Sandler rule #2, "Don't spill your candy in the lobby," is a hard one to learn because it goes against what most sales people are trained to do. You were probably trained at some point to share your expertise and get your presentation in front of a prospect as quickly as you could.
Unfortunately, that can put you in a vulnerable situation. Knowing why we avoid spilling candy can help this difficult rule stick.
One of the reasons we don't want to spill any candy is that it makes for a less effective sales process when you tell any prospect all about your features and benefits right at the beginning of your relationship. After all, everyone you talk to isn't going to need what you offer. And you'll be wasting your time trying to pretend that's the case.
But another reason is that it opens you up for some pretty negative unintended consequences. Here are a few things your prospect may do:
- They may decide that they do need what you offer but you haven't built enough rapport with them for them to buy it from you.
- They might take your materials and show them to their current supplier to negotiate a better deal (but not with you).
- They might get so annoyed at you telling them what they need that they don't purchase it from you, even if they do actually need it.
- They share your information with your competitors—there's no way to guarantee they won't.
The only time you should share your candy (whatever that looks like in your world) is near the end of the sales process, when you make your presentation. This is after you're sure you understand your prospect's situation and you're sure that what you offer would relieve their pain.
