In Part I, we discussed the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) of change and how it can be used to overcome resistance to change in sales. We discussed five stages of change and why the Precontemplation stage is the most challenging phase of your sales cycle - because that's when prospects are not actively seeking out your products and services.
Prospects in precontemplation stage may be quite content with their current status quo, so they may not even realize the potential benefits of your offering. Prospects may also have deep-rooted routines and organizational dynamics, making it difficult for them to consider changing their current "ways of doing things". If are you tired of getting rejections such as "not interested" or "no, thanks", in this article we will provide you with practical tools and strategies that will help you increase youor chances of moving prospects from precontemplation to contemplation stage.
Transtheoretical Model (TTM) of Change: From Precontemplation to Contemplation
Prospects in the precontemplation stage are not concerned about their status quo. They may lack awareness of any problems. They are not considering any changes. They may also be unable to change. In fact, many potential prospects remain in precontemplation stage for years, rarely thinking about changing their ways. This is why in order to successfully move prospects from precontemplation to the contemplation stage, building rapport and trust is the first required step in the process.
Table 1 - What to focus on with prospects in precontemplation stage
PROSPECT MOTIVATION | WHAT TO FOCUS ON |
The prospect is not concerned about the status quo or lacks awareness. | Developing rapport and building trust |
The prospect is not considering change and is unwilling or unable to change | Raising doubts and concerns about the prospect’s status quo |
The prospect may be pressured by others to implement changes (organizational dynamics) | |
Developing Rapport and Building Trust
Before you raise the topic of change with prospects who are not even thinking about it, you must first establish rapport. The challenge is to create a trusted environment in which prospects can feel comfortable about engaging in authentic dialog. Over time, as prospects become more engaged with you, their defensiveness and reluctance to change may decrease.
Here are some motivational strategies for establishing rapport and trust in initial conversations about behavior change:
1. Emphasize personal autonomy
Ask the prospect for permission. Don’t assume that he or she is interested in hearing about your offering. This shows respect for their autonomy. Explain that you will not tell what to do and whether or not to change.
Emphasizing that prospects have choices, even if such choices have downsides, reinforces personal autonomy and opens up the possibility for prospects to choose change. When you emphasize autonomy, use neutral, non-judgemental tones. A dismissive tone can evoke strong reactions from the prospect. For example:
PROSPECT: “I am really not interested in giving up on our existing platform.“
YOU: “It’s really up to you. No one can make that decision for you.”
Respect your prospect's opinions and do not be judgemental or sarcastic.
2. Tell them something about you
During the precontemplation stage, it is ok to give your prospect information about your offering. You can elucidate the mechanics and benefits of your products or services, or outline the objectives you aim to accomplish over a specified period of time. However, you must exercise discretion and avoid overwhelming the prospect with too much information. Instead, focus on building a foundation of mutual trust. Offer them a glimpse into the potential collaboration and the value it could bring to both of you. By striking the right balance and sharing pertinent information without inundating them with excessive details, you can set the stage for a more productive and positive engagement moving forward.
3. Elicit their perception by asking open questions
Invite your prospect to explain his or her understanding of their current situation. Remember: your prospect may not think that there is a problem. Be direct, but remain nonjudgmental. You might say things like:
“Can you tell me a bit about what drove you to book a meeting with me today?” OR
”Can you tell me why you decided to accept my invitation?” OR
“I’d like to understand your perspective on why you are here. Can we start there?”
Encouraging open-ended questions invites potential clients to share their narratives, signaling your genuine interest in their viewpoints. When a prospect appears reserved or defensive, one approach is to pinpoint a subject of relevance to them. This valuable information could be relayed by a referral source or obtained through direct questioning about any challenges they might be facing. Some prospects may be seeking alterations due to external influences, such as employer expectations, colleagues' input, healthcare providers' recommendations, legal system requirements, and more. Initiating a conversation about these external motivators can help the prospect recognize their current situation. Refrain from expressing agreement or disagreement with the prospect's stance.
4. Avoid common traps
Your prospect may want to feel understood and respected while you move the conversation toward a possible change. Here are some common traps that you need to avoid in order to preserve engagement.
Table 2. Common traps to avoid
The Labeling trap | The Premature Focus trap | The Expert trap | The Question and Answer trap |
Avoid referring to the prospect’s “problem” or “pain,” because it may not reflect the prospect’s perspective. Diagnoses and labels can evoke shame in prospects. There is no evidence that forcing a prospect to accept a label is helpful; in fact, it usually evokes discord in the relationship. You are trying to understand the context and the prospect’s readiness to change. Labels can raise a person’s defenses. | You can fall into this trap when you focus on an agenda for change before the prospect is ready—for example, jumping into solving problems before developing a strong working alliance. When you focus on an issue that is important to you but not to the prospect, discord will occur. Remember that your approach should match where the prospect is with regard to his or her readiness to change. | Prospects may perceive you as an authority in the field, to get answers to questions and to help them make important decisions. But, in your conversation with a prospect, remember that you do not have to have all the answers, and trust that the prospect has knowledge about what is important to him or her, what needs to change, and what steps need to be taken to make those changes. | When your focus is on getting information from a prospect, particularly during the first meeting, be aware of the Q&A trap, where it feels like an interrogation rather than a conversation. A pattern of asking closed questions and giving short answers sets you up in the expert role, and the prospect becomes a passive recipient of the treatment intervention instead of an active partner in the process. |
It may sound obvious, but do NOT argue with your prospect! If you try to prove a point, he or she may predictably take the opposite side. Arguments can rapidly degenerate into a power struggle and do not facilitate motivation for change.
5. Assess their readiness to change
In a previous article, we discussed the importance of understanding your prospect’s readiness to change. In order to do this, you must understand the distinction between Sustain Talk and Change Talk. Asking open-ended questions and evoking change talk through the use of the DARN methodology facilitates a deeper connection with customers, leading to more fruitful sales interactions. By integrating these strategies into your B2B outbound sales approach, you can have more successful meetings and forge stronger relationships with prospects.
The Importance Ruler:
A useful tool for assessing the prospect’s readiness to change is the Importance Ruler. The Importance Ruler indicates how important it is for the prospect to make a change right now. Prospects in precontemplation stage will typically be at the lower end of the ruler, generally between 0 and 3. Keep in mind that these numerical assessments are not fixed in time - the prospect moves forward or backward across stages or jumps from one part of the continuum to another, in either direction and at various times.
Question 1:
YOU: “On a scale of 0 to 10, how important is it for you to change, if you decided to?”
Question 2:
YOU: “Why are you a 5 instead of a 1?”
Question 3:
YOU: “What would help you move from a 5 to a 9?”
This question invites the prospect to reflect on reasons to increase readiness to change.
Key Takeaways
The precontemplation stage is the most challenging stage when it comes to B2B sales. Understanding the prospect's motivation, developing rapport and building trust, and employing the use of motivational strategies are key methods for successfully moving prospects from the precontemplation stage to the contemplation stage. Sales professionals can also use the "Importance Ruler", which is a numerical scale tool used to assess the prospect’s readiness to change, by asking open-ended questions to evoke sustain and change talk. In Part III of this series, we will discuss more strategies for clients in precontemplation stage - specifically on how to raise doubts and concerns about your prospect’s status quo.