Why You're Failing at Sales
A career in sales is not for the faint of heart. It is a difficult profession, but the payoff can be substantial. A job in sales is 24/7, and you have to juggle several balls at once to stay ahead. You are faced with challenges on a daily basis. If you're failing to meet your quota or simply too stressed to think straight, It’s normal: breathe.
Don’t get caught in the “Do you even know what we do?” scenario:
When prospecting it’s important to do your research before you call a company. This can be rather time consuming, but it’s in your best interest to learn about a company to avoid the embarrassment of not having an answer to that question. There is no quicker way to lose a potential sale then to completely avoid researching before you call likely offending your potential client. It is your job to understand what they do, how they do it, and how you can help them do it more effectively or efficiently. If you are working against a time crunch, at the very least have the company website open when you call. If you don't do your research you will likely continue having proverbial doors slammed in your face.
You have a verbal agreement, and then the company goes silent:
You’ve been there. You get excited about a verbal agreement, brag to your coworkers, the boss gives you the thumbs up of approval, you update your sales spreadsheet, crack a bottle bubbly and then the company goes silent. The verbal agreement you “had” disappears. You feel humiliated and frustrated. From this day forward: ignore verbal agreements. Verbal agreements are not signed contracts. You have to work harder to close the deal. Make sure you have a clear understanding of the role of the person who gave you the verbal. Sometimes you are not dealing with a decision maker. If they are not dealing with the decision maker do everything you can to get in front of the one. Next time, don’t put the cart before the horse, the chicken before the egg…etc.
Quit taking yourself so seriously:
Seriously, stop it. Being in sales is tough; it’s not always kittens and rainbows. Some days will make you long for happy hour, and others will inject you with positivity and strength. Sometimes you have to walk away from the stress and stop taking yourself so seriously. It’s important to remember that your job is simply talking to other professionals, like yourself, to partner with them and make their job easier. Why wouldn’t they want to talk to you? Have confidence in your product/service and in yourself. Your personality and the way you present yourself are extremely important aspects to your success in sales.
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