The 2 Biggest Mistakes Salespeople Make And How to Avoid Making Them
The 2 Biggest Mistakes Salespeople Make And How to Avoid Making Them
1. Thinking you’ve got the right stuff from the get go! Once you think you’ve got it, you’ve had it!
Don't be too quick to be full of yourself. And remember - you probably don't know what you don't know. That's a scary proposition!
It's been said, "Once you're done changing, you're done!"
So become a student of selling. Don't let a day go by without learning something new about your new selling profession.
Here's a practical sales tip you'd be wise to follow. Create file folders with these labels:
>>> Goal setting
>>> Time management
>>> Account management
>>> Territory management
>>> Telephone skills
>>> Prospecting
>>> Sales questions
>>> Sales proposals
>>> Negotiating
>>> Value added selling
>>> Communicating skills
>>> Sales force automation
You will become what you read!
The more you learn - the more you'll earn! There's a direct connection between them.
Make it a point to visit article directories every week. You'll find thousands of free articles you can download.
Next, you can download, print, read and add articles to your file folders. It's a great way to jump ahead of your competition.
Here are five books you should have in your personal library.
You can find these books on my website under the About Jim tab.
1. Made To Stick – Heath brothers
2. Irresistible Offer – Mark Joyner
3. How To Win Friends And Influence People – Dale Carnegie
4. The 12 Best Questions To As Customers – Jim Meisenheimer
5. The Greatest Salesman In The World - Og Mandino
Here on five magazines you should consider subscribing to if you want to be well informed about business:
1. Business 2.0
2. Fast Company
3. Inc.
4. Entrepreneur Magazine
5. Fortune
If you’re well read, you'll be well informed!
And - well informed people make good conversationalists.
And good conversationalists make great salespeople.
2. The second biggest mistake salespeople make is believing the more you talk the more impressive you’ll be . . . actually the less you say, the smarter you’ll sound.
Most salespeople just don't get this. Most of you are hired because of your ability to communicate -your ability to talk. So when you're seated across a desk with a live customer is it no wonder you begin chattering away?
Please don't think I'm picking on you. I used to do the same things myself. I could talk fast, I could complete other peoples sentences for them, I could get mugged by my own mouth, which sad to think about happened more than I care to remember.
The selling profession isn't really about talking. Selling is more about listening. You don't start with what you have - your product/service. You start with what your customer needs to solve a pressing problem.
If this isn't bad enough - talking too much - most salespeople are terrible listeners. It's no wonder why so many salespeople are just plain mediocre. They’re all making the same mistakes.
If you want to increase your sales and make a pile of money you should learn how to employ your ears before you engage your mouth. Another way of saying this is you should make asking open-ended questions a very high priority every day.
Wisdom has never been associated with excessive talking and babble. Wisdom comes from learning and listening. Wisdom is seldom loud but rather quiet.
Some of the best salespeople I've ever interviewed have been quiet and soft-spoken as they go about their business of solving customer problems.
Here’s a choice many salespeople fail to consider. The choice is, you can chase customers or you can attract them. What makes people attracted to you? Is it your nonstop talking? Is it knowing the answers even before you ask the questions? Not really!
If you’re new to sales or even an experienced sales rep, you should recognize that you don't know a lot about anything until you ask questions. You should also know, given the situation, the more you talk the dumber you'll sound.
As you might imagine, when you meet people for the first time you’re being judged on your first impression. Two things influence first impressions - how you look and how you sound.
You can look really good and blow it by sounding really bad. You can remedy this by paying attention to your appearance and paying equal attention to what you say during the sales call.
This gives new meaning to the old saying "Less is more."
To sum it all up - if you’re in sales the less you say, the more you'll sell!
Well, that's a wrap. Now you have the 2 biggest mistakes most salespeople make and ideas on how to avoid making them.
The 2 Biggest Mistakes Salespeople Make And How to Avoid Making Them - To learn more about this author, visit Jim Meisenheimer's Website.
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Here's a sales tip, especially for new salespeople. Here are the 2 biggest mistakes most salespeople make.
1. Thinking you’ve got the right stuff from the get go! Once you think you’ve got it, you’ve had it!
Don't be too quick to be full of yourself. And remember - you probably don't know what you don't know. That's a scary proposition!
It's been said, "Once you're done changing, you're done!"
So become a student of selling. Don't let a day go by without learning something new about your new selling profession.
Here's a practical sales tip you'd be wise to follow. Create file folders with these labels:
>>> Goal setting
>>> Time management
>>> Account management
>>> Territory management
>>> Telephone skills
>>> Prospecting
>>> Sales questions
>>> Sales proposals
>>> Negotiating
>>> Value added selling
>>> Communicating skills
>>> Sales force automation
You will become what you read!
The more you learn - the more you'll earn! There's a direct connection between them.
Make it a point to visit article directories every week. You'll find thousands of free articles you can download.
Next, you can download, print, read and add articles to your file folders. It's a great way to jump ahead of your competition.
Here are five books you should have in your personal library.
You can find these books on my website under the About Jim tab.
1. Made To Stick – Heath brothers
2. Irresistible Offer – Mark Joyner
3. How To Win Friends And Influence People – Dale Carnegie
4. The 12 Best Questions To As Customers – Jim Meisenheimer
5. The Greatest Salesman In The World - Og Mandino
Here on five magazines you should consider subscribing to if you want to be well informed about business:
1. Business 2.0
2. Fast Company
3. Inc.
4. Entrepreneur Magazine
5. Fortune
If you’re well read, you'll be well informed!
And - well informed people make good conversationalists.
And good conversationalists make great salespeople.
2. The second biggest mistake salespeople make is believing the more you talk the more impressive you’ll be . . . actually the less you say, the smarter you’ll sound.
Most salespeople just don't get this. Most of you are hired because of your ability to communicate -your ability to talk. So when you're seated across a desk with a live customer is it no wonder you begin chattering away?
Please don't think I'm picking on you. I used to do the same things myself. I could talk fast, I could complete other peoples sentences for them, I could get mugged by my own mouth, which sad to think about happened more than I care to remember.
The selling profession isn't really about talking. Selling is more about listening. You don't start with what you have - your product/service. You start with what your customer needs to solve a pressing problem.
If this isn't bad enough - talking too much - most salespeople are terrible listeners. It's no wonder why so many salespeople are just plain mediocre. They’re all making the same mistakes.
If you want to increase your sales and make a pile of money you should learn how to employ your ears before you engage your mouth. Another way of saying this is you should make asking open-ended questions a very high priority every day.
Wisdom has never been associated with excessive talking and babble. Wisdom comes from learning and listening. Wisdom is seldom loud but rather quiet.
Some of the best salespeople I've ever interviewed have been quiet and soft-spoken as they go about their business of solving customer problems.
Here’s a choice many salespeople fail to consider. The choice is, you can chase customers or you can attract them. What makes people attracted to you? Is it your nonstop talking? Is it knowing the answers even before you ask the questions? Not really!
If you’re new to sales or even an experienced sales rep, you should recognize that you don't know a lot about anything until you ask questions. You should also know, given the situation, the more you talk the dumber you'll sound.
As you might imagine, when you meet people for the first time you’re being judged on your first impression. Two things influence first impressions - how you look and how you sound.
You can look really good and blow it by sounding really bad. You can remedy this by paying attention to your appearance and paying equal attention to what you say during the sales call.
This gives new meaning to the old saying "Less is more."
To sum it all up - if you’re in sales the less you say, the more you'll sell!
Well, that's a wrap. Now you have the 2 biggest mistakes most salespeople make and ideas on how to avoid making them.
The 2 Biggest Mistakes Salespeople Make And How to Avoid Making Them - To learn more about this author, visit Jim Meisenheimer's Website.
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George LudwigGeorge Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance. Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson. His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more. George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website |
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Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
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Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
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Cheryl MatthynssensCheryl is a life skills coach, licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor and a 20 year entrepreneur. Cheryl's dedication to achieving a life of balance led to her expanding her teaching from the simple managing of life's daily challenges to adding financial well being as well. A direct marketer with DrinkACT, she is gaining ground in the online community with her concepts of making sure business owners, entreprenuers and employees have well rounded life styles. She opened up a small affiliate site - The Balance Guide- to help others find resources for mental and emotional well being. Visit Cheryl's blog to see more of the diversity beyond business she has began offering online at www.thebalanceguide.blogspot.com - Visit Cheryl Matthynssens's Website |
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David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
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Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
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Kim CastleWith nearly two decades in the advertising and design business, with clients like Domino's Pizza, General Motors, Direct TV, Pedigree, Wolfgang Puck, Higher Octave Music, Hollywood Celebrity Products, Disney, and Paramount, as well as thousands of entrepreneurs around the world define, structure, communicate, and position their business for greater profits, BrandU(R) co-creators Kim Castle and W. Vito Montone discovered that entrepreneurs could experience the same power that big brands command for a fraction of the cost with the world's only process-based results-drive Integral approach to business creation. BrandU(R) is helping entrepreneurs grow with the power of extreme clarity from idea...to brand...to market(TM) and helping one million entrepreneurs become successful and whole so that they can make a difference in the world. Are you one of them? If you want to experience clarity all the way to the bank(TM), get started now at http://www.brandu.com. - Visit Kim Castle's Website |
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