SUBTEXTlet these subtexts escape. You have to be alert in order to grasp
and understand them. My retired salesman friend speaks of his
mentor once again.
"He used to divide these signals into two parts, the spoken
ones and the unspoken ones. Let me give you a few examples of
spoken signals. These are the ones you listen for. When you
hear them, you stop your pitch and ask for the order.
" 'How is that cosmetic made?'
" 'Will that metal tarnish?'
" 'Will the material stand up under everyday wear?'
" 'Can I take these outside and look at them under the light?'
"People ask questions like these when they're thinking out loud
about buying. When you get this type of question, the subtext
says, 'I'm ready to buy.' Don't waste time or spoil the sale by
continuing with your pitch."
The best of these signals relate to money!
"Can I pay monthly instead of weekly?"
"Would I save anything by buying in bulk?"
"Are they all the same price?"
"What kind of a break can you give me in price?"
"How much deposit do you need?"
Don't ever pass by the price question. The subtext is pretty
obvious: "I'm just about ready to buy!"
Other signals are the more subtle ones of body language, my
friend explained. "We knew all about that back in the forties,
though we didn't call it body language until you coined the name.
Mainly, we looked at the customer's eyes. I believe the eyes really
are the mirror of the mind. Mostly, customers try to keep a poker
face and not let you know what they're thinking, how interested
they are. But when their eyes keep looking at the samples or at
the contract on the table, they're interested! Pick it up and talk