Salespeople often have a bad reputation. They are considered annoying. The most frequently mentioned words when talking about salespeople are 'pushy' and 'irritating'. The balance between decisive and pushy is not easy to maintain. It is a fact that 80% of successful sales processes require more than 5 follow-ups before succeeding. When are you an involved salesperson, and when does it turn into irritation for your prospect? It has everything to do with the way you approach it. In this blog we try to clarify 6 properties that you can take into account.
1: Never contact us 'just like that'
It's Friday and you plan to call or email your leads to ask if they haven't forgotten you yet. Of course, it is good to work structurally and to want to stay in touch with your prospects. However, never contact us without having something to share. A piece of news, a development, a new additional question, or a tip/advice. Make sure you always have something to say, which also gives you a reason to contact us.
2: Ask questions instead of communicating something
When you are in a process, there are dozens of possible reasons on the part of your lead that are delaying you. When you speak to your prospect, ask substantive questions. Your contact person feels heard, and you may be able to provide good advice based on the answers.
3: Don't force your offer
The process takes a long time. Too long in your eyes. You see great possibilities for your lead, but things just don't go smoothly. It is very tempting to force a deal, for example by offering an extra discount. Try to hold back, forcing a deal almost never works. Even if you see such a great match, there can always be other barriers that slow you down.
4: No is actually an answer
Many salespeople have difficulty with the word no. For example, consider outbound sales for energy contracts. Even if you literally say you are not interested, the seller will continue with his story. Very irritating. When your lead says no, or makes it clear that they are not interested at the moment, respect that. Of course, this does not mean that you should cut off all contact.
5: Avoid expletives
To appear as convincing as possible, as salespeople we sometimes tend to use expletives. We have all learned to avoid weak language. However, there is a difference between speaking plainly and forcing it with expletives. Avoid using word combinations such as 'you should', 'you have to' or 'you can do better'. Giving advice is of course very good, but don't impose your advice on others.
6: Keep it short!
You finally managed to speak to that prospect you've been chasing for weeks. A unique opportunity to ask all the questions you have in mind. In short, you subject your contact person to a cross-examination and presentation of your offer. Unfortunately, this often causes irritation. Your contact previously didn't answer his phone for nothing. He is probably very busy and has little time. So don't burst out, ask if it is convenient at this moment, and keep the conversation short and concise.
What annoying sales feature did we forget on this list? Let us know. And, read more about Kenneth Smit's sales training offering on our website website.