THE TOP SEVEN SALES MISTAKES COMPANIES WILL MAKE IN 2019

One: Not listening

More companies will lose sales in 2019 then ever before because they did not listen to their potential customer. We live in this age where we have forgotten how to truly listen to our potential customers.

Why? We are letting the digital age stand in the way. We are more worried about sales funnels, posting meaningless things on social media and texting to see if our customer want what we have.

I want to be clear, the digital age has helped us open doors that were previously closed, but we have relied to heavily on them. There needs to be a balance between face to face conversations (in person or over the internet) and identifying your customer through a sales funnel.

Would you like to hear more about now you can be a more active listener?

Two: Too aggressive

Let’s face it. We are in the largest sales arena of our time. You are no longer competing against the store on the other side of town. This year its you against the rest of the world. This can lead to more stress, anxiety and can force you to be more aggressive. Being aggressive is not a bad thing, but there is such thing as too much.

You need to remember to how to play your game. You need to remember what you did to make your numbers the year before. If you did not make your numbers the year before than you need to sit down, do your homework and look at the data. You may find that you were not aggressive and you may also find out how many you scared off because you pushed too hard.

Have any idea if you are being too aggressive or not?

Three: Not researching your customer or potential client

Not having a plan before working with a customer or a potential client is a recipe for disaster. Whether you realize it or not, almost everything you do in life is planned. Each day you plan on sleeping and eating, but we often do not plan how we are going to win with the client. This crucial and yet simple process can save you time, money and potential headaches. It is important to identify who your customer is, what do they want and how you are going to serve them can put you steps ahead of the game.

Would you like to hear more about how to research your customer and gain that competitive advantage?

Four: Getting on topic

Many deals are lost simple due to not being focused on the customer and not presenting what is in it for them and providing a solution to help them win. It is important to do your homework and plan out how the presentation will flow. This will help you to stay focused and deliver a meaningful presentation. It is important to know that your presentation is not going to be perfect, but your client will see how hard you worked.

Want to learn more about how you can be more focused when speaking with potential customers?

Five: Being judgmental

We live in a world where we do not necessarily agree with our next door neighbor. We are still neighbors, we say hello and make small talk, but we may not agree with their choices. When providing solutions to your potential customers you will find times that you have something to sell them but may not agree with their business or what they do within the walls of their business.

You need to make the choice before hand as to who and how you work with these companies or individuals however it is vital that if you decide to work with various individuals and companies you do not agree that you do not judge them for who they are because in the end you decided to sell them what you have.

Want to learn more about how you can be more diverse when speaking with potential customers?

Six: Forgetting to follow-up

I am not sure why I did not make this number one. I have seen  more deals lost simply due to not following up with a potential customer or client. If you are going to spend a ton of time trying to convince someone to buy what you have why would you not take the time to follow up with them? I think it is important to know that most potential buyers are not going to make a decision right on the spot.

What you say, how you say it and what you do to follow up are crucial elements in closing a deal. Its important to figure out how you will follow up with a client or customer. It can be as simple as scheduling a solid appointment with them as to when you will follow up or it could be making an event in your calendar to remind you to follow up.

Want to learn more about how you can do better following up with potential customers?

Seven: Not seeking out new business

Long ago I consulted a client that would price out a job based upon how much they needed to pay the bills that month. In trying to identify this irrational thought I came to find out that they did a horrible job a continually seeking out new business.

One of the first things I learned about prospecting and ensuring I always had potential new business was the three buckets. The three buckets would always give me at a glance what people or companies I had in proposal stage, in the presentation stage and the closed stage. I used a large white board to create these three buckets and still today follow much of the same idea.

Want to learn more about how you can always have a steady flow of potential customers?