We all make mistakes when selling our products or services. Here are the most common mistakes people make. I will admit that I have a lot of errors that are listed in this article even though I taught it for nearly a decade. I hope you can learn from them.1. Allowing prospects to lead the sales process. The best way to control the sales interaction is to ask. It is also the best way to learn whether or not the product or service meets the needs of your prospects. Quality questions to uncover specific issues, problems, or goals that are important firms in helping you establish yourself as expert.2. Without completing the pre-meeting research. After a few weeks I finally ballots connect with my prospects and schedule meetings. Unfortunately, I entered the meeting without first researching the company. Rather than presenting a solution to the existing problems, I spent the whole meeting to learn basic information, senior executives, wasting their time. This strategy is one of the most common mistakes.
I received a phone call from countless sales people hawking their wares and try to sell 'stuff' I do not need. As a sole proprietor, I do not need a complicated phone system, additional employees, or Payroll automated system. Invest the time to learn about your prospect before you contact them and before you try to schedule meeting.3. Talking too much. Too many sales people talk too much during the sales interaction. They support about their product, its features, services and so on. When I first bought carpet for my house, I think talking to a sales person who told me how long he has not been in business, how smart he is, how good is the carpet, etc. But this dialogue did not exist that convinced me that I should buy from him. Instead, I left the store thinking that he does not appreciate your particular needs. A friend of mine is in the advertising business and frequent conversations with prospects who initially request a quote for a specific job in advertising. Instead of talking at length about the advertising agency experience and qualifications, he gets to talk about potential business clients. By doing this he was able to determine the most effective strategy for the prospect.4. Provides information regardless prospects.
When I worked in the corporate world I was subjected to countless presentations where the sales person has to share the information that really matters to me. I do not care about the financial support you or who your client is. Take advantage of your presentation by telling me how I can benefit from your product or service until I know how the product or service related to my specific situation.5. Not be prepared. I remember calling the prospect expects to receive his voice mail. That meant I was really prepared when he answered the call himself. Instead of asking a series of qualifying questions I just answered the question, allowing him to control the sale. Unfortunately, I can not go further than the first call. When you make a cold call or a meeting with prospective customers is very important that you are prepared. This means having all the relevant information at your fingertips, including: pricing, testimonials, samples, and a list of questions that you should ask. I recommend making a list of important information that you need and check this list before you make your call. You have exactly one chance to make a good first impression and you will not make if you prepared.6. Neglect to ask for the sale.
I think a participant in one of my workshops expressed an interest in my book. I told him to look through it but in the short time I had to ask for the sale. Then, I heard him announce this observation to other participants in the program. If you sell a product or service, you have an obligation to ask the customer for a commitment, especially if you've invested time assessing their needs and know that your product or service will solve the problem. Many people are concerned with coming across as pushy but as long as you ask for the sale in a non-lethal, self-confident manner, people usually respond favorably.7. Failed prospect. This is one of the most common mistakes businesses make independent. As good business people stop prospecting, thinking that the business continues to flow. However, the most successful sales people prospect all the time. They schedule prospecting time in their agenda every week.Even most timely sales professionals make mistakes from time to time. Avoid these mistakes and increase the likelihood of closing sale.Copyright 2004, Kelley Robertson
