There are two things everybody brings to every communication situation: Behavior and expectations. Understanding those can lead to sales, and not understanding them can lead to missed opportunities.
You almost have to be a detective!
A roofer client recently shared a story about a client he was meeting with about a roof. When my client shared how much the roof would cost, they seemed shocked, but thanked him for his time.
Thankfully, my client noticed their reaction, and asked a few follow up questions. As it turns out, they had not purchased a roof in many, many years, and were expecting a much lower price. My client was able to talk them through some different options and ways to save some money.
In the end, they were able to meet somewhere in the middle.
Had my client not asked that, they probably would have gone and gotten some additional quotes. Then even if none of them were what they were hoping for, the lowest one would probably have won out, and my client wouldn't have gotten the job.
Instead, he noticed their behavior, had the guts to ask about it, and uncovered that it was something that could be changed.
Interestingly enough, the woman my client was meeting with also seemed instantly relieved that they didn't have to meet with other roofers to get quotes!
When you think about how things change over time, you have to make changes to your business. And often when meeting with people, even if they've dealt with someone in your industry, it may have been years since they did so. There's no telling what their expectations are, unless you ask.
So watch the behaviors of others, and make it all about them. In doing so, you can uncover their expectations. And often times, like in the case of my roofer client, that can lead to a sale.
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