Mistake #1: Being pushy
People hate pushy sales reps. These are the ones that are often associated with being a stereotypical “used car salesperson.” This makes buyers feel like they are being tricked into making a purchase. Buyers nowadays are educated, prepared, and they are familiar with the tactics that sellers use. These days, buyers have different options and can go somewhere else if they don’t feel you have their best interest at heart. Buyers want to move toward sellers who can educate them to make the best decision, as opposed to someone who is trying to push them into an option they don’t really need.
Pushy sellers are those who are trying to hit their own deadlines and quotas without taking into account what’s best for their customers. They have abandoned the whole idea of empathy.
Mistake #2: Not listening
We’ve all heard that we have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak … but not everyone takes this to heart. Donald was taught early on that he should only speak about 30-40% of the time. The rest of the time should be spent listening. New sellers have the notion that the more you talk, the more convincing you get. Actually, the opposite is true. Great sellers spend their time asking effective questions. When you research and come prepared with questions buyers can respond to, it helps them see you’re more engaged. For example, ask questions pertaining to their business or personal interests. It’s during these conversations that the prospect will tell you how to sell to them.
Mistake #3: Saying “Tell me more about your business”
Don’t ask a buyer about their business when there’s so much information available over the internet. Do your research before the meeting. The buyer shouldn’t have to waste their time educating you about their business. You don’t want to be caught less informed than your competition. Instead, ask them questions that pertain to their services and about the challenges their company may be trying to overcome.
Mistake #4: Lying
Nobody likes a liar. As a seller, you have an idea about what numbers you want to hit. Regardless of what that might be, when the buyer asks for the price, don’t tell them you don’t know if you can give them a margin to work with. Help the buyer make a decision that’s in their best interest by offering great value first, then talk price.
If you truly don’t know the answer to a critical question, let them know you’ll get back to them. Just don’t lie. The buyer will appreciate your authenticity.
Mistake #5: Not taking No as an answer
You want to help people but you can’t force them to get your products or services. Sales work is very much like baseball. Not every swing turns into a home run. Sometimes you’re just going to get to first base or hit a line drive. The same is true with your prospects. You want to give your best but when a buyer says no, you can ask a follow-up question to make sure it’s not a problem you can solve. If it’s just not a good time, don’t be pushy and revisit down the road.
Mistake #6: Not knowing the buyer’s true needs
It’s best to meet a client with some understanding of their needs and how you can offer solutions or better alternatives. The last thing a buyer wants is to deal with a salesperson who has no idea how to help them solve their problems. Try to understand the pain points of their business. The more you understand them, the more you’ll be able to add value.
Case studies and testimonials can offer great insight into how problems can be solved or what the problem is. These can be found in your own company’s files, through your competitors, or your prospect’s website. Look at some of the training and videos. Look at their case studies and read on the challenges they solve for their buyers. The last thing a buyer wants is to deal with a salesperson who has no idea how to help them solve their problems.
Mistake #7: Being late for meetings
When you set up an appointment, make sure to show up on time, and don’t miss appointments. Buyers are busy and being late is a bad first impression. Be diligent with your scheduling and don’t stack appointments if you can’t follow through. Learn how to organize your time in a way that you will have extra time to prepare for your next appointment. Calculate in your travel time, the time you need to prepare your slides and anything else that will take up precious minutes.
Be careful too of being too early and creating a burden for the client. Be there early enough to set up and then be ready to go by the time the client gets there.
Mistake #8: Not keeping your word
This mistake ties closely to the previous one. For example, if you gave your word you were going to bring information to the meeting, then do so. You don’t want to come across as unreliable as they will wonder if this will be how you are after closing. Embrace the idea of under-promising and over-delivering.
Mistake #9: Overselling
Overselling can happen with new sellers. Sometimes new sellers feel they have to tell the buyers everything about the product. Your job is to show what’s specifically important to the client. If you’re selling a house and the buyer really wants a nice garage, don’t spend most of your time showing them the bedrooms – show them the nice garage. Give them what they want.
This is how your buyers gain confidence in you and the product or service you have to offer.
Mistake #10: Not willing to learn
As a new seller, it’s part of your job to learn from everyone. Talk to your colleagues, people from different departments, and other people in the industry. Recognize your gap and seek opportunities to keep learning and growing. Watch videos, read books, listen to podcasts, go to training seminars, and utilize other modes of education. Be an effective seller by continuously increasing your knowledge.
10 things new sellers should avoid doing” episode resources
If you are interested in more sales stories, you can talk to Donald directly. Reach him via these channels: LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook about any sales concerns.
This episode is brought to you in part by Crmble, the easy-peasy CRM for Trello that helps you manage your contacts and leads without investing in complicated solutions, sync all your data, manage custom fields, and get powerful reporting on your sales. Try Crmble now for free at www.crmble.com/tse. This course is also brought to you in part by TSE Certified Sales Training Program. It’s a course designed to help new and struggling sellers to master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. It will help them elevate their sales game. Sign up now and get the first two modules for free! You can go and visit www.donaldk4.sg-host.com/closemoredeals also call us at (561) 570-5077.
We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes so tune in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings to every episode you listen to.
You can also read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore this huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day free trial.
Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.
Watch on YouTube:
Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS