Salespeople, Are You Sabotaging Your Own Deals?
After being in sales for years, you start to hear every excuse under the sun as to why a sales rep didn’t close that deal.
Putting blame on extenuating circumstances is an easy explanation for not making quota. The time just wasn’t right… February is short month…. Their office must have had a power outage because nobody is answering the phone…. They didn’t have an awesome AI-Powered Sales Automation CRM, like Spiro, to help them…
But what if the real problem is you? Are you the one damaging or destroying your chances to crush your quota?
If you are doing any of the following, then you may be sabotaging your own deals. And it needs to stop now!
1. Saying Yes to Every Sales Prospect
If you fall into the habit of being a “yes man” it can lead to added stress in trying to constantly please everyone. You are probably making promises to customers that you just can’t keep, and that will surely lose you the deal.
In addition, confidence is an attractive quality and people like buying from powerful leaders. If you are able to stand up for yourself and sometimes, in the right circumstances, give an affirmative “NO”, then your confidence shines.
2. Measuring Yourself Against Other Salespeople
You want to know how to make your goal? Focus on it! When you compare how you are doing against others, you tend to lose sight of your own goals. Instead of having the focus be on selling to your prospects, it turns into a competition against your peers.
Most salespeople are competitive by nature, so harness that and just compete against yourself. Do better than last quarter. Make more calls today than you did yesterday. Focus on your customers and your quota, or you may be sabotaging your deals.
3. Never Turning it Off, in Sales and in Life
As every salesperson knows, sales can be a grinding, grueling job. You’re calling, meeting, negotiating, researching, going, going, going. Which is why, you need to stop. Fully stop.
Our brains require sleep to rebuild tissues, grow muscles, restore energy. When you get into bed at night with your phone, ipad, computer, and tv on, the bright lights halt the production of melatonin, which is the stuff our bodies produce that makes us sleepy. Being on your devices is bad for your rest. So don’t just charge your phone’s battery at night, but recharge your own.
4. Overindulging After a Big Sales Win
People with great self control also have a strong work ethic and high productivity. If you want to be a successful salesperson, you have to have self-control. One way you may be sabotaging yourself is by overindulging after a win.
Those sales reps without any self control tend to party extra hard, blow their commission check, and slack off a bit after a big deal closes. Although it is important to celebrate when you have a win, the most productive people ride that high and jump into the next deal with gusto.
5. Being a Multi-tasking Salesperson
If you want to close more deals, then you need to be more productive. It seems like the obvious answer. But unfortunately many people equate productivity with multi-tasking and trying to do a million things at once. If this is your solution, then you may be sabotaging yourself.
We have a finite amount of attention to give. Focus completely on one task at a time – for instance, the customer on the phone – and then move on to the next thing. If a prospect doesn’t have your full attention, they will pick up on that, and take their business elsewhere.
Listen All Y’all It’s a Sabotage
Don’t sit back and put the blame on everyone, and everything, else. Some of the deals you are losing may be partly your own fault. Which means you can turn that around, stop sabotaging your own deals, and start crushing your quota!
