Recently I’ve observed several sales flubs that cost companies plenty. Are these mistakes
your team is making? Why eat crow for doing it wrong when you can eat caviar when
you do it right?
Is Your Team Making These Sales Flubs?
“Let Me Help You Lose This Sale, Buddy!”
A sales tag can make (or lose) a sale.
For many years I’ve worked with successful sales teams who “tag” other salespeople, staff or clients to help make sales. Today I answered the door of my new home/office to find a rep from LawnBear wanting to pitch me on how to make my corner lawn even more beautiful. He had an uphill battle because I’m into organic and he’s not. Turns out he’s a sales supervisor for them and he was holding his own. That is, until his canvassing buddy, Jerry, walked up to tag.
For years I’ve used the most highly-rated pest control company in the area, which coincidentally aligns with my healthy preferences. Just last month I had them install a state of-the-art natural termite monitoring system. Jerry just had to start ridiculing my choice and with dramatic gestures, going on about how stupid it is, touting his green plastic pots full of poisons as a much superior solution. When the sales supervisor mentioned I liked natural, Jerry went on a tirade about how useless it is to try to make a lawn and plants look good with natural products.
Guess what happened to their business card as they were walking away? Guess what the next few phone calls I made were? Guess what I’m going to use on my lawn?
MORAL OF THE STORY: When a person tags, they need to follow the lead of the salesman in the middle of the sale and support him or her. Look to them for direction, and don’t dramatize one’s prejudices. If salesman #1 is at a loss, ask questions and listen closely to find out what he tried and where things are at before you leap in with both feet.
Oh, and don’t make your prospect wrong unless you want to lower your income.
Pay No Attention to the Facts, Mr. Sanders
MORAL OF THE STORY: Abusing the facts in a sales cycle can create problems it’s hard to dig one’s way out of.
I experienced an amazing real estate/mortgage broker in the process of selling a house recently. He falsely reported that his buyer was fully qualified for the loan. When it came time to close, however, the facts proved otherwise. In exploring with their lender what was left to handle to make the close happen, they stated in front of the offending broker that there were 18 contingencies left to handle! This is AFTER the broker had repeatedly reported they’d secured the loan.
Oh, in Case You Weren’t Told, BS Stinks!
Once the lender hung up, the broker asserted that there was only 1 contingency. Then he mishandled that credit-related point, making it almost certain that the buyers would never get the loan. Next he made multiple attempts to get the old contract reinstated. When we said “No”, he refused to release the buyers’ deposit to me even months after their default. Any good lawyers interested?
Failing to Follow Up
MORAL OF THE STORY: It’s fantastic how fast you have to respond to online reaches if you
want the business.
Don’t you hate it when you fail to follow-up and discover the fact later, perhaps too late? Yet in our ultra-busy world, that’s an easy thing to do. Someone leaves a message over the weekend or after hours which gets shuffled to the bottom of the pile. I left a message last Friday asking to meet with someone who had impressed me and has services I could really use, but five days later I have yet to hear from her…. Hello….
Slow follow-up can cost you 95% of your sales!
Early this year I did an analysis for a high-ticket sales company of online reaches and found that they closed about 20% when they responded within 2 hours (immediate was best) and 1% or less if they waited a day or more. They only responded quickly about 1 out of 10 times. Duh….
Be Skilled in Sales – Avoid These Mistakes! Put Your Company on the Road to Prosperity!
I can help you create a prosperous sales process that works! I specialize in helping companies handle whatever stands in their way on the road to success. Let’s talk! Call me now and let’s change things this week! It is possible to achieve your goals, you know! Send me an email now or give me a call at 727-304-5000 !
