How Zippy from Rainbow can help with your Sales Conversations
I might be at risk of showing my age with this one… but do you remember Zippy from Rainbow?
Poor old Zippy, he had a zip instead of lips so when he went “on and on” talking too much his friends would just grab one end of the zip and pull it round to shut him up!
Do you need to be a bit more “Zippy”?
Watch the video below or scroll down to read more.
I make reference to him quite frequently when I’m coaching clients around sales, so I thought it’s about time he gets a moment of fame over here too!
When I started out working in sales at age 23 I worked in the travel industry, but by my 30’s I’d moved to the recruitment industry, and there Zippy was a regular feature of our lives. We would be on the phone to clients and we used to remind each other “State the price. Then zip up” by making that gesture of zipping up our lips – just like Zippy!
So I wanted to introduce Zippy to you today, as understanding him can help prevent you from doing something that’s known as “talking your way out of the sale”. This is what happens when the client has actually heard everything they need to make their decision, and would be totally ready to go ahead and work with you – if you give them the space to process and come to a decision.
All you need to do is ask them directly if they want to go ahead – and stop talking.
Yet so often, because of nervousness or discomfort with the sales process you just keep talking and talking, filling all of the space that your client needs to have in order to process their decision. And because they don’t get to process and reach their decision, they don’t actually come to the conclusion that “yes please, I want to do this”.
Instead, in this scenario you are more likely to hear “I need to think about it”. Because if you don’t give them space to think during the conversation, they will need to go away to find that space.
When to “Zip up”:
There are a few key places in the sales process where it is important to say what you’ve got to say – then “zip up”, even just for a few moments. Here are a few examples:
- After you introduce your offer and state the price
- After you ask if they would like to go ahead
- After you ask if they’ve got any concerns about going ahead
- After you’ve shared any important piece of information that you know is important for them to take in and process.
There are other moments too, but basically, the rule of thumb is – any time where you know your client may need space to process what you’ve just told them.
You’ve just told them that it will cost £1,500 to join your group programme for the next 6 months. Zip up. (If that feels too uncomfortable, you could add “how does that sound?” at the end, and then zip up!).
You’ve just asked them if they’d like to go ahead and get started next week. Zip up.
Give them time to process. Their brain will be whirring and running a complex algorithm at a zillion miles per hour, weighing up all the pros and cons, whether it feels right, what they are scared of, what their partner or best friend will say, what could go wrong, how amazing it would be if it goes right – and simultaneously trying to figure the best account to pay it from, or whether to put it on a credit card and what else they might need the money for instead.
Sometimes the decision will be easy – the potential client may have come to the call with their mind 80% made up and all you have to do is reinforce their decision and not inadvertently say something that’s going to change their mind.
But at other times the decision will be more complex – and your client will need time to process properly if they are going to say Yes.
The problem if you don’t “zip up”
So when you keep talking, either from nervousness, or because you are second guessing what they are thinking, telling yourself stories about it, and trying to jump in too eagerly with your solution or reassurance (maybe a discount before they’ve asked, or addressing a concern they haven’t voiced) you interrupt that thought process and this makes it impossible for them to come to a clear decision.
Interrupt the thought process, and they won’t find your chatter helpful. In fact the only person who feels better when you do that is you! Instead it will inhibit their ability to come to a decision that feels right for them.
Try too hard to help them make a decision by continuing to talk and, in the absence of the space they need they will just say “No” or (more commonly) “I need to think about it.”
In fact, not allowing people the space to come to their own decision there and then during the conversation is one of the biggest reasons why people end the conversation saying “I need to think about it” instead of “Yes please, how soon can we start?”
So what do you need to do…? Follow 3 simple steps!
That’s easy. Say what you need to say as clearly and succinctly as possible. Then stop. Think of Zippy and mentally “zip up”. Long enough for your client to process. It’s actually easy:
- Say what you’ve got to say
- Zip up
- Wait
Sometimes just a pause of a few seconds is enough to allow your point to sink in – and then you can continue talking.
At other times you need to be brave enough to zip up completely and let the client be the first one to speak.
And yes it will feel painfully…. interminably….. long….. to you…….. the one who is waiting…….
But your client won’t be experiencing an uncomfortable silence at all – instead, they will experience the space to process in the way they need to – and when they’ve finished doing that they will speak – I promise!
So next time, try zipping up and see what happens!
Over to you… Do you keep talking to fill the gaps and notice you get a lot of “I need to think about it” as a result? I always love to hear from you so please share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.
The 7 Steps to Yes! – free video training
Watch this series of bite-sized videos to learn my step-by-step process for effectively guiding your potential client through a conversation that ends with them saying “Yes please!” to working with you in a way that feels totally authentic and comfortable for both of you. (It’s just 21 mins in total)
(Image adapted from original by Frankie Roberto. Click here for relevant Creative Commons License.)
