I work with many sales professionals, and, as someone who loved being in sales, it pains me to hear people saying they are disheartened with it and are finding it frustrating. They’re getting disheartened because they’re making some or all of the mistakes below and are losing sales.
By identifying their own particular flaw (or flaws!), it’s quite easy to correct where they’re going wrong, and in no time, they’re hitting targets and enjoying it again. That makes me happy. See if you can spot where you’re going wrong!
l. They come to the sales appointments unprepared
Why do some people think selling is a random event? It’s not. Selling is the result of preparation. By preparation I mean doing your homework. Research your prospect so you can have an intelligent business conversation about why there is a need to buy what you have to sell. Before you call, know as much about your customer as you can. Bluffing it is not a sales skill.
2. They talk about their product too soon
Talking about your product before you understand the needs or problems your customer has is like shooting at a target with your eyes closed. Good luck hitting the bull’s eye. The way you should approach it is to ask the questions that help the customer see and accept that there is a need, preferably a big one, and that your products are the best ones to meet the need. Selling is therefore much easier when your customer wants to buy so ask the right questions before you even mention your product and create that need to buy.
3. They have no plan B
OK, so you’ve done your preparation for the call, but what if things go very differently than you plan? There are better times to plan your strategy than when you are sitting across from your customer, completely stumped because you weren’t expecting that reaction. Before the sales call, develop a contingency plan for the sales conversation with other possible directions to take if you hit a wall.
4. They think they know it all
Yet how would they know it all when they don’t bother keeping up to date with current affairs, books, newspapers, what’s trending in the media, what’s happening in their customer’s industry. How do you know what is impacting your business if you don’t know what’s going on in the world? If you want to improve, you have to keep learning. Apart from anything else, being well informed will help with building rapport during your sales conversation.
5. They think selling stops when the customer buys
Selling is a service business and it continues after the sale. You may even find that you’re lumped with solving problems others may have created. And you can be sure your customer will need help at the worst possible time, when you are flat out with another account or covering for a colleague. Emergencies come up even when we have done everything we could to avoid them for our customers. Ignore them at your peril. If you think the problem will go away, you are mistaken. And don’t fall into the trap of passing the buck; thinking someone else should fix the problem is a bigger mistake. It’s as important a part of your job as making the sale.
Selling is the greatest job in the world. It’s also one of the hardest. If you’d like more help with any aspect of selling, don’t hesitate to contact me. I tailor my service to every client so I’m sure I’ll be able to help you love sales!
Contact me on gertrudedrury@gmail.com or on 086 822 8781.
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