Is reflecting back your customer or prospect’s emotion helping or hurting? Many salespeople would think that the bonding it creates would be a very favorable outcome…true, to a point.

Empathy can be a real asset when it is controlled; unfortunately many of us never know when to turn it off. Understanding what it is like to live your prospects life can enable you to have them open up, even share more Pain. But are there certain topics where empathy can be more detrimental?

The first example could be money, the moment you start thinking about their money with empathy you are in trouble. Bare minimum you will not get the full margin you should, you may possibly miss out on the deal altogether.

Another common sticking point is Buy Cycle, or how long it takes someone to make a purchasing decision. If you happen to be a comparison shopper, read Consumer Reports or take time to make an informed decision you may have a longer Buy Cycle. Without realizing it, your empathy around decision making can at least make you take longer to close, or even worse you may never close people who were ready to buy.

One of the greatest attributes of a good salesperson is their ability to make prospects comfortable with them…sometimes that same comfort can cause them problems. Constantly remind yourself that "Too Much Empathy Can Hurt You" or if you need any help call Sales Concepts at 440-575-7000.

P.S. March and April’s training calendar is now available online at http://www.salesconceptsinc.com/schedule.aspx.

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