Another Sales Sin

Recently I have had a number of clients ask me about common mistakes sales people make and what to do instead. Here is another big one (although not as big as forgetting to find new clients everyday!)

Lack of preparation! This is a common reasons why sales reps fail. If you are doing a good job keeping the funnel full - please review the previous entry - failure to plan almost always results in a less than desirable result. Planning your meetings, demonstrations, and follow up is critical to ensuring that you understand your customer’s needs, and that you thoughtfully communicate solutions to address them.

Besides, if you are not prepared for a client meeting you clearly demonstrate a lack of respect for your prospect.

Most salespeople spend too much time thinking about how to sell a product to a customer as opposed to truly understanding a customer’s needs. Always keep in mind Steven Covey's rule #7, talk 30% of the time and listen 70% of the time. Your client's are hungry for a relationship with you. The only way to build that relationship is to spend time exploring issues and needs.

I suggest taking a list of questions into each sales meeting. Make sure you know what you want to ask before the meeting starts. Take some time to research the company and learn about their products and markets. Use that knowledge to develop questions about their requirements. As long as you don't come across as a know-it-all, a prospect is always impressed with a sales person who has done their homework.

Too much valuable time, energy, and resources are wasted by sales people offering solutions that the customer doesn't want or need. Spend quality time planning your calls and presentations and you will make a powerful impression on your customers and prospects.