Flip The Script summary

Selling today is hard work.

We used to rely on salespeople for guidance and information but now we have the internet. These days when we go to make a purchase, especially a major one, we put in hours of research. Now that everyone’s an expert, we’ve already made up our minds before we even reach the store.

So how do you, as a salesperson in the twenty-first century, convince someone to buy what you’re selling? Well, it starts with establishing a rapport. And to do this, you need to raise yourself to the same status as your prospect.

The key message here is: people will only listen to you if they think you’re an equal.

In general, social rank remains one of the most difficult things to change. For most people, it’s fixed at birth. If you were born into a middle-class family, unless you get very lucky, you’ll probably remain middle-class for the rest of your life.

But for the salesperson, things are slightly different. The salesperson can change their perceived social status to match that of the buyer.

How?

Well, we pick up on someone’s social status through external clues, the words they use and the image they present.

Take this rather extreme example. A couple is involved in a car accident. The husband is badly injured but the wife escapes unharmed. At the hospital, the doctor approaches to update her on her husband’s condition. But before he can say a word, the wife asks about very specific injuries using medical jargon. It turns out that she is also a doctor. By using a status tip-off, incorporating language unique to the medical profession, the ER doctor can identify her status. He immediately knows that she is his equal.

Salespeople can use this technique. By using the right language and external cues, you can convince clients that you’re their equal, and worth listening to.

Let’s say you’re in real estate and you’re meeting with a client who is considering moving her office to another state. Start by showing you understand her industry by using her jargon. Then, move the conversation to yourself by mentioning a similar client that you recently helped facilitate a move for. Finally, show that you’ve done your research by talking about the pros and cons of moving to the state she’s considering. This all takes work but, when done correctly, the end result is status alignment. Your client now believes you understand the complexities of both your own industry and hers.

Achieving status alignment gets your foot in the door. That’s vital but it’s only the first step.