Even the most seasoned of sales professionals make mistakes. However, these mistakes result in a lost sale, a lost lifetime customer. Here are three common sales mistakes from the Open Small Business Forum, and how to prevent your staff or yourself from killing the deal.
1. Don’t rely on referrals. Being referred by a satisfied customer or partnering with similar companies in the industry is great—but relying on referrals for business is not so great, particularly when you’re relying on other businesses to do your referring. These other businesses or businesspeople are concerned about their sales, not yours. They could misrepresent your company or act on your behalf in a way that does not mesh with your business. If you’re spending most of your time handing brochures to other businesses, consider how the ROI if that time were spend with your customers.
2. Don’t set annual sales goals. Goal-setting in general is good practice, but why put a cap on your annual sales potential? Not to mention, if you’re falling short of your goal, you’ll start to feel desperate, and that will come through in your interactions with customers. Or worse, you’ll transfer the pressure you’re feeling onto the customer—and nothing’s worse than a pushy sales pitch.
3. Don’t ask for their business. You’re not a beggar, you’re a solution giver. You’re an advisor, a consultant and a problem solver. Educate the customer on why your product, your company, your service is the best solution for them. Captivate them, prove that you know what you’re talking about and that you’re there to help them make the best decision for their needs, and you’ve sold them on you. And that’s the most powerful sale of all.
Source:
Open Small Business Forum: 3 Deal-Killing Mistakes
