NFIB

Fix Mistakes Made by Your Sales Team
04/ 02/ 2002

By Vicki Gerson

One of the biggest mistakes an employer can make is hiring the wrong salesperson or tolerating a salesperson on staff who is lazy. Although "rookies" need time to develop, some of them may never live up to your expectations. If that happens, it's better to terminate the employee and look for someone else who has the drive and ambition, as well as the vision, to sell your company's products and services. The lazy salesperson is a serious threat to your company, because the person can create a negative attitude throughout the entire organization and have a detrimental effect on your entire selling process. Your business can't successfully survive without sales associates who sell your products or services.

Unfortunately, both the rookie and the lazy salesperson will make the same damaging mistakes over and over again, resulting in fewer orders from new and existing customers. To fight this problem, some employers are bringing in consultants who train employees on having the right attitude and proper sales techniques.

Here are a few common mistakes made by rookies and lazy salespeople. In most cases, these mistakes can be corrected with the proper training.

A lack of preparation: Make sure your sales staff can tell a prospect about your product or service. Have a meeting on a weekly or bi-weekly basis and role play. Have one salesperson attempt to sell the product or service to another who plays the part of the prospect. In addition, the salesperson should have conducted research by reading annual reports and trade journals.

Not listening: Whether your salesperson is selling furniture or computer software, one of the biggest mistakes sales people make is not listening to the customer. Sales people think they have to talk and talk, while the prospect's role is just to sit there and listen. This isn't true, and in fact, it pays for the salesperson to ask probing questions to determine exactly what his or her needs are. For example, "What type of entertainment center are you looking for?" or "Is this new software going to be used by all employees or only those in a particular division?" Then, it's up to the salesperson to determine how to meet those needs with the product or service.

Not customizing the presentation: Generic presentations don't usually work. If your salesperson uses a rote script, it sounds like a rote script. Instruct your salespeople on customizing the presentation in order to make the sale.

Lacking a professional manner: Some sales people don't even dress for the job. Although many businesses have a casual dress code, a salesperson who meets a prospect and looks sloppy reflects poorly on your company.

Being unorganized: The salesperson who can't find what the prospect asked to see or has lost the sales material that needs to be left, won't get the order.

Not asking for the order: Many sales people think they should never ask for the order at the close of the presentation or question and answer period. Businesses that train sales people how to sell will tell you this is a final step numerous sales people fail to take. Tell your salespeople to ask for the order without being overly aggressive or pushy. If the prospect says: "I'm not ready to make a decision," ask when you may call to have an answer.

Poor follow-up: Once a deal is closed, many sales people go on to the next prospect without ever talking to the customer again. It's important for each salesperson to keep track of his or her sales. Call the customer after the product has been delivered or the service has been rendered to see if the customer is satisfied. That call can always lead to other sales or services for your company.

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