persist politely and gain respect

Some purchases are impulsive. We often make immediate purchasing decision. Other buying decisions are deliberative. The buyer intentionally considers whether they actually want or need to make the purchase, whether they can afford it, and when to actually do it after careful comparisons and evaluations. There is often a long sales cycle on large, complex purchases and the salesperson will have to follow up a number of times to make the sale.Some salespeople seem to have attended the "pound the door down" school of salesmanship where they learn closing techniques designed to overcome all obstacles with scripts written by Attila the Hun's speech writer. These techniques work as long as thealesperson has a very thick skin, doesn't mind being forcefully shown the door on occasion, and whose only object is to close the sale whether the item is appropriate for the customer or not.At the school of collaborative salesmanship, salespeople learn to partner with the prospect. They learn to present the product knowledgeably, work with the prospect to help them make an informed, appropriate buying decision. Over time the salesperson works to earn the prospect's trust and, in most cases, becomes a trusted advisor while learning the prospect's needs and desires. They also learn the concept of polite persistence. Knowing that few sales are made on the spot they understand the need for following up - coming back to the prospect to inquire about the prospect's thoughts, timetable, and to answer questions without annoying the prospect with a constant barrage.Polite persistence is a balancing act between not calling enough and calling too often. The salesperson will gain respect, and lessen the chances of becoming thought of as an annoyance, by asking when it would be appropriate to call again, by reminding the prospect that they gained permission to call, and to present themselves as a professional advisor rather than the "pinkie-ring-and-plaid-suit-wearing salesperson.The key to closing large, complex sales is persistence... polite, professional, persistence.

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