As the prospects turn into happy customers they not only help you achieve your sales numbers but also help you grow your business by offering quality referrals.
Every time you interact with a prospect on a sales call or a sales meeting, the key to success is to make the prospect believe that you can solve their problems and give them the solution they are seeking. Yet, most sales executives are focused on closing the numbers and getting the sale done before understanding the customer and adding the right value.
Their focus is narrowed only to adding a number of accounts/ clients to their list and not to solving the problems. When the sales executive is under tremendous pressure and only wants to close the numbers, they sound irrelevant, the pitch sounds repetitive, the selling pressure becomes evident and it turns off the prospect from engaging in any further dialogue.
While speaking and facilitating high-impact sales workshops, I have come across the following mistakes that most sales executives make. These are a big turn-off to most prospects.
1) Faking Enthusiasm
Have you received that sales call or been in that sales meeting where the sales executive has a solution to all your problems, the one who is overly enthusiastic and smiles at every objection? The one who never wants to say “NO” and nods to every question with a grin? The only focus of this sales executive is to get the sale done. He is willing to fake all the enthusiasm only to have you say “YES”.
Probably they believed in the old adage – FAKE IT UNTIL YOU MAKE IT! That’s what some sales trainers and coaches often advocate, isn’t it?
While you are busy faking, the prospect easily differentiates between what is real and what is fake. And the moment he feels it, the only thing the prospect will say is a NO.
Well, showing enthusiasm is not bad but faking enthusiasm or faking energy during conversation is a big turn-off. The prospect can easily differentiate that you are faking it.
Next time watch out you can never make it if you fake it!
2) Not Being Prepared
Going on a sales call or a sale meeting unprepared is like going to a war without a weapon. In war, you might die but in a sales call/ meeting, you will end up being embarrassed and may as well get humiliated.
Most sales executives are in a hurry to close their numbers. They pick up the phone and dial in without doing their basic preparation. As soon as the prospect gives a nod and asks a few questions, you are stumped. In the process, you as well fail to build rapport.
The prospect wants you to be prepared. They want you to know about them, their organization, and their industry. They want you to be one step ahead of them. If not at least they expect you to build rapport and know them during the meeting.
When the sales executive walks in without any basic preparation and starts from scratch, it’s a big turn-off. The prospect values their time and wants you to value their time as well.
3) Not Listening/ Ignoring
Your aim during the prospecting call or the presentation is to listen to the customer and know their need. Your customer wants you to listen to them and expects a customized solution and not a generic solution.
On the contrary, most sales executives are all about themselves and their products. They do not see anything beyond the product that they are selling. They are not attentive to the things that the prospect is sharing. As a result, they fail to build rapport and offer customized solutions.
When sales executives are not lending their ears to listen and understand, the prospects are turned off. Sales executives must develop a service mindset than a selfish mindset. They must listen to the prospect than just the numbers they are chasing.
4) Creating Selling Pressure
Have you heard them say – Always Be Closing! If you have spent some time in sales you have heard this.
Many sales executives are trained hard to believe that the mantra to succeed in selling is “Always Be Closing”. When sales executives adopt this mantra, they often end up believing that they need to close the sale as early as possible. They try to create unreasonable pressure on the prospect to get the deal done and at times they as well try to up-sell/ cross-sell too early.
When you are always creating unwanted pressure it turns the prospect off and they take the business elsewhere. They think that you are not someone who can be trusted and can add value.
5) Not Demonstrating Authority
In the age where information is just a click away, your prospects want to know more than they already know. They do not want you to show them the traditional information which is just a few clicks away.
Most sales executives are trying to impress the prospect with statistics that are irrelevant to their work or business. They do not customize the information for the client and fail to demonstrate authority in what they are speaking/ presenting.
Showing irrelevant information or available information demonstrates poor or lack of authority. This is a big turn-off for a prospect.
These common mistakes made by sales executives not just make them lose their sales but also lose out on opportunities of growing their business.
What are the mistakes that you have seen your sales executives do?
What mistakes have you done in the past which serve as a great lesson today?
Do leave your comments and let us know.
