Though there are countless myths that we pass down and cling to, we’ll address the top five myths that new sellers tend to adopt.
1. You must have the gift of gab.
It absolutely isn’t true that sellers must be big talkers. It isn’t true that you have to be good at improvisation and talking to anyone.
Although none of those are bad things, they aren’t required to be successful in sales.
The truth is that the seller who listens well has the best odds of success. Rather than bulldozing your prospect by talking, give the prospect a chance to explain what he needs.
2. It’s OK to lie.
Many times we buy into the idea that the ends justify the means.
We believe that if a questionable decision leads to a good outcome, it wasn’t necessarily a bad choice. Imagine stealing food to feed a hungry family.
When sales professionals lie or stretch the truth to convince prospects to engage with their service or product, the choice almost always backfires. When prospects realize you aren’t honest, your relationship will be short-lived.
We’re seeking to grow our business and build an empire.
When you’re honest, you’ll gain loyal customers who will refer you to other people.
3. You only have to make a few calls.
When you’re prospecting, you’re turning over stones. You’re searching for people who are interested in your product or service.
Ask any seller at a thriving organization and you’ll discover he is making many phone calls.
The first time you reach out to a prospect, she may not be ready for your product or service. You will reach voicemails and executive assistants who keep you from accessing the prospect.
Not every phone call will lead to a conversation, but you must be willing to make them.
Understand that the more people you reach out to, the more likely you are to find prospects who need what you’re offering. The more shots on goal you take, the more chances you have of scoring.
4. The phone is dead.
Selling over the phone may be more challenging than it once was, but that doesn’t mean the phone is dead.
You’re going to make tons of calls. Like any other form of outreach, it requires a great deal of effort. Whether you’re using email, LinkedIn, or regular mail, you have to invest effort in order to produce results.
I think of outreach as a campaign. If I use all of the methods together in a well-rounded outreach, I’m more likely to reach people who are interested in my product or service.
Your job is to figure out how to be effective over the phone. Perhaps it means calling at certain times, using a particular message in your voicemails, or using other means in addition to the phone.
Do the opposite of what everyone else is doing.
5. One sales process works better than the others.
Everyone has an opinion about which sales process is best.
Truthfully, developing a sales process is a little like baking an apple pie. Your process will likely include the same basic ingredients as everyone else’s. The method or process will be different, but the general rules will be the same.
You might use a different kind of apple or a little more cinnamon, but the results won’t be too far off.
Try a bunch of different pies. See which is the best. Put your full effort into the experiment to see which one is best.
If The Sales Evangelist method is the best for you, let us know; we’d be happy to work with you to continue growing in your business.
Whatever you do, grab your prospect’s attention, build value, and help him reach the decision that’s best for him. Overcome the sales myths crippling new sellers.
“5 Sales Myths” episode resources
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