Do you have a minute?
You are asking a minute from someone’s time to explain your product and you want him/her to listen to you although he might not be interested in the deal. If the person is really interested in the deal he/she will approach you. Asking a minute from someone’s precious time shows that you don’t respect your prospect’s time. You and your prospect both know that you can’t make the sales in one minute. You are lying and that reduces your credibility for future sales. Even if your product is worth buying the person might suspect it just because you have lied to him earlier that means you could be lying to him now also about the product. Better ask the person “Is this a good time to talk to you?”. Don’t ask “Am I catching you at a bad time?”-Yes! of course it’s a bad time for me. Refrain using negative sentences with your prospects, use positive sentences and try to make your prospect to use more and more YES. If he agrees with you in every thing you say that makes a positive environment for the sales.
How can I help you?
If you ask this question to a person who is really not too interested in buying the product you can actually drive away his/her little nick to buy it. Let’s do a little experiment to understand what I am trying to say here, Imagine yourself at a marketplace with salesperson around the store. In this case you don’t have enough money or the item you are looking for is a little costly for your budget to buy or maybe you initially didn’t wanted to buy the product but seeing it’s future need you intended to browse the product. Now, suddenly a salesperson approaches you and asks “Mam/Sir, How can I help you?”. What will be your natural reply? - No! Exactly, you knew that the salesperson can pressurize you to buy that product even if you were just browsing through it, you clearly ignored him and maybe you will think of visiting other store or buy that product online later. You have lost your chance to close the deal, in these situations you should let the costumer approach you rather than you approaching them.
Would you like to think about the deal?
“Yes, I would like to think about it”, that’s the first answer you will get. Delaying the deal means the deal is gone. Although you might have a good intentions to not push the prospect to close the deal but that cost you sales. Sometime you need to push your prospect and lead them to the conclusion. You need to tell him why they need it now and why they should buy it from you. On the spot discount work on the same principal, if the person wants it cheaper you sell it cheaper. As a salesperson show them how can they benefit from the deal if they act now. Make them realize its now or never.