7 Reasons You're Not Making The Sale

By Jim Klein

Think about the last big dollar item you purchased, maybe a car or a big screen television. You probably shopped around and one of the reasons you purchased was because you liked the sales person.

Well recent research discovered 80 reasons why customers dislike salespeople. Here are the top seven. If any one of them sounds like you, you're probably costing yourself sales.

1. Not listening to customers - Listening is a skill that every sales person should spend time mastering. When I talk about listening I talking about listening to their needs.

Many salespeople go in to a sales meeting having already determined why the customer should buy their product or service. The sales person has preconceived ideas as to what their customers want and need.

When they get to the qualifying phase of the sales process the sales person either glazes over it, not asking the right questions, they ask general questions that only skim the surface of the customers needs, or as the customer is telling them their real needs, the sales person just isn't paying attention.

It's so important to ask the right qualifying questions, ones that get to the true needs of the customer and then paying very close attention to what they're saying and if necessary asking clarifying questions so the you understand exactly what it is they want.

Another reason many sales people don't listen is because they are thinking about what they are going to say next. They haven't mastered the sales process and what they are going to say, so while the customer is giving them valuable information, the sales person isn't listening.

2. Talking too much - To many salespeople talking is selling. The go on and on about how great they are, how graet their company is and how graet their product or service is.

They figure if they do enough talking they will convince the customer to purchase their product or service. These salespeople are convinced that talking is selling, when in fact the opposite is true.

Ask the right questions and let the customer do the talking. There's an old saying, "they don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care". People like to buy from people they like and the best way to get someone to like you is to show a sincere interest in them and their needs.

By asking questions and letting the customer talk, you will uncover the customers needs and then be able to present your product or service as the best possible solution.

3. Lack of knowledge - So many salespeople are clueless as to how their product or services really works, what's happening in their industry and what their competition is selling.

They want to get by doing as little work as possible, while still expecting to make impress their customers and make sales.

If you have not taken the time to learn everything you can about your product, your industry and your competition, you are selling yourself short when it comes to making the sale.

Customers want to purchase products and services from salespeople who know what they are talking about. They want to purchase from an expert in their field.

Spend the time doing your homework and become the expert in your industry and an expert about every product or service like yours and the other companies and salespeople who are selling them.

Become the go to guy or gal in for your particular product or service. What I mean is, when people mention your product or service, your name should be the first thing they think of.

4. Lack of follow-up - Many salespeople kill their chances of making a sale when the don't follow-up with their customers. You see, some customers judge a salesperson and whether they get the sale by how well they do what they say they're going to do.

It might be some information the customer requested, something the sales person said they would do or maybe just a follow-up after providing a quote. What ever it is the sales person who follows up is usually the one who will make the sale.

Studies reveal that 80% of sales are made after the seventh contact, so do what you say you are going to do, get the customer the information they have requested and by all means, follow-up until the purchase from you or one of your competitors.

However, if you follow-up with your customers chances are your competitors won't and you will ultimately make the sale.

Stay tuned for next weeks newsletter when I'll give you reason 5, 6 and 7.

See you next week.

Make it a GREAT day!