Lots of people think that all salespeople do is talk. Well, if you have tried your hand at selling then you know that this is not true. Selling is a skill that few can manage effectively. Most salespeople are order takers – which is still work – but without the rewards granted to those who understand the art of the sale. Now, the three mistakes that will kill the sale
Selling at the top level takes drive, focus and a keen sense of strategy.
What are the three mistakes that will kill the sale?
1) Don’t Engage
Sure, most salespeople are good talkers but that alone won’t get the sale. It is about engagement and that is much more about listening then speaking. Find some common ground (sports, travel, children) and connect on a human level first. Don’t overdo it – getting too personal will hurt your efforts – but show a dash of interest in the human in front of you. Generally, you should not be speaking more than twenty-five percent of the time. Listen carefully because if you let people speak they will give you important clues to what is important to them. Listen to engage!
2) Miss the pain
Everyone has pain and if miss this you are missing a big one! When you let people talk about their business and if you listen carefully you will find the pain in their business. Perhaps it is frustration with cash flow, employees, suppliers or they are simply tired. Find that pain and you will find an important key to connecting with your buyer. The pain does not have to be directly related to your offering but understanding what is important to the buyer will allow your to present your offering in a manner that will connect with them. Find the pain!
3) Take your eyes off the prize
Whatever your reasons for being there – to request a meeting, book a presentation or to get the order stay focused on making that happen. Before you get in front of the buyer, whether in person or on the telephone, know what your goal is and make the achievement of that goal crystal clear in your mind. Visualize it happening just before your meeting and stay focused on that outcome throughout.
Most sales are lost long before the pitch – don’t let that happen to you!