| Many sales are lost because of "sales." To be | | | | result in a lost sales. |
| successful in this profession requires listening to the | | | | Anytime a salesperson is dealing with a customer, |
| customer. Unfortunately as salespeople, we often | | | | patience must be exhibited to not only find out what |
| hear so many different things that we feel the need | | | | their needs are, but also to discover which particular |
| to provide solutions for all of their problems. When | | | | need best matches what is being offered. |
| this happens, sales professionals can overwhelm the | | | | Unfortunately, salespeople often do not take the |
| customer, causing them to become confused, and, | | | | time to validate the needs they hear. Instead, they |
| ultimately, losing any sale. | | | | treat all of the needs as being equal, remember what |
| For the salesperson, it all begins when Marketing | | | | Marketing has told them, and begin to think they've |
| comes out with what they perceive as the greatest | | | | come across the perfect customer for their product |
| new product or service to hit the market. Marketing | | | | service. This is where many sales are lost because |
| will proclaim that their latest creation will solve all of | | | | the salesperson does not narrow their focus. |
| the problems any customer has or could possible | | | | Therefore, it is critical for sales professionals to think |
| ever have. They continue to lay it on with an | | | | "sale", not "sales." |
| assortment of product characteristics all matched to | | | | Top performing salespeople are confident of their |
| whatever issues the customer has. | | | | skills and their ability to close a sale. They focus on |
| Meanwhile, attentive salespeople absorb this | | | | helping the customer fulfill their primary need. |
| information and subconsciously begin to look for | | | | Average salespeople, on the other hand, attempt to |
| ways to apply everything Marketing has proclaimed. | | | | satisfy numerous needs and in so doing, end up losing |
| It's only natural for sales professionals to believe the | | | | the sales by overwhelming the customer. |
| information and to assume that it applies to | | | | The key to being a successful salesperson is to |
| everyone. Once they adapt this mindset, one of the | | | | focus on selling to the primary need of the customer, |
| biggest "quiet mistakes" in Sales occurs. It's not an | | | | not on multiple needs. This will result in a higher |
| error made in front of a customer such as misquoting | | | | closing percentage and, in the long-run, allow you the |
| a price or missing a key date. Rather, it's a "quiet | | | | opportunity to continue the relationship by helping the |
| mistake" because it happens long before a sales call, | | | | customer solve the other issues they have identified. |
| and, therefore, becomes hard to see how it could | | | | |