As companies embrace the idea of decentralizing their sales and marketing systems, team members are given a greater freedom to select their sales approaches. In a way, this works well for the independent salesperson, who can motivate himself and explore newer sales tactics unhindered. But it is not necessarily the best approach for someone new to sales or who might need additional guidance.
Here are some common mistakes a newbie (and sometimes experienced) salesperson can make:
1. Not following up a lead right away. Most salespeople will follow up a hot lead right away. Correct? Actually, it’s not true. The average sales person underestimates his sales leads, very often resulting in a potential customer turning to the competitor. When a lead came through to you via a referral, networking, or via the website, they might want your product, but unless you respond immediately, they are likely to turn to someone else.
2. Giving up before you close the deal. The best salesperson knows that a no can often be converted into a yes. However, for someone new to the selling game, a no is disheartening and may result in the sale falling through the cracks. Being persistent- but not pushy– is sometimes the key to closing a sale. If you do get a negative response, it’s not time to give up, but time to gear up and ask yourself why is the potential customer saying no? Is it a budget issue? A price issue? Does he fail to have staff to implement? Does he have the final say in whether or not the sale is made?
3. Talking the talk, but not walking the walk. There’s a lot more to sales than just communicating. You may have signed up for a sales job because you are a good talker, but are you a good listener? Very often, a deal can be closed simply by listening to what the prospect has to say, and then acting on it. Similarly, if the response has been, “send me some information”, probe deeper and see if you could schedule a call for a better time to talk rather than blindly sending over material. It may never reach its intended destination.
4. Not digging deep enough. In real estate, it’s all about location, location, location. In sales, it’s all about research, research, research. Prioritize your tasks every day and dig deep into your ‘A’ class accounts. These are the accounts that can potentially convert to sales. Use any technology at your disposal to help you categorize your leads. My earlier post 3 Steps to Successful Prospecting has plenty of links to marketing tools that can help you.
5. Failing to ‘goal-set’. Goals energize you and keep you focused on real outcomes, not possible dreams. Tony Robbins, Zig Ziglar, and Brian Tracy will all tell you the importance of goals, and here’s the truth:
- A salesperson who sets goals can achieve more in less time
- A salesperson who sets goals is less likely to get distracted
- A salesperson who sets goals is more prepared and offers a better presentation
- A salesperson who sets goals is more likely to achieve them
- A salesperson who sets goals will most likely close the deal!
And finally, a bonus mistake that you should avoid; do not get complacent! It’s to do with the nature of the job – sales is hard and stressful work, and it requires you to be patient. So when you do make a few sales, it’s easier to let your guard down. Complacency tends to creep in when contentment is at the door. It’s a by-product of success and the first step to a short-cut solution. But as we know, in sales there are no short-cuts. Brush up on research, continue with self-education, and continue to be committed. The next big sale, just like the next big employment cut, is just around the corner. Are you prepared for it?
