As an executive and leadership adviser, I meet professionals, entrepreneurs and other organizational executives all the time. They are very successful people who are focused on achieving results. Most often, but not always, they are looking for a more effective approach to generating new business or clients. They find the sales process extremely challenging and perplexing, and fewer still have the courage to walk directly into their challenges and really learn from their mistakes. This leads to doing the same selling traps continuously. Help!
Here are 10 Essential Selling Principles That Most People Get Wrong.
1. Assuming the problem that the prospect communicates is the real problem. It’s normal and natural to assume this; however, it’s never the real problem and is critically important to look deeper into each scenario. Like a physician, we must ask ourselves “is this the prospect’s real problem or is it just a symptom?” Before diagnosing and offering how we can address their challenges, we have to ask more questions to make sure we’ll be getting at the root of their problem, and bringing value to the prospect by supporting their true goals.
2. Talking too much. We talk way too much. Blah, blah, blah. Here’s a tip, use the 70/30 rule. The prospect should be talking 70% of the time, while most of our 30% is in the form of questions. So often and especially in the beginning of a relationship, we think they need to be doing all the talking, when they should be listening and asking questions. Keep in mind, if a prospect wanted a rundown of our products or services, he or she could just visit our website. The sales process is a conversation, and an honest and open one at that.
3. Believing that we can sell anybody anything. People don’t buy because of our reasons. A prospect must go through a period of self-discovery before making the decision that our product or service is the right solution. Prospect resistance is pre-programmed and we all know we don’t like to be told what to do (or buy). A better approach than “selling by telling” is to ask key questions or relate third-party stories that allow the prospect to discover the benefits and advantages of our product or services. When we ask questions that lead to a discovery, the prospect then “owns” the discovery and the resistance disappears. After all, people don’t tend to argue with their own data.
4. Over-educating the prospect when we should be selling. The initial goal in selling is to find out why, and under what circumstances, the prospect will buy from us. Asking questions is first, and sharing our materials and specifics comes next. Sell today, educate tomorrow.
5. Thinking that your sales “presentation” will seal the deal. We should always be helping the prospect discover the best reasons to buy from us – not telling them why they should. This is the qualifying phase in understanding their problems, budget and decision making process. We need to keep our pride in check, get off our “high horse” and stop throwing up our knowledge ~ our features and benefits. We are so proud of what we know and we think the prospect cares ~ they don’t! If they don’t qualify then we don’t present and thank them for their time. The prospect should know that they’ll be buying from us long before we present our proposal. The effective process is to Qualify, Close, Present rather than Qualify, Present, Close.
6. Failing to remember that salespeople are decision makers, too. Every step of the way through the sales cycle, a salesperson must make critical decision as to whether to continue investing time in the relationship with the prospect. If you as the salesperson are a poor decision-maker, your lack of clarity and decisive action will be mirrored in your prospect’s behavior. Remember, the shorter your selling cycle, the more leads you close over time.
7. Reading minds. Always get the facts from our prospect about what they need and why. When the prospect is vague, politely ask for clarity. Veteran sales people are often the culprits of “reading minds” because they think they’ve seen it all. But when they jump to conclusions, they make erroneous assumptions that lead to wasted time at best, lost opportunities at worst. As the old adage goes, “to assume is to make an ass out of you and me.”
8. Working as an “unpaid consultant” in an attempt to close a deal. Play “Let’s Pretend” when a prospect asks for additional work and information before making a buying decision. Ask the prospect to picture a scenario where we complete the additional groundwork and provide a solution that fits everything the prospect needs – then what happens, will they buy from us? If they can’t envision pulling the trigger even after we’ve done the additional work, or if they’d still need another step in the process, it may be time to walk away or we may ask to move directly to this second step. When you want to know the future, bring it back to the present.
9. Being our own worst enemy. Never blame the prospect for stalling the process. Instead, look inward. It’s our job and responsibility to assure the prospect and address detours. The only way to streamline the process is to continue to refine our own sales approach and technique.
10. Keeping our fingers crossed that a prospect doesn’t notice a problem. The only way to avoid a potential disaster is to address it before it erupts. Always come clean and be open and transparent if something problematic comes up along the selling cycle. The prospect will respect that we “came clean” and shared it, and together we can problem-solve, building a solidifying team approach to the issue.
From my view as one involved in sales & business development everyday, these principles teach that an effective sales process is about sharing our company’s great talents and strengths, and connecting powerfully with those who are a strong fit in terms of values, approach, style and outcomes. Being open, honest, and transparent about who we are and what we deliver, along with serving as an effective listener, decision-maker and team-builder, will help us achieve, but also help us find new ways to be of true service to others.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. How are you developing your talent and leadership pipeline? We would love to hear from you with comments or questions. Send me a note via email at brad@aperiocoaching.net or on Twitter @bparcells.
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