1. Don’t boil the ocean
Sales people who call on as many accounts as possible are trying to boil the ocean. As a sales person you want to RESEARCH the industry where your offering is best suited, then IDENTIFY decision makers that are interested in buying and finally you want to develop a VALUE proposition that will resonate with those audiences.
2. Listening is better than talking
We have one mouth and two ears, which is a clear implication of what instrument we should use more, especially in sales. Many sales people talk themselves out of a sale by pitching, rather than listening to what the prospect actually needs. Ask relevant questions and then lean back and listen!
3. Don’t argue with prospects
When a prospect tells you that they like their current provider/service, don’t argue with them. Don’t tell them that your offering is better, it will put them on the defense. Ask them what they like about the solution and let them talk. Chances are, they will also share with you what they don’t like.Related:
Avoiding the 5 Common Pitfalls of Sales ProspectingRelated:
6 Ways to Shorten your Sales Cycle 4. People don’t know what they don’t know
We often assume that our prospects know what they are looking for, which is not always the case. It is our responsibility as sales people to help them with their decision. Asking strategic questions will help identify a need, and then and only then can we offer a solution that is relevant.
5. Don’t assume
Assumptions are bad, whether we assume on a personal or professional level. Don’t pretend to know more about your prospect’s business than they do. Ask questions to identify and repeat the answer back to your prospect to verify that you heard correctly. That’s the only way to make sure that you hear what they said so you can avoid assumptions.
