The Black Holes of Sales

 

Black Hole : Function: noun

1 : a celestial object that has a gravitational field so strong that light cannot escape it and that is believed to be created especially in the collapse of a very massive star 2 : something resembling a black hole: as a : something that consumes a resource continually b : an empty space : void

Note the bold text in the above definition from Merriam-Webster. In regards to selling, focusing a lot of time and attention on a non-buyer can be like a black hole, a simile that is explored by Scott Sheaffer on his sales blog. According to his article, there are three kinds of non-buyers: Recommenders, Information Gatherers and Influencers. While they may play a role in the sales process, they are ultimately not the ones who call the final shot.

No one wants to waste resources on someone who just can’t get the deal closed, but these non-buyers are not always easy to spot. To help out, Sheaffer lists typical attributes of non-buyers, which include pride, constant availability and willingness to commit to anything and everything…except a purchase.

Think you may have a Recommender on your hands? Sheaffer closes his article with some advice on how to limit “black holes” while selling, which you can read by clicking here.