7 Reasons People Fail in Sales

7 Reasons People Fail in Sales

Mar 14

Know you have a great business proposition but struggling to grow the business as fast as you might like?  Working really hard and getting a lot of positive encouragement from prospective buyers but just not quite closing the sales? Getting in front of the right people, closing deals but struggling to hold price?

In this article, Lisette Howlett, Sandler Training in Central London, shares her thoughts on the 7 reasons people fail in sales and how to avoid them.

1.    They act like a sales person

People like to buy; they just don’t like to be sold to.  If you look, sound or act as a sales person you will create barriers which prevent you – and your prospect – from jointly establishing whether – or not – it makes sense to do business together. A simple rule of thumb – if other sales people are doing something, do the opposite.

2.    They are following the buyer’s system

People have been buying for as long as people have been selling and over time they have developed a system for dealing with salespeople.  This system will be experienced by anyone who has been involved in sales or business development.

Any of these sound familiar?:

• “Sorry I am in a meeting, can you send me an e-mail”
• “Can you send me a proposal”
• “Your presentation was great, we just need to think it over and will get back to you”
• “I would love to buy but just don’t have the money”
• “That sounds expensive, can you do me a better price”

If so, you are probably deferring to the buyer’s system and need to take more control of the sales process.

 

3.    They do not prospect systematically 

You never have to like prospecting—you just have to do it.  Prospecting is about finding and separating out the prospects (people who need what you do) from suspects (people who don’t need what you do, or don’t wish to benefit from it).  People who fail at sales either do too little prospecting, or stick with just one approach or are not consistent or do not set and monitor their prospecting plan and targets.

If you work out the metrics carefully (how much of each activity leads to a sale) you can predict – to a level of accuracy that will astound you – the sales you will achieve.

 

4.    They spend a lot of time Not Working rather than Net Working

The dedicated networker in London can easily find 6-15 networking events a week to attend.  Few have a well developed strategy for networking, consistently evaluate the results, or take the time to build mutually beneficial personal relationships.  All of this is, however, essential if networking is to be an effective part of your business development.

Networking Work! but only when you work at it.

 

5.    They don’t ask for referrals or don’t know how to

Have you agreed with your current clients to ask for referrals at regular intervals?  If not, this is something you need to start to put in place.  Well qualified referrals from very happy clients who know you and have gained business benefit from working with you are probably the best source of new business.

Try setting yourself a weekly target for the number of referrals you will give – and ask for.

 

6.    They are too emotionally involved in the sale

Most of us are in business because we are committed to what we do, do it well and know that it can help people.  These are all good reasons and they should be the reasons for being in business.  This means, however, that we can get caught up in our product or service and feel emotionally attached to it, and to the sale, and thus ‘sell’ benefits rather than listen to the needs of the potential buyer.  This can complicate or prolong the sale, or lead us to do too much unpaid consulting.

When with a prospect you should aim to talk no more than 30% of the time.

 

7.    They are not continually learning to sell better

Developing your sales capability needs to be a process not an event. It needs to focus not just on technique but also behaviours and mindset.  Your goal should be sustained incremental growth over time which is measurable, allowing you to predict your business revenue and grow your business.

Having the confidence and skills to sell puts you in control of your business – your pipeline, your prices, your income.

 

 

About Lisette …

Sandler Training is a world leader in innovative sales and sales management training and consulting. Lisette Howlett, Sandler Training London Central, brings a wealth of experience in sales and business development and offers new ideas and practical training, support and advice – that works.  Working across a range of sectors and clients – sole traders, SMEs, professional firms, multi-nationals – she’s invited in by forward thinking Business Owners, CEOs and Senior Professionals who are

• Frustrated at working really hard on taking their business to the next level but not quite getting there; or
• Worried that everyone is always looking for a better deal at the moment and buying on price; or
• Uncomfortable in a selling role.

Innovative and effective business development or sales training can put the business owner, senior professional and sales director/professional a step ahead of the competition, and provide the path to attaining those sometime elusive business and personal goals. At Sandler Training London Central we are committed to offering innovative and effective sales and sales management training and coaching through powerful open courses, group development programmes and in-house training and development.