These sales blunders better known as mistakes have cost many sales people many clients:.
- Failing to stay front of mind with your prospects
It is imperative for you to be present in the minds of your prospects. By failing to do so both outside and inside of your existing accounts will dramatically dry up your pipeline.
- Failing to focus on results
A common mistake that sales people make is focusing on the process instead of the results; an error that is largely a waste of time. What happens is that the sales person ends up delivering an ineffective pitch when they should have been focusing on bottom-line results.
- Failing to stand out
Many sales people have inadvertently stuck themselves into ‘me-too’ thinking. This thinking restricts them from being creative and innovative. They fall into the trap of being the same as everyone else in the pack, thus losing out on the opportunity to differentiate themselves.
- Failing to listen
This is the classic mistake that sales professionals make. Most of us have the habit of simply hearing our clients without listening to them. Others have the habit of interrupting what their prospects say, overwhelming them with an endless stream of words and delivering off-target solutions.
- Failing to anticipate.
This is a mistake that happens when a salesperson fails to use foresight. Foreseeing potential problems and anticipating solutions will have prevented problems from occurring and the subsequent loss of the sale.
If, you are wondering whether you make any of these sales blunders ask yourself the following:
– Have you noticed your prospects driving hard on your price lately?
– Do your customers patronize the products and services of your competitors instead of your brand?
– Have you found yourself redoing or revising proposals for your prospects?
– Have any of your prospects rescheduled important meetings with you?
– Do your prospects submit last-minute requests for proposals?
– Have you experienced missing out on additional requests for customers?
– Think of your last four quotas. Have you ever missed at least two of your sales forecasts?
– Do you feel that your prospects are satisfied with what you propose to them or do you find them still looking for better solutions than the ones you have presented?
– Are your prospects failing to keep you posted on their plans?
– Are your prospects frustrated with errors on your part?
If you have answered a ‘yes’ to any of these questions, then you have a problem that you need to address. Work on resolving these issues and strive not to commit them again. By doing just that, you will minimise your sales blunders and experience increased sales success.
