Many sales professionals want to know how to increase sales, but common sales mistakes can lead to larger issues when it comes to closing. Are you making common sales mistakes? Read our blog to improve sales performance.
1. Not knowing the next step
No matter where you are in the sales cycle with your client, you always need to know the next step you want to take with them. Do not wait for them to tell you what they need. Try to anticipate the follow-up questions and requests they will have before meeting with them at any point in the sales cycle. Examples of the next steps include: scheduling the next meeting, following up with an answer to their question, upselling after closing, etc.
A quick tip: Ask your marketing team about content that you can share with your clients such as ebooks, newsletters, social media pages, etc.
2. Being unfamiliar with your product
This seems basic, but some products are very complex. This complexity can be used to your advantage. Simply put, the more you know about the product, the easier it is to sell.
Here are some ways to develop your understanding of your product.
- Learn about and become familiar with unique product features
- Be tuned into common problems your product solves
- Ask about the value current customers get from your product
- The more you know about the product, the easier it is to sell
- Attend meetings outside of your department to learn more about the product
3. Taking objections personally
The average closing rate is below 30% according to Hubspot. This means you will hear “No” at least 70% of the time, even if you are really good at what you do. One of the most important sales tips is to avoid discouragement! Remember, client objections are a gift because they give you insight into the issues your clients and potential clients are experiencing. If you need to shake off a missed sale we recommend taking a walk, talking it out, and making notes of what went wrong, and comparing it to previous deals to identify patterns.
4. Ignoring resistance or hoping it goes away
The worst thing you can do with resistance is ignore it or hope it goes away. Our emotions are very similar. If we pretend to be happy when we are angry, we can actually make the situation much worse. Addressing resistance head-on can help close sales.
Questions you can ask when you are up against resistance
- If I am able to get this answered for you, are you ready to move forward?
- Do you see any other issues that may be preventing you from moving forward?
- What other questions about our product can I answer for you?
5. Fixing instead of listening
Let’s be honest, your job is to close the deal, not make everyone’s problems go away. Sometimes people simply want to be heard and feel their struggle is understood. Allow your clients to vent about their challenges and address the specific issues your product can alleviate.
6. Applying pressure to change behavior
Applying pressure does NOT change behavior. This applies to individual sales professionals and sales team managers. The only way to change the outcome of a situation is to change behavior. Ways you can change behavior include effective communication, professional training, pre-approved systems.
7. Forgetting about professional development
Often, we hope sales will simply improve or we wait for our organization to make changes in order to succeed. Take matters into your own hands and professionally develop yourself. Sign up for 231 Sales’ Interactive Learning System to get started today.
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