Yesterday, Elaine tried on several bathing suits that she had bought last week. Naturally, she had to model them for me and I had to answer the same questions for each. Do you like it? How about right here (while she points)? Do you like the material? Color? Does it make me look fat?
Now, we’ve been married for a long time. My answers were: HMMM! Do you? What’s the matter with that (and I look wherever she’s pointing)? Will it dry or is it comfortable? Do you have that color already? And I give her the ‘do I look that stupid look’ to the last question.
Then she hit’s me with, “Ricky, you know that question that husbands can’t answer?” I give her the look again. She says, “You know, the fat question. You can answer it. Do any of these suits make me look fat?” I said, “Elaine, if you like the color, and you like the style, and the suit is comfortable, keep it. If you don’t want to keep it, bring it back.”
Can you tell that Elaine has an issue with her ‘Buy Cycle‘? But don’t interpret that as, “She wants me to tell her what I think.” because it doesn’t matter. MY OPINION DOES NOT MATTER! Get it? Whether I say, “Keep it.” or “Don’t keep it.” has no effect on her decision.
If you read the page behind the link, you noticed that this ‘issue’ is very common and VERY powerful. So, you shouldn’t be surprised when I tell you that most of the prospects that I meet with have this issue.
Here’s the difference. When a prospect is talking to me, it’s usually because they want to sell more. Although Elaine and my prospect have the same issue with their ‘Buy Cycle’, Elaine’s issue does not impact her ability to sell because she’s not trying to sell. She’s only trying to decide whether or not to buy. My prospect on the other hand not only has to overcome the issue in order to be able to sell more, but they’ll also have to overcome the issue in order to buy the solution and like with Elaine, my opinion doesn’t matter.
Many of my prospects are looking for a quick answer, a magic bullet, a super pill. Sorry, change always requires work and some level of discomfort. Ask Sandra Condon. She doesn’t sell diet pills, she offers solutions that require work and some level of discomfort to acheive a healthy life.
My prospects face an interesting dilemma, don’t they?
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RainMakers & Sales Rock Stars 
Thanks so much for making me laugh. While your intent is to talk about your customers’ buy cycles, I read this differently. What your wife wanted from you was a simple statement – Honey, that suit makes you look great. She would then have said, Really? And your correct response – Yes, really! You look really good! Would have made her happy and let her buy that suit because she would have had reassurance from you that she was making the right decision, and she would have felt great because she would have known that you actually notice her in a bathing suit. This has a lot to do with what men and women want from each other and that’s a WHOLE different conversation. I wonder if this isn’t a conversation for Jeannie Worrick – about how men and women sell differently. Maybe a woman candidate would understand that the prospect is ready to buy the product that solves the problem – I need a bathing suit – when the correct thing has been said and the correct feelings have been elicited – Oh my goodness, that suit makes you look 10 years younger!
I’ve never kept it a secret…Elaine deserves better. She stays anyway.I used to try to help her buy, now I just watch her buy (like an athlete watches his own sport or a surgeon watches a surgery from the gallery). I like to watch the process. I’ve watched her buy a time share, her cars, our house in Maine, our house in Holden, a new kitchen, oriental rugs, hardwood floor, antiques, yada, yada, yada. I know A LOT about the way she buys and as a smart husband and a very good salesman, I stay out of it!
I have to say I agree with Catie. The question was not about buying, it was about assurance that she looked good in it to go out in public.
You guys are just trying to paint me as an insensitive dolt. Next thing, you’ll have Kate Hyland Mercer, Linda Cohan and Jeanne Worrick chiming in. OK. All together now. “Poor Elaine!”
Thank you for your posting.its very use ful.