| We all make mistakes when selling our product or | | | | When I worked in the corporate world I was subjected |
| service. Here are the most common mistakes people | | | | to countless presentations where the sales person |
| make. I have to admit I have made many of mistakes | | | | shared information that was completely meaningless |
| listed in this article even though I have been teaching | | | | to me. I don't care about your financial backing or who |
| this stuff for almost a decade. I hope you can learn | | | | your clients are. Make the most of your presentation |
| from them. | | | | by telling me how I will benefit from your product or |
| 1. Allowing a prospect to lead the sales process. The | | | | service until I know how your product or service |
| best way to control the sales interaction is to ask | | | | relates to my specific situation. |
| questions. This is also the best way of learning | | | | 5. Not being prepared. I remember calling a prospect |
| whether or not your product or service meets the | | | | expecting to receive his voice mail. That meant I was |
| needs of your prospect. Quality questions that uncover | | | | completely unprepared when he answered the call |
| specific issues, problems, or corporate objectives are | | | | himself. Instead of asking him a series of qualifying |
| essential in helping you establish yourself as an expert. | | | | questions I simply responded to his questions, allowing |
| 2. Not completing pre-meeting research. After several | | | | him to control the sale. Unfortunately, I didn't progress |
| weeks of voice mail I finally connected with my | | | | any further than that initial call. When you make a cold |
| prospect and scheduled a meeting. Unfortunately, I | | | | call or attend a meeting with a prospect it is critical that |
| entered the meeting without first researching the | | | | you are prepared. This means having all relevant |
| company. Instead of presenting a solution to an existing | | | | information at your fingertips including; pricing, |
| problem, I spent the entire meeting learning fundamental | | | | testimonials, samples, and a list of questions you need |
| information, which to senior executives, is a complete | | | | to ask. I suggest creating a checklist of the vital |
| waste of their time. This approach is one of most | | | | information you will need and reviewing this list before |
| common mistakes. I have received countless phone | | | | you make your call. You have exactly one opportunity |
| calls from sales people hawking their wares and trying | | | | to make a great first impression and you will not make |
| to sell me 'stuff' I have no need for. As a sole | | | | it if you are not prepared. |
| proprietor, I do not need a complex telephone system, | | | | 6. Neglecting to ask for the sale. I recall a participant in |
| additional employees, or an automated payroll system. | | | | one of my workshops expressing interest in my book. I |
| Invest the time learning about your prospect before | | | | told him to look through it but at no time did I ask for |
| you call them and before you try to schedule a | | | | the sale. Later, I heard him express this observation to |
| meeting. | | | | other participants in the program. If you sell a product |
| 3. Talking too much. Too many sales people talk too | | | | or service, you have the obligation to ask the |
| much during the sales interaction. They espouse about | | | | customer for a commitment, particularly if you have |
| their product, its feature, their service and so on. When | | | | invested time assessing their needs and know that |
| I first bought carpet for my home I recall speaking to a | | | | your product or service will solve a problem. Many |
| sales person who told me how long he had been in | | | | people are concerned with coming across as pushy |
| the business, how smart he was, how good his | | | | but as long as you ask for the sale in a |
| carpets were, etc. But this dialogue did nothing to | | | | non-threatening, confident manner, people will usually |
| convince me that I should buy from him. Instead, I left | | | | respond favorably. |
| the store thinking that he did not care about my | | | | 7. Failing to prospect. This is one of the most common |
| specific needs. A friend of mine is in the advertising | | | | mistakes independent business make. When business |
| business and often talks to prospects who initially | | | | is good many people stop prospecting, thinking that the |
| request a quote for a specific advertising job. Instead | | | | flow of business will continue. However, the most |
| of talking at great length about the ad agency's | | | | successful sales people prospect all the time. They |
| experience and qualifications, he gets the potential | | | | schedule prospecting time in their agenda every week. |
| client talking about her business. By doing this he is able | | | | Even the most seasoned sales professional makes |
| to determine the most effective strategy for that | | | | mistakes from time to time. Avoid these blunders and |
| prospect. | | | | increase the likelihood of the closing the sale. |
| 4. Giving the prospect information that is irrelevant. | | | | |