How to Avoid Everyday Sales Mistakes

May 29

08:24

2005

Ken Levine

Avoiding Every Day Sales GoofsA client of mine once said to me, “It’s better to do the right thing badly than the wrong thing very well.” So it goes in sales. Try to do the right things, even if not very well, even if it hurts.

You’re probably not guilty of committing any of the following sales goofs, however, if you see yourself in any of these situations, you might want to rethink your sales process:

Calling at the wrong level.
It’s all about you and your company, not your prospect.
It’s value added and not value first.
You can’t figure out the real problem, concern, and pain being experienced by the prospect.
You are trying to sell something rather than provide a solution.
The prospect may not like you.
Blaming your empty sales pipeline on the economy.
Loving your comfort zone – you do the same thing over an over again expecting different results.
Allowing your prospect to be in control.
Appearing needy and hungry.
You don’t leave each sales meeting or telephone call with a clear next step..You are in chase mode.
Talking 70 – 80% of the time during the sales call.
Selling on price rather than value.
Being condescending to prospects – you are smarter than them so you educate them.
Accepting “THINK IT OVERS” as a good thing.
Not disarming objections early enough.
Projecting your personal opinions.
Not sure how to get the sale closed or unable to walk away.
Doing lots of proposals and quotes that don’t not convert to opportunities.
Fearing sales objections.
Presenting to the wrong people – non-decision makers.
Fearing failure rather than embracing failure.
Not thinking BIG- why think at all?
Not keeping your eye on the prize – the relationship.
Not picking up the telephone – fear of rejection.
Can’t answer the question, “Why should I do business with you?”
Fear of change – the devil you know is better than the one you don’t.
Can’t define the ideal client.
Don’t have a database of prospects, which fit the ideal client profile.
Don’t know who the decision maker is within each company on your hot leads database.
Your sales team is not disciplined.
You can’t track sales behaviors and activities on a daily basis.
You don’t have a hot leads database – it’s all in your head.
You don’t know have a good 30 second commercial - what to say if you call someone and they actually pickup the phone.There’s no accountability.
Poor daily sales behaviors.
You’re reactive rather than proactive.