If you are in the first few years of your sales career or You are managing a team which has sales people with little to no experience in sales, then this article is a must read .
After every sales call I do, even today, I sit back and analyse it carefully: Did my call go well? Did I make any mistakes? Could I have done it better? If I was in the client’s place, would I have got convinced by the pitch? Two benefits of doing this – i) is identifying any gaps or areas of improvements ii) chance to prepare better for the next call or meeting.
Being successful in sales and business development for 16 years, I learned the hard way, made mistakes, corrected them, and moved on. Now, I am happy to share my experience on common mistakes done by beginners in sales and how one can avoid them.
Presumptions & Stereotyping
Coming to beginners in sales, pre-assumptions and stereotyping are two common mistakes. The approach of post call analysis helps them realise 1) Each client and call are different 2) not necessary to deliver a standard pitch, be ready to make variations to the pitch within the product or service scope 3) Don’t expect a standard outcome from every meeting
Qualification of leads and Proper Prospecting
Not every lead generated qualifies as a prospect; most beginners make this mistake by targeting the wrong audience. Proper qualification of leads helps weed out the wrong audience. Here are some tips you can follow ..
Gather as much information as possible to understand the prospect’s needs, and if you are reaching the right decision maker or influencer, a quick conversation helps. For example – how does the scope of your product help the prospect? do they have a requirement for the product or service you provide? Are they using any similar solutions? is he or she the right person to be part of the decision-making process, or should it be someone else?
A client may not necessarily open up everything on the phone before meeting but having a clear understanding of what your product and service provides will help you pursue the leads who are most likely to proceed, saving you time and energy.
Research about the Prospect
Most beginners lack this; they have not done enough homework to know enough about the prospect or the company, for example, about the prospect’s role or what designation he holds in the organization. This information will provide some insights and help them navigate the call better, and your client will feel that you have come well prepared.
Not Being a Good Listener
Another common mistake is not allowing customers to talk. We just want to flaunt our knowledge and talk a lot about our product and company, and when you do so, clients feel that you are pushy and exaggerating.
Talk to the point and let your client express his needs and wants. Remember, no one likes to be interrupted.Navigate well by asking open-ended questions and listen carefully until they are completed. When you do so, most of your questions are answered by your client, allowing you to position your product exactly to meet their needs.
According to one study, successful sales people speak 43% on average and allow clients to speak 57%.
Your Personality is your business card
Your posture, facial expressions, hand gestures, eye contact, etc. Most beginners are confused about where to start, and their body language conveys they aren’t confident.
Make an impact by creating a warm, welcoming introduction about you, your organization, the purpose of this call or meeting, and a particular focus point that you want to bring into the conversation. You are setting up a context with a positive note, and your client will value this.
Product knowledge is key
You are the master of your call; you are expected to have good knowledge about your product or services (Features, benefits and advantages) that you have come to sell. Clients would sense it early if you are struggling to navigate your product scope.
Knowing your competition product or offer gives extra edge in the call as you would have prepared a comparative analysis to demonstrate to the client depending on the scenario.
Too much about features than the problem those features can solve for prospects
Most beginners do not focus on presenting the product or solutions in an organised way and with the right flow; they would rather run the whole long deck or PPT or bore the prospect with boasting about the features.
Remember, explaining the features that can solve the prospect’s problems is the benefit your prospect is looking for.
Information is Power, but not too much Information
The right approach is to provide adequate information about your features, services, benefits, and how you can solve real-time problems. But sometimes, to win the customer, we tend to give too much insight and information, which is not recommended. For example, in your conversation, you are comparing your competitors’ services with your own without the customer asking for such a comparison. You believe that if you talk more about the advantages of your solutions in the comparison, the customer will find you the best. In actuality, it can have negative effects
Becoming Defensive
At times clients contradict and their objections become unreasonable. Could be on price, scope or features. For example, if your prices are higher than your competitors for the same solutions and services, do not defend yourself by disparaging your competitor’s product and services; this is an incorrect approach; you are judging the client’s thought process. Instead of disagreeing with the client and trying to defend your value proposition, Pause, say you agree, and talk about what you can offer better in comparison, such as offering an extended warranty or premium services.
Finally, don’t hesitate to Ask for Closing
Another common mistake is the fear of losing a customer by asking him to close the deal. Here, follow AIDA and proceed to close the deal without any fears.
AIDA – Attention, interest, decision, and action—now that you have showcased your capabilities and benefits, it’s time to ask for a sale.
Seek his attention and interest in how he wants to proceed with this discussion; has he decided, and if so, what is the next plan of action? When the above is asked, the prospect would like to check the pricing and the commercials with you.
Put down your pricing sheet and your offer; if you sense the client is negotiating, offer him a straight discount with a clause requiring them to close the deal immediately or within a week.
If your client needs time to decide, you can offer a free trial. This will keep the prospect engaged and help shorten the decision cycle.
I always believed in a famous quote, “Make a customer, not a sale,” and this cycle repeats: when your client values your relationship and trust, believe me, price is never a blocker.
Happy Selling!
