I came across the following article by Kelley Robertson and I thought I'd share it with you here.
Sales people make a number of
excuses why they can’t reach their sales targets or why prospects and customer
don’t buy. Here are just a few:
1.
Our prices are
too high. This is one of the most common excuses that sales people use and even
when companies reduce their price, those sales reps still often fail to reach
their targets.
2.
The competition
is cheaper. While there will always be companies who sell the same or similar
product as you, very seldom is the competition as cheap as you think. However,
smart buyers will often try to get a better price by indicating that a
competitor is cheaper.
3.
We don’t have new
products. Many sales people lament the fact that their company has not issued
or released a new product. However, this is seldom a concern form a buyer’s
perspective unless a competitor has a newer product that offers additional
benefits that are important to the buyer.
4.
Buyers are liars.
This phrase drives me around the bend. The main reason prospects don’t tell sales
people the truth is because the sales person has failed to establish
credibility or respect. The secondary reason is because they are afraid you
will try to box them into a corner in an effort to capture a sale.
5.
Customers only
care about getting the lowest price. This may be true in some cases, but price
is seldom the primary or motivating factor behind someone’s final buying
decision. However, price will become the major issue by default if you fail to
demonstrate the value of your product, service or offering.
6.
The economy is
still bad. Yes, the economy is still challenging but companies are making
buying decisions. They are purchasing products and implementing new systems.
The goal is to identify those companies and target your efforts accordingly.
7.
I don’t have
enough time to…(fill in the blank). There is no question that most sales reps
are required to do more than they used to—technology has certainly contributed
to this. However, many reps also waste too much time on low-value customers
which sucks up precious time from dealing with higher value prospects and
customers.
8.
Gatekeepers block
all calls. One role of a gatekeeper is to protect their boss’s time. But that
doesn’t mean they prevent all sales people from connecting with decision
makers. To succeed you need to befriend the executive assistant, treat her like
a decision maker, and enlist her support.
9.
My territory is
too small. This may apply in certain circumstances but seldom as frequently as
stated by many sales people. While a small territory may have a limited number
of new sales leads, it opens the door to create additional sales opportunities
within your existing customer base.
10.
My territory is
too big. Nice problem to have! Although a large territory presents challenges
from an account maintenance perspective, this issue can be remedied by focusing
your attention on the right customers (see point 7). If you are really serious
about expanding your business, you could hire a personal assistant (at your
expense) to help manage your accounts. This approach frees up time for you to
focus on prospecting and adding new customers to your roster.
11.
The company
expects too much. I remember talking to a district sales manager who lamented
the fact that her company was expecting a twelve percent increase in revenues
in the upcoming year. However, I have never known a company to say, Well, we
just finished a record year so let’s coast this year, shall we?” Do
shareholders expect a lot? Of course. You would too if it was your money on the
line.
12.
My sales targets
are unrealistic. Let’s face it; most compensation programs do not reward sales
people when they fail to reach their quotas or targets. As a result, sales reps
often believe that their sales goals are unrealistic. However, top performing
sales reps set their own targets which are usually higher than the quotas
established by their boss. If they can do it, so can you.
13.
Customers don’t
care about service. This may be true in rare circumstances, however; I don’t
know many people (consumers or corporate decision makers) who say, “I don’t
mind waiting two weeks for a service call; after all, I did get a good price.”
They may state service is unimportant during the initial sales conversation but
I can guarantee that it will become an issue if they experience a problem down
the road.
14.
People won’t pay
extra for quality. Rubbish! While there is a small percentage of people who
base their buying decision solely on price, these individual’s are a minority.
However, it is YOUR responsibility to demonstrate why the quality of your
product or service is worth the additional cost.
15.
Asking for
referral sounds like I’m begging for business. I think every sales person on
the planet understands the importance of asking for referrals. However, the
vast majority fail to utilize this approach because they are uncomfortable
doing so. Let me set the record straight. Asking for a referral in a
professional manner will not sound like you are begging for business.
16. I remember when…. Give it a rest already! No one cares
about the good old days except for you. Yeah, things were different ten years
ago. But that was then and this is now. If you want to succeed, stop reliving
the past and focus on today’s reality.
You
can make all the excuses in the world but it doesn’t change the fact that you
and only you are accountable for reaching your sales targets. This may sound
harsh but if you don’t want the responsibility, find another career.
© MMX Kelley Robertson, All rights reserved.
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Kelley
Robertson, author of The Secrets of Power
Selling helps sales professionals close more sales at higher profits with
less effort. Kelley conducts sales training workshops and speaks regularly at
sales meetings and conferences. Contact
him at 905-633-7750 or [email protected].
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