If what I say isn’t relevant, you can hang up. Fair enough?
The logic behind Reverse Psychology openers.
What you just read in the title is the so-called Reverse Psychology opener for cold calls. Prospects expect salespeople to push for attention and insist. Instead, you invite them upfront to close the phone. It’s completely unexpected. If the buyer hates salespeople, it positions you differently, and it might give you the attention you want. You switch their thinking from “I know you want something from me” to “I can decide if this is worth it. ”Buyers might respond favorably to this approach. They feel less pressure and might be inclined to say, “Alright, I am going to give them 30 seconds.”
Honesty and humility are somehow effective in building trust early on in conversations, and this approach might help. You also create more curiosity that can grasp the attention of the prospect.
So, should everyone use it? Hold on! There are some disadvantages, and your role is to assess if they are stronger than the advantages in your specific context. Tone is everything with these unconventional openers. Expert sellers use them well. Inexperienced sellers appear awkward, weak, and apologetic. Strong delivery matters massively for these openers to work.
Not all industries like an approach like this. In more formal, traditional, polished settings, this opener might not be welcomed.
Last, this opener works best when the stereotype of salespeople in the buyer industry is negative. If in your buyer’s industry, salespeople are often not welcomed because they are perceived as pushy, an approach like this removes the negative stereotype and can potentially lead to good outcomes. However, if salespeople do not have a pushy reputation in your buyer industry, the effectiveness of the approach might be reduced.
