I know the subject of making more sales is a major issue for 95% of readers … and isn’t the other 5% so lucky?
Look, the reality is that we literally butcher many sales opportunities before they have a
chance to flower.
Even if you’re a stellar performer, check this list periodically to recognise and overcome your weaknesses.
Step back and objectively analyse your performance, making sure that you don’t:
1. Talk too much.
Yes Possibly No
2. Ask too few questions.
Yes Possibly No
3. Skimp on pre-call planning.
Yes Possibly No
4. Prospect inconsistently and insufficiently
.
Yes Possibly No
5. Quote price too soon.
Yes Possibly No
6. Fail to create value.
Yes Possibly No
7. Present too many features.
Yes Possibly No
8. Present issues that are immaterial to your prospect.
Yes Possibly No
9. Raise objections yourself without answering them.
Yes Possibly No
10. Fail to listen carefully to your prospect.
Yes Possibly No
11. Neglect to provide proof of other happy customers.
Yes Possibly No
12. Ask leading and provocative questions.
Yes Possibly No
13. Use tie-down statements that make prospects uneasy.
Yes Possibly No
14. Sound too “canned” in your dealings with prospects.
Yes Possibly No
15. Lack adequate flexibility in your personality.
Yes Possibly No
16. Drop the price way too soon.
Yes Possibly No
17. Make claims that you can’t back up.
Yes Possibly No
18. Under-deliver on promises.
Yes Possibly No
19. Fail to reveal all the facts.
Yes Possibly No
20. Fail to ask for the order.
Yes Possibly No
Action Step: Give this list to each of your salespeople and ask them to be brutally honest on where they may be falling down and may need assistance.
At the same time, why don’t you do a critique of each of them and then compare notes?
Adapted from Sales Techniques, William T. Brooks,
Briefcase Books Series
Three simple success secrets top salespeople share
Research indicates that these three basic sales practices lead to more sales:
1. Let the customer talk more than you do.
Fact: If you’re too busy talking up your product
or service you’ll miss clues about the prospect’s true needs and wants. The more your prospect talks, the more you’ll learn. That puts you in the best position to offer customised solutions.
2. Ask more of the right questions.
Fact: If your sales calls leave you with little information and a sense of incompleteness,
you’re not asking the right questions that will uncover your prospects’ needs and wants.
3. Hold off on offering products and solutions.
Fact: You can’t know what solution to offer if you don’t uncover customer needs, wants and decision making criteria first.
Golden Rule: Never offer a solution until you know what problem you’re tying to solve.
Managers, are your salespeople violating these simple success secrets?
If yes, please work with them to correct the deficiency because they are talking themselves out of sales.
Source: The Competitive Advantage, USA.
Finally, many businesses right now are flat strap dealing with business in lead up to Christmas and it’s great it’s a busy time for you! Therefore many of the things we could work on with you we would certainly have to put off till you get a little quieter, and if there were a few easy things you could put in place right now to make the most of the busy period, how much would you benefit from that? In fact you would be making the most of your growth if you start right now – can you see that?
If you can see that call us on 1300 66 44 89 to book your confidential chat
This column was compiled by Paul Wright from excerpts originally published by Damien Parker, Publisher of the subscription only Positive Business Newsletter & Information Service. The Right Team, Sales Strategists & Business Improvement Specialists, ABN 49006 576 564 ACN 110 466 138 Tel: 61 2 4297 5305, have worldwide licensing & distribution rights for the Positive Business Newsletter
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