So you pick up the phone and call that prospect you've been trying to get in to see. They answer and you hit them with your best shot only to get a "thanks anyway we're all set" or a seasonal "call me after the holidays" or maybe, if you have someone who is a bit more creative, "I'd love to but my TPS reports need to get to Lumberg before the 'Bobs' get wind of it"
Congrats, you've been "auto-ejected"
"Auto-eject" is simply that one excuse your prospect loves to cling to in hopes of removing you from their line.
Call them 3 months, 3 years or next millennium and you can count on that same, tired old "auto-eject". Why? Because most of us lack the creativity to have multiple blow offs in our screw you arsenal.
But it isn't all gloom and doom. In fact . . .
Once you have identified an "auto ejector" there are some things you can do!
First: whatever reason they give you for not taking the appointment should be documented in your CRM so the following ideas are leveraged more effectively. If people are in fact creatures of habit, it starts with us flagging the habit!
Next: Consider using a Pattern Interrupt! A pattern interrupt is used to interrupt the pattern (I know "duh") and throw them off balance enough to engage them in a dialogue.
Here are 3 Pattern Interrupts for your consideration:
Preemptive Strike: A preemptive strike occurs when you take their "auto-eject" and add it to the end of your offering in a way that removes the ability to logically use the "auto-eject".
Example: Let's say that every time I call the ABC Co I'm told by my contact "We're all set and have no needs at this time" I would simply add "even if you're all set" to the end of my offering.
Here's what happens the majority of the time: The prospect is so used to saying "we're all set" they fumble long enough for you to leverage that "I got thrown off balance" moment and engage them in conversation or simply redirect toward the appointment.
Add To The Objection: I'll say it for you. How crazy is that? Let's just say that your prospect's "auto-eject" is "We're short handed right now and I don't have the time to meet with vendors"
Now instead of hitting them with an immediate rebuttal (while their guard is still up by the way) you want to get that guard down so they get out of "auto-eject" mode. If you were to add to the objection, you could say "And to top it off (name of prospect) I bet there aren't enough hours in the day to get it all done" Then you would redirect the conversation towards an appointment.
Time out: Right about now, you might be thinking "what's so different about this approach?" The thing that makes it different is not launching into an immediate rebuttal. You are interrupting the pattern first. In this case, you interrupt the pattern by agreeing and helping them with their auto eject.
Use "The Ledge" I ripped this one off big time from Stephan Schiffman and his awesome book Cold Calling Techniques That Really Work!
A "Ledge" is something you grab onto to keep from falling on your rear. It's also something you climb back onto to get back into the game.
Here's how you use the technique. When someone hits you with "auto-eject" you give the impression that you are complying and then you ask a question or two to get the prospect out of "auto-eject" and into a dialogue. Once you have a quick dialogue, you redirect the conversation back to the appointment.
Here's an example:
Prospect: "Send me some information and we'll take it from there bro chacho"
You: "So that I send you information that's meaningful, let me ask you . . .
Cool question #1 designed to get them talking
Cool question #2 which is a follow up question to continue the dialogue from question #1
You: "You know what (name of prospect), I have some thoughts/ideas that would really speak to what you were saying about (use their answer to your question with their words and phrases). Why don't we get together anyway. How is your schedule etc etc?"
Now let's be crystal clear folks. I'm not suggesting that you do these things and you are guaranteed an appointment.
I'm just suggesting that you find a way to break the pattern of someone who has become real comfy hitting you with the same auto eject.
Your mileage may vary!