4 Reasons People Don't Buy Your Ideas...Products or Services

Have you ever stopped for a moment to consider why people don't buy your ideas? My friend, Tom Wilkerson, a former general agent for Northwestern Mutual Insurance Company, is the consummate salesman and community leader. Tom has a way of making complicated concepts, such as sales, simple. Here are his 5 reason why people don't buy your ideas, products or services.

1. They don't trust.

2. They don't need.

3. What you're offering doesn't help them.

4. They feel no sense of urgency.

Recent public policy debates in Washington D.C. highlight the importance of these factors in swaying public opinion. If you listen to the arguments of opponents of health care reform, these five themes are highlighted. Some feel that Congress and the President spent too much money on bailouts and stimulus packages. They lack trust. Others, who have health insurance and are afraid of being burdened with taxes and losing what they have, don't need reform. Simply stated, what is being offered doesn't help them. Finally, others who say "let's slow down" and examine this change and implement it gradually don't feel a sense of urgency. All five themes are part of the debate. I offer this simplistic analysis not to support one position or the other, but to show you how all five reasons must be addressed to successfully sell your ideas.

Do the same themes apply to selling products or services? Absolutely yes! Regardless of whether you are trying to make change in your community, selling a product to a consumer or trying to offer a professional service, these five reasons must be addressed in order for you to be successful.

In my book, I emphasis the importance of credibility. Credibility and visibility are the two essential elements of developing business relationships. Credibility goes to the heart of trust. You can't simply wake up one morning and say, "Today, I am going to be credible." It takes a lifetime of work to establish credibility. Credibility and trustworthiness can not be turned on and off like a switch. It must be a part of who you are or a part of your businesses culture.

Need is perhaps the greatest driver of human behavior. Need and want are often confused in the minds of consumers, but need must be addressed in order for a sale to occur.

Offering something that is needed may seem like a no-brainer, but I am often amazed at how many people selling a product or service fail to examine the needs of the person to whom they are selling. This is necessary to determine whether the product or service actually helps the consumer. You must have a compelling reason why your product or service will help address the needs of the consumer.

No sense of urgency is often the reason a sale fails. A consumer may like the product or service but he or she will not act until motivated or pressured to do so. How many "infomercials" on TV say, "If you call within the next ten minutes, you will receive_____ free!" Why do they always throw in a bonus offer - to create a sense of urgency.

Just think how many wills are written after a poor health diagnosis or how many accountants are hired after an IRS notice is received. If you want to sell your idea or product, you have to demonstrate to people the urgency of acting now and not delaying.

Before you attempt to make a sale keep these five themes in mind and you will do well.

It Doesn't Matter If You Are The Broker, The Banker or The Candlestick Maker... It's All About Relationships

Relationships are the core of rainmaking. Any successful businessman, lawyer, accountant, stock broker, banker or other professional will tell you that the ability to develop and maintain relationships is essential to developing a large book of business.

Examples of the importance of strong business relationships abound. I have seen careers soar based on relationships and businesses collapse when good relationships go bad.

A great example of the importance of relationships in sales came knocking at my door this summer, twice. Each time I opened the door, I was met by a smiling face and a hearty greeting. The sales persons introduced themselves and asked my name. After making a point of shaking my hand, each told me a personal story - how they were struggling to improve their lives. One asked me, "Do you have any advice for a young person like me trying to make a better life?"

Whenever there was the slightest pause, I would ask, "What are you trying to sell?" Each time they would re-engage me in conversation and avoid my question. With the second salesperson, I became frustrated. Why won't they just tell me what they're selling?

Finally, it dawned on me: they were trying to develop a relationship with me. They knew the importance of relationships. We were well into "our new relationship" before I ever found out what they were selling.

Did it work? You betcha! I now have a second bottle of orange cleaner (I still haven't used the first bottle from last year.) and a children's hospital somewhere in America is receiving a bunch of magazines (I hope).

Obviously, these folks from two different companies were trained similarly. Why were they trained the same way? Because it works!

What these two peddlers taught me was the importance of establishing a relationship before making a sale. If they had told me that they were selling cleaners and magazines when I opened the door, I would have instinctively said, "I'm not interested." Instead they sold themselves first and the products second. Even though our relationship would last less than five minutes, they recognized the importance of establishing it before trying to sell me their product.

Make The Pie Bigger

Shortly after starting the private practice of law, I set my goal on becoming a partner in a large, regional law firm. One day, I asked a senior partner, "What does it take to become a partner in this firm?" I will never forget the answer. Without hesitation, she said, "You have to make the pie bigger. You have to become a rainmaker."

None of my law school professors ever talked about rainmaking, and I received NO instruction on developing a client base.

I talked to my older friends who were insurance agents, stockbrokers, accountants and junior executives, and I asked them what they knew about rainmaking. Suprisingly, most were familiar with the concept, but few knew how to make it happen. Soon I realized that I was not alone. For most young professionals, developing business is a sink or swim proposition.

I looked for books on the subject, but couldn't find anything that applied to someone just starting out. I wanted to know the little tips and tricks that separated the great Rainmakers from everyone else. It was at this time, more than eighteen years ago, that I conceived the idea of writing a book on the subject. Over the years I observed great Rainmakers and recorded their best practices. That information is now captured in my book, RAINMAKING 101.

Since the book was published, I have spoken to numerous groups on the subject of rainmaking. After each presentation, it seems that an audience member shares a little tip that they have learned. Instead of writing a sequel to Rainmaking 101, I have decided to share these tips and other ideas about client development through this blog.

I hope that you enjoy it and find it helpful. Please feel free to share any tips and tricks that you have learned along the way!