10 Things That Never Work for Salespeople
Sales advice is easy to come by these days. Social media has created thousands of sales gurus almost overnight. Some are good, some are frauds, but all of them have advice on what works for salespeople. (Spiro isn’t a sales guru, but an AI-powered sales automation CRM that can tell you who to call, and when!)
But just as important as what works is what doesn’t work. Many salespeople repeatedly make the same mistakes. They say insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Here are ten things that (almost) never work for salespeople:
1. Selling features
Sales 101: sell the benefits of your product to customers, not the features. Spiro customers probably don’t care that our app is built using machine-learning technology, but they do care that it will help them make more money in sales.
2. Spending time with the wrong prospects
Not all customers are created equal, but some salespeople just don’t get it. The internet and sites like LinkedIn have given us all the ability to pre-screen customers relatively quickly, but some salespeople still waste time talking to anyone with a pulse.
3. Having “happy ears”
Robert Herjavec from Shark Tank talks about salespeople having “happy ears,” meaning they only hear what they want from a customer, instead of facing reality. Just because someone says something nice to you, or sounds interested, doesn’t mean they are. Be honest with yourself.
4. Talking like a salesperson
Stop sounding like a salesperson. We’ve written about this before, so if you need a refresher, here it is. Cheap salesman talk is a thing of the past. Customers today are more savvy than ever and won’t part with their money over a few cliche catch phrases.
5. Waiting for things to happen
In sales, unless you work at a 100% inbound call center, nothing will happen until you make it happen. Great salespeople don’t sit around waiting for the phone to ring, they get out there and make things happen and make sure their pipeline stays filled. Get busy selling, or get busy dying.
6. Convincing
Far too many salespeople view what they do as convincing someone of something. These same people never become wildly successful. Sales is less about convincing than it is building a relationship, solving problems, and creating value. Convincing someone to do something implies that they don’t want to do it – great salespeople’s customers end up WANTING to do business.
7. Winging it
Since salespeople tend to be a pretty impatient bunch, planning doesn’t come easy to them. But foregoing planning leads directly to failure. Do your research on a prospect before talking to them, it will pay off. Go the extra mile in learning about your product and you’ll sell more. And find a mentor that can teach you about becoming a better salesperson, because that way you actually will.
8. Not making it easy
Your job as a salesperson should be making the customer’s life easier. Say it out loud to yourself: “My job is making my customer’s life easier.” Salespeople who make their customers jump through hoops to get a sales presentation, or finalize a deal are costing themselves money by not doing a little extra legwork. Make it easy for the customer and closing deals will become easier for you.
9. Selling something they don’t believe in
You cannot sell something you don’t believe in. It’s just that simple. And if you’re currently selling something you don’t believe in, here’s some advice; You have the ability to sell, which makes you one of the most marketable professionals out there. Now go apply at another company, one that sells something you’d be proud of.
10. Letting rejection slow them down
Everyone in sales will deal with rejection, lots of it. But the guys (and gals) that drive Ferraris decided at some point that they wouldn’t let rejection slow them down. Losing a deal shouldn’t stop you from finding 2 more to replace it. Giving up will never work for salespeople.
