(Do NOT Make These Mistakes) 

1. You must have your conversation with the Decision Maker:-

I don’t care what you are selling you will be 100 times more successful if you are talking to the person who has the power to say Yes AND get the check written.  Yes, a champion within the target organization is a plus but ultimately the Decision Maker has to see the value in your product/service.  A weaker Salesperson will always feel more comfortable talking with an underling and that same Salesperson will tell you that the sale is coming along or is in development or should close soon… but in reality that sale doesn’t ever close unless the Decision Maker gets involved.  Don’t waste your time… it is too valuable.  Talk directly with the Decision Maker.  Qualify every prospect that you talk to with a purpose to find out if they can write the check and do your qualification early in the process.  You don’t want to find out after having spent an hour or more with someone that they are not the ultimate decision maker.  And along this line of thought, do not be surprised if your prospect tells you that they are the decision maker only to find out later that they are not.  Prospects will do this quite often… they want to look important.  One way to double check (other than the obvious – look at their title, office location, etc.) is to ask them what it is that they purchased recently that was in a similar price range as your product/service.  If your product/service costs $5,000 ask them when it was that they last wrote a $5,000 check? 

2. You can’t expect to make a sale if you do all the talking:-

My rule in a consultative sale is that your prospect should do the talking about 80-85% of the first 10 minutes of your conversation (and often for the first 20 minutes depending upon the product/service you are selling).  Of course, this requires that you ask the right questions and LISTEN.  Your goal in the first 10-20 minutes is to Build Rapport and Find Need/Want… not to sell your product or service.  Keep in mind that if you are selling a product/service for $105.00 or less than the sale will probably move along much faster.  Impulse buys (anything less than $105.00 or so are generally not consultative sales and do not normally take a long time to close).  If you are a consultative Salesperson then you must take the time up front with your prospect to Build Rapport and Find Need/Want.  People will only buy from you if they like, trust and respect you.  And of course you must fulfill a Need/Want of theirs. 

3. Average Salespeople focus on the features of their product/service:-

Everyone that reads anything about Sales has heard this 100 times but it is astounding to listen to Salespeople try to sell where they can’t put this concept into practice.  When it is your turn to talk… do not talk about the “great” features of your product/service.  Rather, talk about the benefits of having or using your product/service.  Focus on the solutions your product/service brings to the table.  Your prospect is interested in solving his or her challenge/problem, not your memorized sales pitch about how “great” your product/service is…  Chet Holmes (America’s Greatest Salesperson) used to say: A prospect will come to you way faster and stay way longer to hear something of value to them than they ever will to hear you try to sell them something. 

4. Most Salespeople never do a Trial Close:-

Do you know what I mean?  There you go… I want you to know, understand and believe me that “most Salespeople never trial close” so I just trial closed you…  I asked you, “Do you know what I mean?”  That is a trial close.  Before I go further with this paragraph, I have to know if you are buying what I have told you so far.  Trial closing is critical and it is easy to do.  All you have to do is check-in with your prospect from time to time.  Ask them:

• Does this make sense to you? 

•  Are you with me? 

• Can you see yourself using this product/service? 

• How would you use this product/service? 

• How fast do you want to get going with this product/service? 

• Who else in your company would be using this product/service? 

• Who am I going to be sending the Invoice to… you or your Accounting Dept.? 

These are very easy questions to ask.  You should ask these questions (or others like them) often and throughout your conversation with your prospect.  If you are getting a consistent favorable response to these questions then CLOSE THE DEAL right then… you do not have to necessarily finish your pitch if your prospect is ready to buy now.  Go right to the close.  Say, “Great, all we have to do to get you started is get a little bit of information about you… What name should we put this order under? What is your address?, and What credit card will you be using?   

Keep in mind that if it is a more involved, larger sale then it will likely be wise to walk your prospect through your entire sales process to be sure there are not misunderstandings or buyer’s remorse later.  You can tell your prospect, great – we can get this product to you on Tuesday… and you can get the payment info, etc. but also to be sure that you don’t leave before your prospect recognizes and appreciates the great value of your product/service and is genuinely excited (can’t wait) to get your product/service.  Always build value and create desire (2 very important steps of your Sales Process). 

5. Don’t Know… Do!

As I mentioned above, most Salespeople will tell you that they already know all of the above.  But, I can tell you from my experience training hundreds of Salespeople… they don’t put it into action.  If you don’t “do” then you don’t “know”.  Do yourself a favor and record 5 of your calls and you will see for sure if you really know this stuff.  Listen to the recordings over and over.  Ask yourself… on each call are you: 

• Talking to the Decision Maker, 

• Letting them do all the talking initially… people want to be heard and they want to know you are interested in what they have to say, 

• Are you talking benefits and solutions (problem solving) or are you talking about your product’s/services’ features?, 

• How many times did you Trial Close your prospect on each call? and 

• Did you have a strategic plan going into the Sales Call where you had a plan to implement all of the Sales Training that you know works? 

You will be surprised as to how much you “don’t” know.  And, I promise you that this recorded call exercise will improve your skills and your sales if you are honest with yourself. 

Now take a look at this chapter again… reread all of it and put all of it into practice on your next sales call.  This type of skill development activity along with “practice and more practice” is what will help you to become a Top Producing Salesperson – a real TopTenPercenter.  Remember that repetition is the mother of all skill.  Don’t stop until you are at the Top!  

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