Buying Signals

Adam Boyd is a sales trainer for Market Sense and someone I had met on a couple of occasions and he appears elsewhere on this blog.
can-social-media-replace-cold-calling
Below is an article he wrote for his blog on buying signals.
When you are sitting across from a candidate or client, how do you recognize if they have bought what you are telling them?
Thanks Adam for the article!
Ev

Buying Signals
by
Adam Boyd
buying-signals

Years ago, I sat in a meeting with a couple of executives in Austin, Texas. I had not uncovered any really compelling reasons for them to change course. Even though one of the executives was the sole source of new business for the company, and their six sales reps were posting goose eggs, they felt good about their company and their direction. They either weren't comfortable opening up to me, or were oblivious to their concentration issue. However, one of the partners asked me what it would cost to help them.
Sensing that a discussion of money at this point was premature, I instead asked, "Well, are you sure you want my help?" He sort of laughed and replied, "When someone asks about price, that's usually a buying signal." Got me on that one. And he invoked old-school sales terminology, to boot. Prospect -2, Adam - 0.

Buying signals..... If you aren't familiar, these are the divining rods of sellers, indicating someone's desire and readiness to purchase your product or service. Some examples include:

• Leaning forward or changing their posture
• Smiling, or making more direct eye contact
• Making "interested" sounds (I'm not kidding)
• Asking about price, warranties, or guarantees
• Asking for a demo. Or asking for a second demo
• Asking very detailed questions about your offering

Maybe those do signal a desire and willingness to buy. In the case of body language, it might be that they're uncomfortable in their chair, or from standing still for so long. Asking about price might be a way to get rid of the seller, or to gain information they can use against a competitor. Asking for a demo might be because they simply love new technologies, or to see if they can reverse engineer it in-house. The reality is that these "signs" could be good, they could be bad, but we really don't know.
What works much more effectively than a sales ouija board or magic 8 ball is getting simple answers to straight questions. Elite sellers find out, from the prospect, answers to the following:

• Why are you looking?
• What else are you considering?
• Why have you not bought those?
• When do you need it? Why then?
• Do you think we can help?
• Do you want our help?
• Do you have the money? Will you spend it? Under what conditions?

These aren't sexy, but elite sellers get these questions answered. They can then forecast more accurately and close more predictably than sellers who try to interpret a bad case of indigestion or gas on the part of the prospect.
What tools are your people using to qualify or disqualify opportunities?