Tag: Mindset

Making Peace With Selling

The following is from a conversation I initiated 2025-02-28 on the High Probability Selling Company page on Facebook.

HPS:  One of the reasons I am so passionate about High Probability Selling is that it can make the world a more peaceful place.

Tom:  Explain plz

HPS:  Much of the unnecessary drama and conflict in this world comes from people trying to change other people against their will.  This is especially prevalent in sales.  Most salespeople have no idea that there is any other way of selling.  Paul Bunn and I are working to change that.

Tom:  yes

Mike:  HPS is direct to the question, honest in the relationship between buyer and seller, and unlike much activity called “the sales process” HPS excludes clever rhetorical and fake “getting to know you” posturing.

Smoozing and begging and badgering is not part of HPS nor is assuming the sale through educating a person.

In the end which begins with in the beginning, HPS is conditioned upon mutual respect.

That’s why it has the potential to improve human relations.

Tom:  I’ve read the book and used it when I was in sales…it does work…

I always thought it needed a beginning to end video presentation of how it works…sorta like a role play….

Mike:  that would be good.

Don:  I was fortunate to have taken the class with Jacques, and that’s exactly what we did, role played through it all.  It was life changing.

HPS:  Role playing does help, but it does not stand alone very well.  Before a student tries to say or do any of the things we teach, it is crucial that they understand what is behind it all.  We can do that in a class or coaching situation where the students are closely monitored, but we are concerned that the steps of HPS may do more harm than good when presented as a video recording that is viewed without that deeper understanding.  But we are working on it.

Sales Techniques and Closing – A Conversation on Reddit

The following conversation is copied from the subReddit called “Sales Techniques”.

Here is the opening question:

I sell a pretty high ticket item at $7000 over zoom meetings. My average is to close 5-6 new clients per week. BUT, I miss on another 10 or so. Yes that is a great close ratio and my employer is incredibly happy with that. But I cannot seem to shake off the ones I miss.. anyone else? Oh, 2025 will be my 35th year in sales, you would think I was over this by now..

Here is how I (Paul Bunn, aka Illustrious_Bunnster) replied:

There is a way to reduce the number of appointments with the prospects who aren’t likely to buy in the first place.

By this point, you probably intuitively know at least half of the low probability prospects that don’t really qualify for an appointment yet.

Use the criteria for those that buy to (temporarily) disqualify the ones who don’t really fit, that you might hope will buy but don’t.

When you become more selective about whom you meet with, your number of sales will actually increase overall AND compared to the number of appointments you book.

It will initially feel like you’re going to “lose” sales, but you can’t lose sales that aren’t going to follow through anyway.

The time and energy you save from meeting with low probability prospects will lead to more “found” sales who are looking for a salesperson with higher standards.

Mindset – Note from a fan and practitioner of HPS

Hi Carl

I absolutely support everything about HPS.

You’re so correct, it is a mindset, if someone doesn’t get that it won’t work.

My work in selling was as an Audiologist providing hearing healthcare, selling hearing aids with ongoing aftercare, it was totally the psychology of “finding people who want you’ve got” and dismissing (at that time) those who don’t. 

The mistake fellow Audiologists make is to find someone with a hearing loss and try to sell them hearing aids!!!

Our sales managers want sellers to sell, I didn’t, however that could resulting in a typical 25+% cancellation rate. I wanted to find those who wanted to buy and my consultation involved being confident to know the time was not now. I felt in control. I was a top seller and had a super low 7% cancellation rate, it would never be 0%. 

My sales manager picked on the 7% as a weakness to sell, “you could sell even more if you pushed harder” he said! 

I never had to cold call but my appointments were still somewhat cold so that was my starting point. 

My first question was always 
“why have you come to see me?” ie to put the onus on them straight away and then go on to find out if they wanted what I had and to know when to stop.

Apologies if that’s a little rambling 🤣

Regards
Ian

We would love to hear your thoughts and experiences as well.

We are in the process of putting together a workshop about the High Probability Selling Mindset. We will announce it here, so stay tuned.

What Do We Mean by Mindset?

We asked ChatGPT for its opinion on what is mindset, and here is what it gave us.

A mindset refers to a mental attitude or inclination, a particular way of thinking or approaching situations. It encompasses beliefs, assumptions, and attitudes that shape how individuals perceive and respond to the world around them. Mindsets can influence behavior, decision-making, and overall outlook on life, often determining one’s approach to challenges, opportunities, and relationships.

Not bad, in my opinion.

And here is something I (Carl Ingalls) put together on the topic a while ago, but haven’t published until now.

Mindset drives our thinking, actions, and reactions.  It affects how other people interact with us, whether consciously or unconsciously.  Furthermore, our mindset affects our ability to learn and apply High Probability Selling (HPS). 

Here are some of the elements of the HPS Mindset.

  • Principles and guidelines are conscious ideas of what to do and what not to do in specific situations. For example, if a prospect tells us that they do not want what we are offering, then we move on to the next prospect in our list, without trying to change anyone’s mind.
  • Concepts and beliefs are mostly conscious ideas of what we believe are true. For example, “Sales resistance is created by the salesperson when they try to get someone to buy.” Another example, “It is quicker and more effective to find someone who wants what you are selling, than to try to convince anyone who doesn’t.”
  • Attitudes and worldview and some beliefs are things that we don’t think about as much, but which can have a huge effect on our interactions with others. An attitude of acceptance and respect is more likely to lead to a good business relationship than a controlling attitude.
  • Language matters, because the words we choose affect our thinking and therefore our behavior, and sometimes in subtle (but important) ways. For instance, words like win, drive, steer, funnel, and pipeline can encourage a competitive or even manipulative attitude. Even thinking those words can have subtle effects.
  • Habits may be the most difficult to change, and especially the ones we don’t think about. For instance, many of us are habitual talkers, and that gets in the way of listening, which is so very important in HPS. Another habit is trying to help people who do not want our help.

We are in the process of putting together a workshop about the High Probability Selling Mindset. We will announce it here, so keep tuned.

As always, we would love to hear from you.

High Probability Selling – Mindset vs Process, Thinking vs Acting

Sometimes High Probability Selling (HPS) feels like it’s incredibly simple. Sometimes it feels like it’s the most complex idea on earth.  I have certainly oscillated between both of those extremes and maybe you have too.

The focus of teaching and implementing HPS from 2000 to 2015 has mostly been on the PROCESS, the steps of what you do, and much less on the thinking that goes with it. This was a conscious choice by Jacques Werth, the founder of High Probability Selling.

He chose to teach HPS the way he was taught martial arts.  Practice the physical forms, over and over and over and over, until you “get it” and it becomes automatic.  He knew very well that this was just a way of getting there, and that there was far more to HPS.

He also chose to sell HPS as a sales process, perhaps because it seemed more concrete and real that way, and because that was the kind of thing he was most familiar with selling. He always seemed surprised when asked, “What if High Prob were more than just a process?”

Some students were very successful in learning and applying HPS simply as a process, but too many were not. They needed to understand the aspects of HPS that were both behind and beyond the step-by-step process before they could actually do any of it. And without the doing, nothing happens.

Understanding the MINDSET is a necessity when trying to figure out what to do when things change. People have changed the way they do business and the way they communicate with each other, and especially over the past several decades. This means the sales process must change. A fixed process is too rigid.

I have learned in my 30 years of learning, teaching, and implementing HPS in a wide variety of business and personal applications that the process alone (without a deeper understanding) can actually do more harm than good.  To make HPS really “work” holistically, and without having to constantly adapt the process I had to fully understand and implement the mindset behind HPS, and the communication nuances based upon that mindset.

There’s much more to HPS than getting the steps right, or the words right.  To excel at HPS, I learned that I must BE HPS, not just DO HPS.  And to BE HPS, we have to embrace and adopt the HPS MINDSET.

We will write more about the Mindset of High Probability Selling as we understand it today. It’s a very big concept. We also plan to offer a workshop on this very soon. Stay tuned.

As always, we’d love to hear from you.

Like Blind Men Appraising an Elephant

There is an ancient parable about a group of blind men who decide to examine an elephant so that they can determine what it is. Each blind man encounters a different part of the elephant, and they come to very different and conflicting conclusions about the elephant. If you are not familiar with this story, there is a good description on Wikipedia.

Sometimes I suspect that this is similar to the way people decide what High Probability Selling is. They encounter one aspect of it, and they conclude they have grasped the whole of it without looking further.

Many people see the probability aspect of HPS, and see it as a way to improve the efficiency of their efforts, by focusing only on the most probable prospects. It’s one of the easiest concepts to grasp. It is a true aspect of HPS, and may be a good place to start, as long as you don’t stop there.

Others see HPS as an ethical way of doing business, being honest with people, no cheating. That is also one aspect.

Jacques Werth chose to present and teach HPS as a sales process, like a recipe to follow. Just do the steps over and over again, as if you were learning martial arts, and eventually you will just “get it” by doing it. That is an approach that works for some people, but is usually not enough for most. Jacques knew there was so much more to it than just doing, but this is what he focused on.

I initially saw HPS as a non-aggressive and less conflicting way of interacting with people, many years ago. I still do, but I also know there is so much more.

I have taught the mindset of HPS, initially with the help of Jacques (and later with Paul Bunn). By mindset, I mean both conscious and unconscious attitudes, beliefs, habits, concepts, principles, guidelines, worldview, and language.  And probably a few other things as well. However, even this does not encompass the whole of HPS. It’s just the mental stuff.

The best that Paul Bunn and I have been able to come up with is to say that High Probability Selling is a Way of Being. Imagine trying to teach that.

And we are doing just that. We guide people to the seeing, thinking, doing, and being of High Probability Selling.

We’d love to hear from you.

Debunking Common Beliefs about Self and Sales

Sales Cycle Duration

  • Myth: “I have a fixed six-month sales cycle.”
  • Reality: Believing in a fixed sales cycle can create self-fulfilling prophecies where sales approaches are molded around this belief, often resulting in wasted time and effort. Sales cycles can be much shorter if one focuses on engaging with ready-to-buy prospects.

Predicting Client Behavior

  • Myth: “I can predict how prospects will respond based on past experiences.”
  • Reality: Preconceived notions and biases can hinder genuine interactions. Each prospect is unique, and stereotyping them can lead to missed opportunities.

Selling vs. Buying

  • Myth: “Nobody buys insurance; it has to be sold.”
  • Reality: People do buy insurance and other products when they see the value. Creating a buying environment rather than a selling one can lead to more genuine and lasting customer relationships.

Sales Tactics and Terminology

  • Myth: “I must use titles like ‘consultant’ instead of ‘salesperson’ to build trust.”
  • Reality: Authenticity matters more than titles. Being clear, open, and transparent about your intention builds trust more effectively than trying to mask it with different terms.

Approach to Sales Conversations

    • Myth: “Selling is bad; I must not appear to be selling.”
    • Reality: Sales doesn’t have to be manipulative. Honest, respectful conversations where wants and needs are matched with solutions can be beneficial to both parties.

    Customer Appreciation

    • Myth: “My customers don’t appreciate me unless I add value in every interaction.”
    • Reality: Adding value is important, but it should be genuine and relevant. Building trust through consistent, honest interactions can be more valuable than forcing perceived value.

    Letting Go

    • Myth: “Once I have a prospect on the phone, I can’t let them go.”
    • Reality: Respecting a prospect’s time and knowing when to end a call can leave a better impression and increase the chances of future engagement.

    Educational Sales

      • Myth: “I must educate my prospects into buying.”
      • Reality: Prospects who are already informed are more likely to buy. Focusing on understanding their wants and needs rather than just educating can lead to more successful sales.

      Client’s Price Sensitivity

        • Myth: “My customers only buy at the lowest price.”
        • Reality: While price is a factor, it’s not the only one. Value, trust, and service quality play significant roles in purchasing decisions.

        Universal Approach

          • Myth: “I need to apply the entire High Probability Selling (HPS) process to be effective.”
          • Reality: Flexibility within the HPS process allows for adaptation to different contexts and needs, making it more practical and effective.

          Respectful Communication

            • Myth: “Being direct can come off as offensive.”
            • Reality: Being direct, open, and transparent, when done respectfully, can lead to clearer and more productive conversations. It’s about being clear and concise without being rude or overbearing.

              Key Takeaways

              • Challenge and reevaluate commonly held beliefs about sales and client interactions.
              • Adapt and personalize sales approaches to meet the unique needs of each prospect.
              • Focus on creating genuine, respectful, and value-driven interactions.
              • Be flexible and willing to let go of rigid sales processes when necessary.
              • Embrace the power of listening and understanding over merely selling.

              Homework Challenge: Try to go 24 hours without giving any unsolicited opinions. This practice helps in improving active listening and reducing the tendency to dominate conversations with personal biases or unsolicited advice.

              New Course for 2024: High Probability Selling for Inbound Selling

              The Backstory: HPS and Inbound Selling

              Since the 1990s, High Probability Selling (HPS) has focused predominantly on outbound telephone prospecting, followed by a sales appointment or closing process. Despite the fact that Jacques Werth, one of the co-authors of the HPS book, successfully implemented HPS in several businesses with primarily inbound traffic, the book and training did not cover how to handle inbound sales.

              When I asked Jacques about applying HPS to inbound sales calls, he suggested, “just listen to them long enough to give them an outbound prospecting offer.” However, I found that this approach was ineffective and often counterproductive, frustrating both the prospect and me, as well as the referral source.

              Through my own experiences, I quickly realized that the traditional HPS methods were not suited for inbound calls. Abandoning HPS was not an option for me, as it would create more chaos. Instead, I adapted HPS to fit inbound selling scenarios.

              From 2010, over 13 years working in health insurance agencies and call centers that handled 95% inbound calls, I developed a new approach. I created what we now call “HPS in a non-HPS world” for inbound selling. As I successfully applied these adaptations as an agent, I also trained, coached, and supervised others in implementing HPS for inbound callers.

              Why Adapt HPS for Inbound Selling?

              Outbound calls are straightforward; you know the topic, the offer, and the likely responses. However, inbound calls are unpredictable. You don’t know who is calling, why they are calling, or even if it’s a sales call. This unpredictability can unsettle even the most seasoned sales professionals.

              Through trial and error, I learned how to listen effectively to inbound callers, determining if a sale was possible and if the caller was a High Probability Prospect (HPP). If they were not, I developed ways to gracefully lead them to an exit point while preserving the opportunity for future warm calls. This gentle and respectful disqualification is crucial for maximizing inbound call opportunities.

              Workshop Content

              This course will teach you how to handle inbound calls using the HPS framework. You will learn:

              • Common Pitfalls and Mistakes: Identify and avoid common mistakes made during inbound calls.
              • Effective Listening Skills: Listen to discern the caller’s primary and secondary concerns, ensuring open and transparent communication.
              • Customer Needs Identification: Identify both expressed and unspoken customer problems and determine their conditions of satisfaction.
              • Resolving Customer Concerns: Find mutually beneficial solutions and establish a respectful, ongoing business relationship.
              • Overcoming Salesperson Biases: Recognize and mitigate preconceived ideas and beliefs that hinder understanding and connection.
              • Creating a Safe Space: Make prospects feel safe to share necessary information for both their benefit and yours.
              • Maintaining HPS Mindset: Balance qualification and disqualification while maintaining neutrality.
              • Implementing HPS Processes: Design and implement written processes to handle inbound inquiries efficiently.

              Personal Insights and Strategies

              During the workshop, I will share personal anecdotes and strategies that helped me adapt HPS to inbound selling. You’ll learn:

              • How to handle inbound calls confidently and effectively, maintaining the HPS mindset.
              • How to design and implement HPS processes specific to your business needs.
              • How to ensure inbound calls become enjoyable and profitable experiences.

              Conclusion

              This interactive workshop will equip you with the skills and insights to manage inbound calls successfully, even the unexpected ones. You will discover that handling inbound calls can be a highly enjoyable and profitable part of your sales process.

              Instruction: Live and interactive on Zoom, taught by Paul Bunn (with over 13 years selling this way and teaching others) in three sessions. Recordings of live sessions also provided. One-on-one coaching available.

              Schedule:  The next course begins Fri 24 May 2024 at 9:30 AM (USA Eastern Time).  The second and third sessions of that course are Fri 31 May and Fri 7 June, same time. 

              Price:  $547 USD per person
              Purchase:  click here

              For updates on this course, see https://www.highprobsell.com/training/inbound.html

              Essence of HPS – Course Rescheduled to 2024-03-04 (1 Week Later)

              Introduction to the Concepts and Process of High Probability Selling (HPS)

              Features of this Course:
              – The meaning and purpose of selling
              – The mindset (beliefs, habits, attitudes, language)
              – The HPS Way of Being
              – Overview of a complete HPS sale
              – Taught by Paul Bunn and Carl Ingalls
              (with 50+ years of combined experience with HPS)

              Schedule:  Starts Monday 4 March 2024 at 3:30pm USA Eastern Time.  Two sessions (2 hours each), spaced one week apart, same day of week, same time.  Also see the HPS Calendar for updates. 

              Price:  $297 USD per person
              Purchase:  click here

              If you have any questions, please Contact Us, or call +1 610-627-9030, or email Info@HighProbSell.com

              Essence of HPS – New Course Starts 2024-02-26 Mon

              Introduction to the Concepts and Process of High Probability Selling (HPS)

              Features of this Course:
              – The meaning and purpose of selling
              – The mindset (beliefs, habits, attitudes, language)
              – The HPS Way of Being
              – Overview of a complete HPS sale
              – Taught by Paul Bunn and Carl Ingalls
              (with 50+ years of combined experience with HPS)

              Schedule:  Starts Monday 26 February 2024 at 3:30pm USA Eastern Time.  Two sessions (2 hours each), spaced one week apart, same day of week, same time.  Also see the HPS Calendar for updates. 

              Price:  $297 USD per person
              Purchase:  click here

              If you have any questions, please Contact Us, or call +1 610-627-9030, or email Info@HighProbSell.com