I had this vision yesterday of what it's like sometimes in the initial moments of a telephone conversation with a new prospect.
It's more like two puppets talking to each other...instead of two PEOPLE talking to each other.
A salesperson puppet...and a sales resistant puppet.
I know that none of YOU are "salespeople" -- but your prospects don't know that until you demonstrate it, so prospects keep their distance by talking through the puppet. Keeping their guard up as they talk to you, until they feel out whether you're a salesperson...or a real person offering to help them.
I believe the key to getting past the puppet and to the real person is TIME. Longer, unrushed, personal conversations.
The more you can talk like a real person talking to a real person...instead of a clinician taking down data...the more meaningful the conversations will be.
So try putting down your "when-they-say-this-you-say-that" puppet and TALK to people.
The best way to be interesting is to be interested. Ask open ended questions...and have a good dialogue where it's not so much about "how many bedrooms...and how many bathrooms are you looking for" data to fill out your MarketWatch order form, but more about the real concerns for the move.
If you put down YOUR puppet...they'll put down theirs.