How to Tell A Buyer They Are Wrong

How Do You Tell a Buyer They are Wrong in a Way That Makes Sense?
Here are 3 options when your buyer is wrong or misinformed in a way that is hindering your sale. Which approach is the most effective?

1. Present the information to them visually in a chart or graph
   
2. Persuade them with words
   
3. Persuade them with words and incorporate some flattering language

But The Buyer Is Always Right
How do you tell a buyer they are wrong in a way that makes sense? Especially since most of us have been taught in business sales training that the customer is always right. It is not easy to convince a buyer that they’re wrong or misinformed about something in way that moves the deal forward and builds a desirable trusted advisor relationship.

What the Sales Research Says
If you need to convince a buyer that they’re wrong or misinformed about something, you should Present the information to them visually in a chart or graph.

A study from Dartmouth University presented subjects with factual information that directly contradicted their deeply-held political beliefs. They tried the three methods above and found that presenting the information in a chart or graph was most effective.

Visuals are the “native language” of the human brain. Cognitive research suggests that the brain has evolved in such a way that it’s more likely to see visuals as “true” and words as, literally, “debatable.”

The Common Sales Pitfall
Every salesperson knows how to talk. And the more experienced you are, the more you trust your ability to persuade through conversation. But in some cases, words don’t do the job as well as some other technique. This is one of those cases.

Actions to Take to Tell a Buyer They are Wrong in a Way That Makes Sense
According to our sales microlearning and sales management training experts:

1. Make a List
   Draw up a list of your buyers’ most frequent misapprehensions about what you sell.
   
2. Prepare
   Then prepare – perhaps with the aid of an audiovisual specialist if you have one in your organization – one or two simple graphics that address these misconceptions.

2. Practice and Get Feedback
   Go over your standard presentation to see whether there’s anything in it that could be construed as “fightin’ words” by a buyer. The implications of the research are that words can create arguments, as well as persuade.

The Bottom Line
The art of sales persuasion is often more compelling with pictures.

To learn more about how to have more effective sales conversations, download The Top Sales Skills to Challenge Customers