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3 Sneaky Reasons that Sales Appointments End in "No Sale"

Guest post by: Linda Schneider

Article Overview: I went to lunch with a NuSkin rep recently. I love hearing network marketing (MLM) sales pitches because they are the perfect place to explore sales techniques. I’ve probably heard around 30 MLM “opportunity” conversations in the past couple of years. I’m struck by how often these conversations sound similar. Not the opportunity itself, but the way the reps present the opportunity...

3 Sneaky Reasons that Sales Appointments End in "No Sale"

I went to lunch with a NuSkin rep recently. I love hearing network marketing (MLM) sales pitches because they are the perfect place to explore sales techniques.

If you’re in network marketing yourself, or you just want to know how to sell a service, I highly recommend listening to other marketers sell to you. The same is true for coaches, real estate agents, and financial planners.

I’ve probably heard around 30 MLM “opportunity” conversations in the past couple of years.

I’m struck by how often these conversations sound similar. Not the opportunity itself, but the way the reps present the opportunity.

On the one hand, network marketing companies develop stellar videos and marketing collateral so that the presentation is practically fool-proof.

On the other hand, it’s up to the rep to “tee-up” or position that presentation on their own, based on their relationship-building skills. That leads to mistakes in the sales process that dilute the power of the presentation significantly.

Here are the three most common mistakes I see, and a bit about what to do about them.

Three Common Sales Appointment Mistakes

My NuSkin rep started our conversation casually, warming me up and building rapport. But then she kept on chatting with me, telling me about her life and what her kids were up to these days. I kept asking questions and she kept on chatting. And when she tried to get back on track with the sales part of her conversation, it was awkward.

So mistake number one is not having a script, plan, and process for ensuring the sales appointment conversation starts right, moves in the right direction, and transitions naturally into the presentation. Remember: “He who asks the questions is in control of the conversation.”

The next mistake was jumping into the presentation without exploring my interest in hearing the opportunity. She had no idea why I was interested, what I’d do with the information, how I saw my life now, why I might be exploring an MLM opportunity with her, etc.

Had she asked me a series of targeted consultative questions, she would have known that there was zero chance of me joining her in business. But she would ALSO have known that I’m a great source of referrals. I like pointing new entrepreneurs towards opportunities where they’ll have a great coach and leader to help them grow.

I’m always looking for great salespeople.

The third mistake she made, again a common mistake, was making her presentation without consultation. She talked and talked and talked. Never asked me what I thought of the information, how I’d integrate it into my life, what questions I might have with it, etc.

The sum of all this is that when she got to the “close,” she was faced with all of my unanswered questions, concerns, and objections.

If you start right away by asking your prospects about their business or life situation and their interest in hearing your message, you’ll raise the issues that are important to them. And you won’t be left with all the questions at the end.

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Article Tags: how to sell a service, how to sell coaching, how to sell network marketing, how to sell real estate, new clients, overcoming objections, sales confidence, sales questions



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