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With peer-to-peer networks, protecting data is
usually also an afterthought. If the peer-to-peer server isn't
protected with fault tolerant hard drives, a reliable tape backup
drive, a server-class UPS, and updated antivirus software, a
peer-to-peer server becomes an accident waiting to happen.
So while any of these factors can turn apathy
into your opportunity, sometimes a little divine intervention steps
in to help you in overcoming sales objections.
One day a lightning storm and blackout pushes
your client's "server" over the edge. When power's
restored, the server cannot even boot up to its welcome or logon
screen. So now, the small business owner is scrambling with the
internal guru at 2 a.m. trying to restore the company's corrupted
contact management database, which contains 25,000 records and three
years of data.
Fear of Catastrophic Data Loss and Overcoming Sales Objections
Situations such as catastrophic data loss,
although horrible tragedies for those affected, are great motivators
for combating apathy and overcoming sales objections. All of a
sudden, the small business owner becomes extremely receptive to your
suggestions about your proposed networking solution, which of course
features centralized security and data protection.
Discontinued technical support is another
powerful counterforce for overcoming apathy-rooted sales objections,
especially when you're talking about vertical, industry-specific
software, such as niche applications designed for accountants,
attorneys, physicians, realtors, auto body shops and restaurants.
After a certain point, the independent software
vendor (ISV) selling vertical, industry-specific software draws a
line in the sand and stops providing technical support, annual
updates, and patches for older versions of their product.
So if your client is an accounting firm that
needs updated tax tables (they'd basically be out of business
without them), your client is forced to upgrade the tax software,
which often in turn forces an upgrade of the server. This results in
a call to your firm to upgrade their server (and several related
highly lucrative product sales and service opportunities for your
firm), all as a result of the "domino effect" from an ISV
calling the shots.
With this kind of scenario, you don’t even
need to do much of the work in overcoming this sales objection. Your
prospect’s, customer’s, or client’s vertical ISV has done the
“heavy lifting” so to speak in overcoming sales objections.
So besides fears of unreliable systems and
vendor-mandated upgrades, you can also overcome apathy by discussing
your prospect's, customer’s or client's competition (without
naming names, of course). If you work with many small businesses in
the same industry, and you're seeing a software or more general
technology trend that drastically alters the competitive landscape
in your prospect's or client's industry, by all means call this to
your prospect's or client's attention, as a means of overcoming
sales objections.
The Bottom Line
If you sell and service IT-related products to
small businesses, you need to develop your sales skills for
overcoming sales objections. This article introduces you to three
different major categories of small business IT sales objections and
helps you understand simple anecdotal closing strategies for
overcoming those sales objections… and most importantly, closing
more big-ticket sales.
About the Author
Joshua Feinberg is a 15-year veteran computer
consultant, an internationally recognized expert on small business
computer consulting. He has appeared in dozens of business and IT
trade publications including CRN, VARBusiness, Microsoft Direct
Access, TechRepublic, American Express OPEN Platinum Ventures,
Entrepreneur, Inc, SCORE, Small Business Computing, and USA Today.
To learn more about Joshua’s proven strategies for overcoming more
small business networking sales objections, sign-up now for the
complimentary training resources below.
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