Feel, Felt, Found
A lot of salespeople feelthat it is difficult to connect with a prospect, and truthfully, I have felt the same way when trying to connect and communicate value with a prospect. However, what I have found is that using the “feel, felt, found” strategy is how one can connect with a prospect, display empathy, and ultimately communicate enough value to the prospect to help them make an informed decision and purchase your product.
Feel
When a person says “I understand how you feel”, how does that make someone feel? Oftentimes, we have never had the exact same experience as others but have had similar ones. This allows us to empathize with a prospect and make them feel as if someone else has been through the same, or similar experience. Prospects buy from people. So be a person that can connect with a prospect through your experiences and display your empathy to them.
Felt
Yet another word that invites a personal connection and displays empathy. This is a past-tense version of the word “feel”, which means that a person has felt the same way as your prospect. People have an overwhelming desire to be able to connect with a group of other people. In surveys, this is called the Social Desirability bias, and this is when respondents answer questions in a manner that they believe will be favorably looked upon by others. The same thing applies in real-world situations. People like people and are more prone to believe information sources such as your clients who have felt the same way.
Found
Arguably the most important factor in the “feel, felt, found” strategy, found is the epiphany word that salespeople use when talking about their converted clients. As a salesperson, your job is to help your prospects “found” this new ideology. By using these three words in order, you are expressing that you know how they feel and are empathetic. You show the prospect that other clients have felt the same way and that they are part of a larger group. And ultimately, you express what your clients have found when they put their trust in you to provide them with solutions for their problems.
