Golf fans: pretend you are down one stroke at the Masters and you are on the 18th hole. A fan is near the green eating a hamburger when all of a sudden, a gust of wind pulls his McDonald’s bag out onto the fairway. Amazingly, the ball takes a huge bounce and then rolls right into the bag. Under PGA rules you cannot cause the ball to move once it is in rest or you face a one stroke penalty. What should you do?

Solution: Light the bag on fire then hit the ball.

That is problem-solving!

As salespeople, we run into problems every day when we are out selling. We forget our presentation materials. We get stood up. We run into traffic on the way to an appointment. Meetings cancel. The financials sometimes do not work out. A surprise decision-maker gets involved. We put our foot in our mouth.

To be good in sales or sales management, you have to be good at thinking on your feet. You have to be a good problem-solver. In fact, that is why sales can be such a lucrative profession. If just anyone could do it, there would not be so much financial opportunity. The world will pay almost anything for a good problem-solver.

With just a little intentionality, you can solve almost any sales problem in five steps.

1. Identify the problem.

Some people don’t even do this. (Example: Wife that is mad at her husband, and he doesn’t even know why she is mad.)

2. Change your perspective – identify three positives.

Let’s say you drive all the way across the city during rush hour traffic in the morning to a breakfast meeting, and just as you walk in the door, you get a call on your cell and your prospective client says, “I’m sorry to have to do this to you, but I just don’t think this is a good fit, so I’m not going to be making our meeting today.”

What are three good things about that? Of course, you don’t want to get stood up; but when it happens, you have to learn to look on the bright side. You can say to yourself, Now I have more time to call and set up another appointment. Or you can say, I am thankful every day for a job that teaches me patience. Or Every ”’no” gets me closer to a “yes.” etc.

True Story: While selling books for Southwestern Family of Companies, one of my colleagues got 13 flat tires in one summer. After the first few, he turned it into a game to see how fast he could change a tire. By the end of the summer, he could change a tire in under three minutes.

3. Identify all your possible solutions.

You can sit around and feel sorry for yourself. You can take a break. You can emotionally eat and gorge on the most fattening of breakfast foods to help you cope. You can call a friend and complain about your job. You can project that it is just not possible to make money in your profession. I know all the previous “solutions” sound stupid; but believe me, people do them. I have seen many off-track sales people take a nap in their car or decide they need to go shopping during the day, when they get an unexpected break. Another solution would be to go straight back to the phone and try to replace that cancelled appointment with another.

4. Determine which option is best.

A good rule of thumb is to pick whatever solution gets you in front of another prospect the quickest. That helps you to get over it quicker and builds your self-esteem, because you know you can work through anything. It allows you to realize that problems are no big deal.

5. Do It!

Sometimes we know what we should be doing, but we still don’t do it. My dog is even guilty of that. He will stick his head in the trash can to pull out the scraps; and while he is doing it, he will wear a cheesy, toothy grin on his face because he knows he is doing wrong. Remember, whenever we don’t do something we know we should be doing, it takes our self-confidence down a notch. When we do something that we don’t want to do because it is the right thing to do, that increases our self-confidence. Action cures fear!

Bonus tip on having a problem-solving attitude: Always focus on the solution. Are we always solution-oriented? How many times do you hear someone complain about the market, about their company’s pricing, or how much they have to do? If you find yourself, doing any of those, that is not being solution-oriented, that is being problem-oriented.

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Using names and stories can be your greatest advantage, or it can be a weakness. Learning the art of using stories can help you more quickly connect with others and, ultimately, influence buyers. Incorporating the following techniques will help hone your storytelling skills to engage more effectively with your prospects.

Many people sell the way they would like to be sold, regardless of the prospect’s personality type. Unfortunately, this approach can lead to missed opportunities for new business.

What Is the “Fighter” personality type?

Like every personality type, the “Fighter” has both strengths and weaknesses. Fighters are typically results-oriented and resilient. They can also be impatient and controlling. Most Fighters are motivated by a desire to overcome odds, and their biggest fears are losing control or not getting results. When they’re under stress, a Fighter may run people over to get his or her way. However, many Fighters are naturally inspiring and idealistic—often utilizing their aggressive nature to push for change and make things better for themselves and their team.

If you’ve ever interacted with a Fighter, you know that every step of the process can be a challenge. In fact, you might not get past the introduction if you aren’t prepared! The good news? If you understand their value signals and are ready with a few tricks, even the strongest Fighter can wind up in your corner.

1. Appeal to Their Value Signals

From the first handshake to the close, you need to be deliberate with how you speak to fighters. This personality type is results-oriented and wants to be in control, so tailor your pitch with these pain points in mind. Do some homework and find out which specific results (e.g., time, money, or some other measure of success) are most important to the prospect.

2. Get Right to the Point

With some personality types, it’s a good idea to ease into your pitch and start slow with your introduction. But this isn’t the case with fighters. Keep rapport to a minimum, and get right to the point: what it is you’re offering and why the prospect needs it. When you dive into your presentation, get to the value statement quickly.

3. Close with Confidence

Throughout your entire pitch, you want to challenge your prospect in a positive way. Fighter types react positively to confidence, and this is especially important to remember when you transition to the close. It’s a good practice to give the prospect control at this stage, which you can do by:

• Letting them vent if they have any disagreements.Arguing with a fighter won’t help, so let them finish without interrupting. They’ll be much more receptive to your response.
• Give them choices. If you give a fighter a couple of options, they’ll feel more in control of the situation.
• Challenge them in a positive way. Come prepared with solutions that target their value signals. Also, be ready to answer any questions they have succinctly and confidently.

Navigate Your Way to Sales Success

For more information about the fighter personality type, how to modify your approach, and selling the way people like to buy, check out the Navigate 2.0 bundle.

To learn how to navigate different personalities and close more sales, contact us for a free consultation on how personal coaching can help or to book a free workshop for your team.