| Common sales objections are the bump in the | | | | you care. |
| sales process road and the one that many wish | | | | Hint: Focus on your marketing efforts because |
| to avoid like the plague. From price to quality, the | | | | creating awareness about you or your company |
| obvious question is why do these barriers raise | | | | or your products and services always comes |
| their ugly heads? Here are my top 5 reasons for | | | | before selling. |
| why professional salesperson encounter these | | | | Number 2 - Violated the sales process |
| challenges and some hints to avoid them in the | | | | Just as the favorite recipe from a cherished |
| future | | | | relative, a sales process is a series of specific |
| Number 5 - Failed to do your homework | | | | steps or actions that begin with that first |
| Before you reached out to call on that potential | | | | encounter and ends with the follow-up. Each step |
| customer (a.k.a. prospect) did you do your | | | | within the process should have specific goals as |
| homework relative to the individual, the company, | | | | well as skills sets associated with that step. When |
| the local economy, etc.? Failure to conduct the | | | | a sequential step is skipped, the results usually |
| necessary research may show up as you are | | | | suggest a delayed in earning the sale or no sale at |
| presenting your case. Then it is too late. | | | | all. |
| Hint: Having a written marketing plan along with a | | | | Hint: Commit your sales process to writing, |
| written sales plan can help overcome this | | | | determine the specific goals for each step and |
| common reason. | | | | specific skill sets necessary to move from one |
| Number 4 - Poorly qualified potential customer | | | | step to the next. |
| (a.k.a. prospect) | | | | Number 1 - Poor execution of self-leadership or |
| Once again the element of time comes into play. | | | | interpersonal skills (people or soft skills) especially |
| Just as important in doing research about a | | | | active listening |
| possible client, it is also necessary to invest the | | | | Many will say that a lack of sales skills is the |
| time to qualify your target market. Over the | | | | number one reason for sales objections. However |
| years, these were the common criteria: | | | | from my own experience, the ability to be |
| - Decision Maker | | | | proficient with self-leadership or interpersonal |
| - Budget | | | | competencies will always trump the technical |
| - Need | | | | aspects of selling. If you are not engaged in active |
| In recent years, a fourth criterion has been added | | | | listening, then you will probably miss critical |
| that being "urgency." However, I believe in today's | | | | elements necessary to earn the contract or |
| workplace, a fifth qualifier has emerged - | | | | purchase order. |
| commitment. | | | | Hint: By knowing what your talents are, you can |
| Hint: A written executive marketing summary | | | | leverage those talents and improve your overall |
| may help you avoid this common challenge. | | | | people quotient intelligence or what is also called |
| Number 3 - Lack of a firmly established | | | | emotional intelligence. |
| relationship | | | | In the final analysis, I believe that well over 90% |
| People buy from people they know and trust. | | | | (probably closer to 99%) of all sales objections |
| Without having a firmly established and positive | | | | can be traced directly to the salesperson. When |
| relationship, the desired end result to increase | | | | you accept that you are the obstacle to your |
| sales simply will not happen. President T. | | | | own sales success, then and only then, will you be |
| Roosevelt was quoted as saying: No one cares | | | | able to realize your goal to increase sales. |
| how much you know until they know how much | | | | |