Prevent Perils of Repsplaining to Prospects

Repsplaining;
the explanation of something by a salesperson (aka ‘rep’), typically to a potential customer or buyer, in a manner regarded as condescending or patronising.

Recognise this?

I simply remixed the definition of mansplain. And could have also added more traits to the end. Such as, ‘or aggressive or foundationless or hyperbolic or selfish or misleading’. You get the idea.

If you or anyone in your sales effort can be prone to this, then can it be shut down like its insufferable sibling?

Ought we have the buyerside version of this flowchart?

Here’s a quintet of legs for our table of sturdy selling;

No Talk-Over

One of the early cardinal sins in selling I ever picked up, was never to interrupt a prospect. Talking over people is a crime.

Re-Direct

When ‘running’ a sales meeting (which, by the way, your prospect thinks of as their ‘buying meeting’) actively encourage discourse from every single person in the room. Be prepared to deliberately elicit opinion from those you’re conscious have said less than others.

2 Ears 1 Mouth

An age-old sales adage. You have them in this ratio for a very good reason. You must use them in that proportion. Minimum. Listen (at least) twice as much as you speak.

Background Check

Know what those in attendance have done in the past. Find true expertise. Allow their undoubted experience to shine. And don’t claim intimate insight in any of their areas.

Talk-Time

In a similar fashion to when you have a job interview, the best meetings are when the buyer does all the talking. Keep tabs on how much airtime is yours. If you sense it’s too much (hint; it nearly always is), then wind it back. Ask a question. Then another. And stop spinning plates.