Salespeople, Here’s Why They’re Just Not That Into You

In sales, we all have off days. They’re just a fact of life. But is it starting to feel like you have more off days than on days? If you just can’t seem to win your leads over, it’s time for a little introspection. Here are a few reasons they just might not be that into you:

You forgot the game plan

You might think that your natural charisma and sharp wit are enough to win the day, but if you don’t have a pitch prepared, you’re not going to be impressing anyone. So, it’s important to plan your approach. This does not mean rote memorization of paragraphs you recite on command, but know the packages you offer, the different features of the service you offer, and be able to recall them when you need to. Remember to always include the call-to-action too. End the conversation with an actionable offer that they can take on the spot, whether it’s making an order or simply leaving their contact details with you.

Your ears are closed

Don’t spout off information without a filter, either. You need to make sure you’re not delivering many unnecessary details to people who don’t care. You have to cater your approach to every individual lead. Listening is a vital talent, as shown by All Business. You can hear details about their life and their needs that can lead you to further cater your pitch to meet them. What’s more, if you’re not actively listening, the potential customer will notice it, and that doesn’t reflect very well on you.

You’re no nimble navigator

Once you have their interest, things become harder, not easier, and many novice salespeople tend to fall at the next hurdle. You might have some wiggle room to offer them a better deal, but how do you make sure you’re convincing them of the sale without giving too much away?

Having negotiation skill is crucial. For instance, don’t spend the second half of the pitch offering different choices. When people have too many choices, their brain freezes to the point that they can’t make a decision and stick to it. This is known as the paradox of choice. One essential negotiation tactic is eliminating the paradox of choice by funnelling them towards what you have figured out is the most relevant.

You’re targeting the wrong people

You might not be directly responsible for this, but you have to work closely with whoever is generating the leads. Make sure that they’re qualifying them too, targeting only those with a high chance of being interested in the pitch. For instance, if you offer a B2B service, you will want to find most of your leads by referral from past clients and by networking at industry events. Buying leads and cold-calling are much less time effective methods. Even if you get more leads, the fraction of them that will actually be interested is much lower.

Selling doesn’t come easy to everyone, and this is why salespeople have thick skin. Salespeople have to be up for the competition.

Beating competitors is what drives salespeople, with their aim to be the best – their motivation.

If you’re on the hunt for the deal and you’re not looking for ways to improve your pitch, your ability to find and connect with the right people, selling is not the right profession for you. However everyone needs to know how to negotiate as we all depend on it almost every day. Whether it’s negotiating who will make the next round of cuppas in the office or who will cook dinner – life is a negotiation.