Chapter 7
Impact
What have you done for me lately?
—Janet Jackson
After you uncover the prospect’s aspirations and afflictions, you are ready to take your rainmaking conversation to the next level—a level that many salespeople fail to achieve. By moving to this next level you immediately separate yourself from those who don’t.
The idea is to figure out the answer to “So what?” regarding all of the aspirations and afflictions you’ve uncovered. If the prospect’s afflictions don’t get resolved, so what? What won’t happen that they want to happen? Will things get worse? How will these afflictions affect the bottom line of the prospect’s company, division, or department? How will letting the unresolved afflictions fester affect the prospect’s life?
If prospects’ aspirations don’t become reality, so what? Will they fall by the wayside never to be picked up again? If they do become reality, how much better will prospects’ competitive positions become? How much more will they personally succeed?
The exact “so what” questions will vary depending on the situation, but your ability to quantify and paint the “so what” picture is the cornerstone for making it clear to the prospect just how important buying from you is. Creating urgency for buying hinges on how well you help your client see the “so what” picture.
Answering “So what?” will uncover the impact you can have on a customer’s life and business. When you calculate the impact of helping prospects realize their aspirations and solve ...
