. Meet with the prospect according to their schedule. Don’t try to force a time to meet with them. Be positive in your approach but avoid being pushy. Be patient. “All good things come to he who waits.” – Proverb

2. Building rapport. Be patient and learn something about your prospect. Let them tell their story. People like to talk about themselves. Don’t rush to present your products. “He that can have patience can have what he will.” – Benjamin Franklin

3. Diagnosing the prospects needs is an essential part of the sales process. Make sure you take ample time to discover their true needs. Don’t rush to solve problems before you know exactly what they are. Be Patient. “Patience is a virtue.” – Proverb

4. Resolving Concerns is another area in which to exercise patience. Don’t skip this step of the sales process. Be patient and get all their concerns “out on the table.” There is no victory in rushing through your presentation in hopes of concluding without revealing the prospect’s concerns. Be Patient, reveal each concern all and then work to resolve them. “Patience is the companion of wisdom.” – Saint Augustine

5. Your prospects will place a value on patience. They are paying attention to the interest you place in dealing with their concerns. Time has value and they recognize the value you place on time. Be patient. “Patience and fortitude conquer all things” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

6. The difference between making a sale and losing the sale could very easily boil down to the degree of patience you show in dealing with the prospect. Don’t rush to judgment, it creates the feeling of focusing on you rather than focusing on the prospect. “The two most powerful warriors are patience and time.” – Tolstoy

7. People don’t want to be sold; they want to buy. If you rush through the sales process you may lose the sale, wasting all the time you have previously invested. When you rush to a conclusion the prospect feels like you are pushing them. Relax, be patient. Help them to arrive at the buying conclusion and allow them to buy instead of feeling like they are being sold. “The key to everything is patience. You get the chicken by hatching the egg, not by smashing it.” – Arnold H. Glasgow

8. Discuss the features and then dwell on the benefits. Be patient as you invite them to reveal the benefits of your offering to their unique situation. Let them sell themselves. This takes patience. “Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.” – Jean-Jacques Rousseau

9. In the sales process it is easier and faster to tell, tell, tell. However, telling isn’t selling. Take time to ask the questions that when answered by your prospect, will reveal the information you otherwise would have told them. Patiently drawing answers from your prospect will create belief and deeper understanding. Be patient and they will see from their own perspective, the value in your products. “Patience will achieve more than force.” – Edmund Burke

10. Don’t rush to close. There is a definite correlation between time, sincerity and honesty. People don’t want to be “hustled” and rushing to the close has the feeling of being hustled. Give them time to ponder and make the buying decision on their time schedule. Always ask for the business, but don’t rush the prospect to a hasty decision. Be patient and you will become more trustworthy. Remember, people buy from people they believe, like and trust. “One minute of patience, ten years of peace” – Greek Proverb