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Top Selling Mistakes: How To Lose The Sale Without Really Trying

Blog | 04.27.10 | By dave
Top Selling Mistakes
How To Lose The Sale Without Really Trying
 
If you were able to poll all of the people who had just been the recipient of a sales presentation, yet didn’t buy, the common denominator will be that salesmen’s errors caused the negative decision. It is seldom the product or lack of a need that precipitated the turn-down, but rather somewhere in his pitch, the salesperson screwed up.
 
There are a number of very basic rules in the unwritten and unpublished, “Old Salesman’s Big Book of Knowledge.” These are timeworn, but still appropriate truisms that are or should be taught to every fledgling salesperson. Here are a few:
  • You have one chance to make a first impression – What the prospect first sees and hears is how he perceives the salesperson. Your attire should be clean and appropriate, you should be well groomed and don’t check your manners and consideration at the door.
  • Do your homework before making the appointment – You should never try to “wing-it” with a new prospect. Do some research and know as much as possible about the prospect, their product or service, how they go to market, approximate sales volume. You should also know how your product or service will solve problems for this prospect.
  • Don’t be too familiar with the prospect - Keep everything on a business basis until you know them well. Never share your personal problems regardless of how friendly you become with the prospect. Never offer advice on anything outside the realm of your product offering.
  • Don’t badmouth your competition – Do not spend time saying negative things about your competitors. Be positive about other companies and their personnel, or don’t say anything at all. You can still use a complement to promote your own company and product. Example: “Yes, I’m familiar with ABC Corp. Good company, good people, but their product offerings are not up to our level yet.” Then launch into a brief explanation of why your product/service is better for your prospect.
  • Know your product and company – It is amazing how many salespeople do not have an in depth product knowledge. Proper preparation before any sales call is to know everything you can about the product you are going to present. Know the history of your company, too.
  • Don’t be too loud or pushy in your sales approach – Strong or hard selling is not when you are pushy. Strong selling is when you offer alternatives until you finally have an affirmative answer . . . or have run out of alternatives.
  • Ask questions of the prospect, then listen (carefully) to the answers – By listening you will hear what are the prospects real needs. You will be able to adapt your presentation to these needs and you have a much better chance of closing the deal and developing a customer.
  • Ask for the business – Many a salesperson has gone through a great presentation, then has forgotten to ask for the order. Your closing statement can be as simple as, “I’d really like to do business with you. May I have your order?” Even if you get a “no” you will then have the opportunity to determine why and handle the objection and then close again.
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