“Stop being afraid and focus instead on what you’re trying to get done.” – Jeff Bajorek in today’s Tip 525
Are you being pushy or being direct?
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Transcript
Scott Ingram: You’re listening to the Daily Sales Tips podcast and I’m your host, Scott Ingram. Today Jeff Bajorek is back in his new regular spot on Saturday’s. Here he is:
Jeff Bajorek: There’s a difference between being pushy and being direct. And the problem most salespeople have is that in an effort to not be pushy, they actually forget to be direct. Now look, understand what you’re trying to do here. And I believe the difference between those two terms is really your intention. Okay?
If you have reasonable intentions for any interaction you can directly ask for those expectations, you can set the agenda for the meeting. You can make the other person understand what you’re trying to do without being insensitive to them at all. When you get pushy that demonstrates a lack of empathy, that demonstrates a lack of manners, and really you’re just trying to browbeat or force somebody into doing something they really don’t want to do. That’s far different from directly telling them what you’d like to accomplish, and then asking them if they’d like to go along for the ride with you.
Now, when you go so far out of your way to not be pushy, that you forget to be direct. You waste everybody’s time when you’re direct without being pushy. At least you’re telling me what you’d like to accomplish with me, and then telling me that there are going to be steps along the way that we can hit. And hopefully, we can accomplish something together. You’re leaving it up to me to decide if I want to go on that ride with you, but when you’re being pushy, you’re really just painting me into a corner and trying to manipulate me and to do that thing that I really wasn’t planning on doing.
So I understand that those words are kind of closely related and there’s a fear of, if I am direct or too direct, well, I end up being perceived as pushy. Look, you’re going to tow that line. You should toe that line a little bit. And maybe every once in a while, you’re going to know where that line is and you’re going to cross it. But if you are acting with good intentions, if you are understanding what you need to accomplish and you’re letting the other person in, you’re letting your prospect in on what needs to be accomplished, it’s actually pretty tough to be perceived as pushy, as long as you’re being sensitive to the other person on the call.
Look, Mike Weinberg says, got ask three times, ask for the meeting, restate how important that meeting is and ask again. And if they do say no that second time you can plead with them level with them and say, “Hey, look, this is the last time I’m going to ask because it’s this important and I believe it’s going to help. I won’t ask again, but meet with me anyway.” That kind of intention, that kind of purpose is very, very direct. But if you have a little empathy, if you have any manners or etiquette at all, you will not be perceived as pushy. At least not by anybody who’s worth doing business with anyway. So stop being afraid and focus instead on what you’re trying to get done.
Scott Ingram: Jeff always provides his tips in video form and you can see this one at DailySales.Tips/525 They’re also on YouTube, DailySales.Tips/YouTube will take your straight to our channel there.
Once you’ve checked that out. Be sure to come back tomorrow for another great sales tip. Thanks for listening!