1. Not Listening with Empathy to the Prospect
Today, selling products and services is done mainly through social media and cold calling. Where there is a massive sales base, a network of phones for outbound cold calls is established. The formula for making a phone-based sales strategy includes writing and rehearsing scripts and spiels.
The sales agent then recites these scripts and spiels to the prospective customer. Managers and rock stars of the department often forget that they are talking to people with emotions and totally focus on the script and spiels rather than listening to the prospect. This is not an effective way to make a sale.
Salespeople, whether beginners or experts, should understand that people love to talk more than listen. In making sales pitches, you should give your prospective customer the chance to speak. Doing the talking most of the time may actually irritate your prospect and you will end up losing a sale. Listen to your prospective customer with empathy.
Have a friendly chat and let the customer get comfortable with you, and you with the customer. When you give your prospect the chance to speak, you will learn more information about their needs and wants. When you listen to your prospect with empathy, you will be able to find out key points on how to close the sale.
2. Focusing on Sales Quota Rather than Building Loyalty with the Customer
Being a successful salesperson in a digital marketing agency is really tough. One of the mistakes sales experts commit is to totally focus on the monthly target rather than building loyalty with the prospect. If you have loyal customers, they will purchase products and services from you frequently.
It’s not selling products that will make the customer loyal to you. Getting to know the genuine needs of the customer and offering the appropriate product or service is what generates loyalty to a salesperson.
Successful salespeople are a problem solver. When you can solve the issues of the prospect with your products and services, expect that they will become loyal customers. When they do, you can easily recommend upgrades to the products and services that you sell. Loyal customers will even recommend you to their friends and families. This gives you the opportunity to make more sales than expected in the long run.
3. Assuming What the Prospect is Really Talking About
It’s not that prospects are lying to you, but some customers may have a hard time expressing what the key issue is particularly if there is a language barrier of some sort. Your prospect may not be able to identify what the real problem is, and which products and services you offer will satisfy those needs.
This is where listening with empathy comes into play as well. By really listening to your prospect, you may discover what their issue is and the degree of seriousness in it. Knowing that you will be able to offer the most appropriate product or service for what your prospective client needs.
Successful salespeople identify the key issues regarding what the prospect needs. You should be very well acquainted with the specifications of the products and services that you sell. This is where even the sales experts make mistakes.
You can’t recommend something to your prospective customer to solve his or her problem if you don’t know what products and services you do sell. Once you identify the key issue of your prospect, you will only be able to offer the appropriate product or service if you know what you’re selling.
Getting in touch with your previous customers will educate you with the problems that they have experienced with what you offered them. Also, keep in touch with your previous customers to find out if there were any problems, difficulties or issues with your product or service.
This will help you learn more about what you’re selling and how it works (or not) in your customer’s particular situation. Then, you can recommend something else to solve the problem. Even if you have a technical department that handles those issues, it’s better for you to know them to be able to offer appropriate products and services to prospective customers.
4. Hesitancy to Use Advanced Technology to Make Sales
In our modern sales world, there are still sales experts who take a very traditional approach. However, it’s really important to move with time and learn how to use the technologies and programs as an effective tool for salespersons. Intelligence software can track when customers should be ordering their next supply.
This gives you the opportunity to follow-up with them. It can also give you statistics on the client’s spending. While traditional sales strategies can still be very effective when combined with modern strategies you can really boost your sales. Give yourself time to learn and utilize the internet and social media. Dynamic selling is the key to being more successful.
Author: Usman Raza is the co-founder of a Church Marketing Company and marketing strategist working with various brands online. Usman is the content marketing manager at an Email Marketing Agency, PSD to WordPress Theme, and Nano Hearing Aids. He is devoted to helping small businesses bridge success gaps by providing in-depth, actionable advice on digital marketing, SEO, and small business growth. Follow him on Twitter @usmanintrotech.
