ARE YOUR SALESPEOPLE “WINGING IT” ON SALES CALLS? CONSIDER THIS….
We recently reviewed the results of a couple of surveys we conducted that confirmed what we have known for some time. Your Prospects & Customers are speaking up on how they feel about salespeople who are less than professional.
We thought that you would like to see these statistics that reinforce the need for a sales process with milestones and challenge you to improve. The term “salespeople” applies to professional sales people as well as consultants selling their services.
FACT: 82% of salespeople fail to differentiate themselves from their competition.
IMPACT: They appear & sound “the same” to customers…no differentiation!
RESULT: They either lose the business and fail to sell value or don’t get their price.
FACT: 86% of salespeople ask the wrong or “bad” questions.
IMPACT: They end up wasting time (theirs & the customers) while also appearing unprofessional.
RESULT: They miss understanding issues the customer has and thus, miss selling opportunities
FACT: Only 18% of salespeople close without discounting price.
IMPACT: “Discounting price” becomes a habit & “limiting belief.”
RESULT: “Money is left on the table” & profit margins are eroded.
FACT: 85% of customers say salespeople talk too much.
IMPACT: Customers get bored (or impatient) and feel salespeople don’t care about understanding their problems.
RESULT: NOT “Bonding;” NOT building a Relationship: NOT learning about the “conditions for change”: in the account= NOT getting a sale!
FACT: 62% of salespeople do not earn the right to ask questions.
IMPACT: They “pitch” and try to “Convince” thus, do not have a dialogue
RESULT: They fail to position the sale call properly and don’t gain commitment.
FACT: 85% of salespeople have “some type” of a selling process…but they DO NOT use it or follow it!
IMPACT: They stumble, get off track, get nervous, panic, don’t listen, get caught “off guard” and end up “talking/rambling” to get “control.”
RESULT: They close much less than 50% of the business that they should close, with disastrous effects on their company’s sales and their personal incomes.
Your salespeople may be “winging” it and NOT following a sales process if you find them “trapped” in any of the following:
(a) Chasing prospects that don’t return calls
(b) Hearing “think it over” all too often-and NOT knowing what to do
(c) Using price concessions as the main factor in getting and keeping the business
(d) Calling and dealing with people who are not decision makers-and “getting the run around”
(e) Not achieving their sales goals
These statistics are shocking. Before your salespeople “wing it”, remember to have your sales people properly prepared and use a sales process with “milestones” to keep them focused and on track.
If you have questions or need to discuss how to implement a sales process that is easy to understand, that will get results, please give us a call at 630-56-3615. REMEMBER – “Winging it” is for the birds!
