Referrals are the ultimate form of 3rd party validation and usually the sales process is simplified when the prospect was referred by a satisfied client. Unfortunately in many cases you can’t wait for referrals to make sales and you will need to cold call on prospects. By integrating specific 3rd party content within your presentation you can create the same level of trust and credibility that you get with a referral. By properly using 3rd party during canvassing, presenting, closing and handling objections will ensure you achieve a high closing ratio.

3rd Party simply means showing and telling the prospect a testimonial, advertisement or other form of message that validates your claims about yourself and your solution. It is natural for a potential client to have doubts about statements made by a sales representative and therefore it is essential that you use other sources to prove what you are suggesting is true. 3rd party should be used throughout the entire presentation and will ensure you achieve a high closing ratio. A powerful technique is to lead into the presentation with 3rd party content. For example using the specific names of neighbors, competitors or anyone the prospect might be familiar with is effective when incorporated with rapport. By using a significant amount of 3rd party references your prospect will be less defensive and very likely to allow you to proceed with your presentation.

Using a statement like “everybody is doing it” during the presentation creates a great feeling in both the prospect and the seller especially when assumption is properly leveraged. It is essential to have printed versions of the 3rd party material you wish to incorporate in a presentation. People believe far more of what they see than what they hear so it’s essential to show and tell. It is also important that you follow privacy laws and have permission to use the references and material you use in your presentation.

The fundamentals of a perfect presentation work synergistically and therefore all 7 must be included in each and every presentation. 3rd party can give you instant credibility and can be as powerful as a referral. Expecting a prospect to believe what you say without some form of 3rd party validation will make closing sales far more difficult and therefore Sales Superstar make sure to show and tell and use expression like “that’s why everybody is doing it” during all the stages of a presentation.