Maybe your 2010 sales results have been disappointing. Or, perhaps, you're a dynamo whose efforts are amply rewarded with sales, but you still wouldn't mind a little improvement in your sales figures.
In either case, stop and ask yourself if you're guilty of any of the following top 10 sales mistakes. As you read through the list, do you see yourself looking back at yourself from the mirror? If so, you know where you need to start making improvements.
10. Not pre-qualifying a potential appointment before you commit to it. I still hear people say, "I go for the appointment. If I can get in front of them, I have a better chance of selling it." You also have a better chance of wasting lots of time on nothing but an opportunity that has a high chance of going nowhere.
9. Not allowing the power of silence. Silence is an important tool in negotiation. Its power lies in the fact that most people are uncomfortable with it. But, because the salesperson may be as uncomfortable as the prospect, she will speak again before giving time for the prospect to answer. When you ask a question, allow the prospect to have time to think about the answer. If you don't, you have lost control of the conversation and lost the advantage of the power of silence. More importantly, some people need time to think before answering. When you break the silence, you have interrupted the prospect's train of thought. Stop talking.
8. Not uncovering the next steps clearly enough. Some of us are sharp enough to know that we should ask what the next step is when on a sales appointment. But, there is more to it than that. For example, if you asked: "If I come back with a proposal you like, what will happen next?" and the prospect says: "We'll move forward," you would probably assume that means she will sign the deal. Are you sure? "Move forward" could mean lots of things, so make sure you understand specifically what the client means. Don't assume it means she will sign the deal - because you know what happens when you assume.
7. Putting a proposal together before understanding all that should go in it. I am floored at how many people still show up, ask a few questions and ask for the "privilege" of coming back with a proposal. What exactly are you proposing? Don't get caught up in the "if I can show them all the great things we do, they will buy" syndrome. They will buy only what is relevant to them.
6. Not utilizing relationships you have in the community to form alliances to help get you introduced to a potential prospect at a higher level than you would otherwise have access to. If you have a relationship you can lean on, do it. You can bet the other person won't hesitate to call in a reciprocal introduction from you if you can be of help to him. And even if he doesn't, or you don't know anyone who's useful to him, be sure to take full advantage of his acquaintanceships, friendships and other business-useful relationships. If you saw a sack of unclaimed money on the street, would you walk right past it? Then why are you letting these relationship goldmines slip through your fingers?
5. Defending your product or service. If people ask why you did something or your organization made a particular decision, don't defend the decision - ask why they are asking. Don't assume you know the reason for the question. You can get yourself in deep trouble that way.
4. Not asking for a referral because you are uncomfortable. The No. 1 complaint I hear from salespeople is that they hate cold calling. Do you hate it, too? Then get yourself out of the cold-call business and start asking for referrals. The two reasons we don't get more referrals are: We don't ask, and we don't ask properly. You must be specific about who and what you are looking for. No one knows better than you what a good referral looks like.
3. Not setting an agenda for a meeting. If you are calling on someone and you go in with the attitude that you will wing it, you are in trouble. People won't respect your time if you don't respect theirs. Set an agenda, discuss it with the prospect or client at the beginning of the meeting and get his agreement. That will help put him on the same page with you, and not leave him in the position of an adversary.
2. Giving the features and benefits of your product before you know which ones are relevant to your client or prospect. Don't assume you know which ones are important. Assuming is a mistake in many ways. The most damaging is not letting the prospect tell you the issues she's having before you make your recommendations. Even if they end up being the same issues you had in mind, people need to be heard.
1. Not shutting up
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