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Education

Sell without selling

how we were taught may not work today. The act of selling
today may be the cause of the failure.
Ask, and then listen

Merchants are deeply frustrated, too. They either can't
open or can only open partially due to situations out of
their control. Even when they're open, business is slow.
It's not just due to sheltering in place; it's the economy
and the reduction in potential customers due to high
unemployment.

When I'm frustrated, I get short tempered. The same goes
for some merchants who snap at reps who call or come
in to talk about payment processing. They need sales, not
salespeople.

By Jeff Fortney If you're cold calling in person, say something like this: I
TouchSuite LLC was talking to one of my merchant partners nearby about
what's happening with them. Since I was nearby, I was
urnout. It seems like a strange thing to talk hoping you had a minute to tell me how you're handling
about when so many in our industry find it today's situation.
difficult to do what they've done for years:
B sell. But it's the right word for what I've been If you are on the phone, try this: I just spoke with a
hearing. You see, over recent months, I've conversed with neighboring merchant partner and heard much of what's
many ISOs and merchant level salespeople. My goal has happening with them in today's situation. I thought it
been to let them know I'm here and interested in what's helpful to call merchants near them so that I could hear
happening to them and what they're doing while "doing" how they are handling it. Could you tell me how you are
is so restricted. doing?

I've heard a lot of concern and some frustration. I've Ask, and then listen. Actively. Don't look for keys to
shared different approaches to offering merchant services, sell. Many merchants need someone to talk to, to vent
historical lessons that remain applicable today and their concerns and to know the person is listening. Don't
techniques they may not have considered. Mostly, I've offer payment services yet. The best response is to thank
been their sounding board. them for telling you, acknowledge what you heard and
emphasize that they're not alone. Explain that you hear
In the past couple of weeks, I've heard more frustration, similar concerns from your merchant partners and have
anger and exhaustion. People have even apologized for tried to help them. Reiterate that they're not alone.
their tone and mood. When I've said they sound burned
out, invariably they respond with statements like, "How Thank them for their time and ask if you can call on
can I be burned out when I can't be out? I can't even sell." them again. The next call will be to discuss their current
They aren't burning the candle at both ends, taking no processor and what the processor has done to help them
time to recover, thinking there's always one more thing grow. You will be surprised by their willingness to talk
that can be done, etc. They are frustrated by things out of with you.
their control.
As you can see, stop selling doesn't mean don't sell; it
What they are truly saying is they cannot sell the ways means sell differently. You'll find less frustration, but
they've been selling and (for many) the ways that made above all, you'll gain new knowledge about merchants.
them successful. They may try other techniques, but (like Isn't that worth it?
with all selling) you gain skill over time, and over that Jeff Fortney is senior vice president of business development and part-
time, they will find many failures.
nerships for TouchSuite LLC, a fintech company providing POS systems,
When I hear people say they can't sell, I pause and say, payment processing, SEO solutions, working capital and marketing
"Then stop selling." It's almost sacrilegious to tell people to services to small and midsize businesses. A long-time payments industry
stop selling. We are in the sales business. But we sell the professional and mentor, Jeff focuses on strengthening and developing
way we were taught to sell, and we need to recognize that corporate partnerships and evaluating new business to drive strategic
growth. He can be reached at jfortney@touchsuite.com.
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