ASTD
MPI

Now I am not saying that you are poor sales professional.   And, if you are engaged in this roller coaster profession and reading this article you must be good and must want to get better.

However we are all so very busy trying to get orders and finding new customers while servicing old ones that in the process and hurried pace we are making mistakes. And, because we are so very busy and because sales managers no longer ride shotgun, we are not cognizant of our errors.

After 18 solid years of sales and five full years in sales training and public speaking, I find myself,  my staff and my customers making the same 10 mistakes on a daily or weekly basis. I make them, you make them and the novice and the expert, too.

I recently worked with two very distinctive clients, one a multinational publishing firm and the other a sole proprietorship. Both, the sales staff of the large corporation and the entrepreneur make similar sales errors.  When identified and corrective measures taken based on these Top 10 Sales Mistakes, both noticed sales improvement of 54% in four months.

1.  No call preparation - Be Prepared

I have seen in my many years in sales, representatives have a difficult time preparing for a call. If you are a telemarketer this is a difficult task if you speak with myriads of individuals in a specific time frame. Yet certain market demographics and psychographics can assist you in understanding buyer behavior.

However, direct sales professionals face a different environment. They not only should, but, must know their customer, the marketplace and the customer's competition.

Sales professionals must read one or two business periodicals per week. And they should read at least one industry specific journal. Further, with the proliferation of  the Internet, real time news and the annual report online are not only convenient but also vital.

2.  Poor opening statements

We all have many personal & professional issues, such as family, bills and school, yet while life is a roller coaster, illustrating our discontent to clients is a flagrant foul.

Buyers today want to purchase from whom they trust, whom they know and who excites them. When was the last time you purchased from a monotone bore?

When on the telephone, sit up, shoulders back and have good voice inflection. When with a client do the same, show excitement, gain a friend.  Gain a friend and sales are easier.

3.  Sending Product Information

You are probably saying, come on Drew, you must have a brochure. Of course I do, yet I will not send a brochure to anyone that wants one.

One of the best tricks among prospective clients to be rid of pests like us doing our job is to say "... please send me a brochure." Rather than waste their time and mine I try to qualify the prospect. I always say to the potential buyer that what can be found in the brochure only summarizes my services. To be truly helpful and better qualify their needs I can answer all their questions during that moment or I reschedule at a more suitable time.

This illustrates that I respect their time and illustrates to me sincerity or buyer blow off.

4.  Not Listening to the client

No buyer appreciates a sales professional that does not listen. Our job is to understand buyer's wants and needs.

Although we are typically anxious and excited to "tell" about our products, it is important to listen.

The best solution for this flaw is taken from my seminar and audio sale, "Shut Up & Listen" the Lord gave us one mouth and two ears - use them. Do this by asking questions and many of them. When something is not understood paraphrase so that you understand exactly the client's issues

5.  Anticipate Objections

Have you ever been on a call, just about ready to sign an agreement and the client raises and objection? If you use the listening approach and really understand the client, you will lessen the risk of objections.

I am not saying you will not be surprised from time to time yet if you map out your sales calls and really concentrate on the client you will lessen the occurrences.

6.  Do you know whom you are speaking to?

If you are selling to corporate accountants, there is usually a group of people involved with purchases. Because there are several people involved we sometimes get too connected to our first contact that we forget to ask them about their place in the selection process.

Remember there are internal coaches, recommenders, influencers and finally the decision maker. Ask your contact to help you identify the selection board.

You must also ask who signs the check for your product or service.

7.  Failure to Establish Rapport

It's good to be a professional and to try and keep the conversation on track, yet as a good sales-professional one must establish good client relations.

I am not suggesting the typical "how ya doing" intro and cold conversation. To ensure you get to establish a relationship ask the contact some general questions. Once you have asked several you might find a common ground that begets a general dialogue. From the point of commonality you begin your professional sales relationship. People want to purchase from whom they know, whom they trust and whom they like. Creating good relations creates faster sales, new friends and future revenue.

8.  Poor Questioning

Questioning is just as important a process as planning. How many times have you written down questions that you ask during a sales call? Simply put, you must plan the questions you will ask. These questions must also have a logical order.

Think of you sales call as a funnel and plan your questions this way. Begin with general information gathering and as you continue with the call, become more specific.

By planning your questions, your call will have control, order and a flow. By following this step, you will gather more information and a smoother transition to the close.

9.  Review your calls

A flaw often overlooked by many sales professionals and their managers is a failure to review their calls. Similar to a pilot that uses a checklist before s/he flies or an doctor that uses a checklist to perform a diagnosis for an illness, the sales professional must run through a checklist to understand the call's fine and low points.

Post call reviews help to understand where you made any errors. They assist in either reinforcing your message or revising for a more consistent one next time. And the review provides you with valuable information the client mentioned that you must not forget.

Learn what you did right and what you did wrong so that you can learn from your errors and make more sales.

10.  Forgetting to ask for the order

I remember working for the Chief Operating Officer of a Wall Street software firm. The gentleman has a great mind, he is a great visionary, and is very good with Wall Street CEO's. Yet he is the world's most terrible closer.

We might spend three hours negotiating a deal and since he was the boss I let him lead the sale. Yet every time we left the call, he never asked for the order.

I implore you to remember the COO. Never forget to obtain what you work for. Even when you think it might be too early simply ask, "Do you want to purchase."

I am certain that you do not commit these errors daily or commit all 10.

Use my pick of the Top 10 Sales Mistakes to improve your skills, gain more confidence and get more sales, faster cash and better customers.

GOOD SELLING.

Drew Stevens works with organizations that strive to increase productivity and build morale for better profitability through his speaking, training  and consulting services.  He is also a contributing editor to Sales and Marketing Excellence. To contact Drew call 877-391-6821 or email him at drew@drewstevensinc.com.
                                                         ExpertMagazine.com

Send this article to others

Reader Feedback

top of page

  All articles & website © 1999-2002 Expert Magazine