How Technology Sales Reps Sell Without Saying a Word

Hollywood has created the image of the loud, back-slapping sales rep that most people equate with the profession. No doubt there are salespeople of that type earning a good living—in some markets—but not in technology sales.

Technology buyers usually face complex choices. They don’t make quick decisions. Even the quick-witted know-it-all can blow a technology sales opportunity by talking too much.

Shut Up To Sell

Until the prospects tell you the problem, they won’t be ready to listen to your solution.

And if they don’t believe you listened to them, they won’t listen to you.

Rather than talk, develop engaging questions that make the prospect talk.  One of the best is, “Why?”  Engaging questions are short and lead the prospect to provide expansive answers.

Shut Up During Presentations

No one wants to listen to a salesperson for very long.

• Break up the presentation; don’t speak for longer than 30 seconds without asking everyone a question. Doing so keeps the audience alert and provides confirmation to you that they’re engaged and understand what you’ve explained.

• Develop questions to use in the presentation that allows the prospects to verbally reinforce their “pain” to others in the room. By asking more questions, listening to more answers, and talking less, you let technology sales prospects feel like they’re in control and that it was their idea to buy from you.

Wouldn’t you rather talk about spending your commissions anyway?

What do you do to close more technology sales with less effort? Please share your thoughts in the Comments section below.

And if you need to improve your technology sales strategy to succeed in today's hypercompetitive marketplace, be sure to enroll now in our free 7-day eCourse: Go-to-Market Strategy 101 for B2B SaaS Startups and Scaleups.