Winner Plus I Club

Increase Your Sales by Avoiding These Mistakes.

We all make mistakes when selling our product/service. Here
are the most common sales mistakes people make.

Sales Mistake # 1: Allowing a prospect to lead the sales process.

The best way to control the sales interaction is To Ask
Questions. This is also the best way to learn whether or not
your product or service meets the needs of your prospect; a
process we call Qualifying. Quality questions that uncover
specific issues, problems, or corporate objectives are
essential in helping you establish yourself as an expert. Also,
this will create an opportunity to design solutions keeping
Prospect’s interest in mind- a quality of a true professional.

Sales Mistake # 2: Not completing pre-meeting research.

After several weeks of voice mail I finally connected with my
prospect and scheduled a meeting. Unfortunately, I entered
the meeting without first researching the company.

Instead of presenting a solution to an existing problem, I spent
the entire meeting learning fundamental information, which to
senior executives, is a complete waste of their time. This
approach is one of most common sales mistakes. Invest the
time learning about your prospect before you call them and
before you try to schedule a meeting.

Sales Mistake # 3: Talking too much.

Too many sales people talk too much during the sales
interaction. They espouse about their product, its features,
and their service and so on. When I first bought carpet for my
home I recall speaking to a sales person who told me how
long he had been in the business, how smart he was, how good
his carpets were, etc. But this dialogue did nothing to convince
me that I should buy from him. Instead, I left the store thinking
that he did not care about my specific needs.

A friend of mine is in the advertising business and often talks to
prospects who initially request a quote. Instead of talking at
great length about the ad agency’s experience and qualifications,
he gets the potential client talking about her business.
By doing this he is able to determine the most effective strategy
for that prospect.

Sales Mistake # 4: Giving the prospect information that is irrelevant.

When I worked in the corporate world I was subjected to
countless presentations where the sales person shared
information that was completely meaningless to me.
I don’t care about your financial backing or who your clients
are. Make the most of your presentation by telling me how
I will benefit from your product or service until I know how
your product or service relates to my specific situation.

This is a tricky area. As a thumb rule, you can keep the “extra”
data (not relevant to the benefit presentation) ready, and
furnish the same, if (and only if) asked for.

Sales Mistake # 5: Not being prepared.

I remember calling a prospect expecting to receive a reply
from his secretary. That meant I was completely unprepared
when he answered the call himself. Instead of asking him a
series of qualifying questions I simply responded to his
questions, allowing him to control the sale. Unfortunately,
I didn’t progress any further than that initial call.

When you make a cold call or attend a meeting with a
prospect it is critical that you are prepared. This means
having all relevant information at your fingertips including;
pricing, testimonials, samples, and a list of questions you
need to ask. I suggest creating a checklist of the vital
information you will need and reviewing this list before you
make your call. You have exactly one opportunity to make
a great first impression and you will not make it if you are
not prepared.

Sales Mistake # 6: Neglecting to ask for the sale.

I recall a participant in one of my workshops expressing
interest in my book. I told him to look through it but at no
time did I ask for the sale. Later, I heard him express this
observation to other participants in the program. If you sell
a product or service, you have the obligation to ask the
customer for a commitment, particularly if you have invested
time assessing their needs and know that your product or
service will solve a problem. Many people are concerned with
coming across as pushy but as long as you ask for the sale
in a non-threatening, confident manner, people will usually
respond favorably.

ABC of selling means Always Be Closing. If you don’t close,
you are working for your competitor.

Sales Mistake # 7: Failing to prospect.

This is one of the most common mistakes independent
business make. When business is good many people stop
prospecting, thinking that the flow of business will continue.
However, the most successful sales people prospect all the
time. They schedule prospecting time in their agenda every
week. Sophisticated Automated tools like Winner Plus are
available in the market. Utilise them, and emerge as a true
professional.

Even the most seasoned sales professional makes mistakes
from time to time.

Avoid these blunders and increase the likelihood of closing
the sale. Wish you a happy selling.

                                                                   – Amal Mondkar