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Why are my sales people uncomfortable discussing money with prospects and clients?

Week 1 - 10 Cardinal Sins of Selling; #6 Failure To Have Frank And Open Discussions About Money

We are in a society that has raised us to treat money as a private, confidential matter. As children we are discouraged from asking 'how much did that t.v. cost, Mrs. Olson?' and told that is an impolite question. When we get older, discussing money is seen as vulgar or coarse, especially if referring to our annual salaries. The net result is adults are uncomfortable discussing money in any context. This is crippling when it comes to sales, with a tendency to bring up price at the end of the sales process. Does it make sense?No, it only makes us comfortable. As part of Sales Whisperer training, sales professionals learn to open a sales process with the topic of money. If a potential client has none, then there is no point in offering a presentation. If a client is simply price shopping, give them a figure so that they will go elsewhere and keep on tire kicking.

When price is put first, the client and the sales professional can relax because both know that price is not going to obliterate the sale. The client does not feel awkward wasting the sales professional's time because they already know whether they can afford the solution or not. The sales professional can focus on matching the client need with the right answers, rather than worrying that the sales presentation will be sunk by a lack of money.

This will be covered in Week 1, Week 5, and Week 7.