My, What a Big Ego You Have!

In sales, as in life, you are not going to like every person you meet. That’s fine.  You don’t have to be fond of everyone or share their ideas of what’s important. However, you do have to get along with people you might not necessarily like and show respect to everyone you work with, regardless of your personal feelings.

That said, what do you do when you are working with a prospect whose ego is so inflated, there is barely room for you in his office? He is the prospect whose walls are lined with pictures of himself, usually holding his awards. He is the one who is always right and will be sure to tell you about it. How do you convince him that you’re right and he should switch to your products and services?

First, it’s important to remember and articulate to the prospect, that you share a common goal: helping his business become more successful. It will enhance his reputation and increase your residual checks. You need to win his trust and demonstrate how you can help him continue to be a success.

Next, position yourself and your services so that the prospect doesn’t have to admit any failures or mistakes. Ask him to tell you about himself, his company, his past achievements (he’ll be more than happy to share!) and future goals. Stress that choosing his current service provider was probably a good idea at the time the decision was made. Now that his skills and achievements have made the company such a success, however, needs to find solutions tailored to the larger, more accomplished business he controls today.

Now it’s time to learn what the prospect prides and values. Ask where a particular photo was taken or what a certain award is. Listen to what he feels is important and where he feels his strengths lie. If he says he received an award for increasing sales, you can highlight how your product will help increase his sales even more and maybe garner some new awards. If his location was awarded for exemplary customer service, you can demonstrate how your product speeds up checkout and make receipts easier to read.

Remember that this is not an adversarial battle where one ego must dominate the other. When you get the signed contract, you will both be winners. However, the prospect may need to perceive himself as the winner. Reinforce his decision, let him bask in the spotlight of his excellent decision making skills, and if he needs to win on a negotiation point or two, let him feel like a winner. He doesn’t have to actually win the point, just feel like he has. It is up to you help him save face, if need be.

As the sales professional, you will need to reinforce his decision.  Commend him on his business acumen and let him feel that any future successes are to his credit. Maintain a high level of professionalism at all times. Heck, you might surprise yourself and find that you’ve unfairly prejudged this person and he’s not so bad after all!