Everyone makes mistakes. Sometimes the mistakes are personal, and sometimes the mistakes are professional. Whatever their scenario, they are always learning experiences.
Author Dan Seidman talks about some of the worst sales mistakes people make in this week's podcast
Dan Seidman, sales coach and author of Sales Autopsy, is making a name for himself by talking about sales horror stories and offering advice for how to handle those types of situations. In this week’s podcast interview, Seidman talks with RainToday Publisher Mike Schultz about some of those mistakes, such as saying something inappropriate to a prospect and not being prepared for a meeting or a presentation. And he reveals what he says is the number one mistake sales people make and how to avoid making it.
One sales mistake that could be included in the list is lying to yourself, says Colleen Francis, Founder and President of Engage Selling. In her latest article, Dangerous Lies Sales People Tell Themselves, Francis says 90% of sales people tell lies to themselves that prevent them from succeeding and identifies the four most lethal lies a sales person can tell.
Michael W. McLaughlin also tackles the issue of professional services sales in his article, One Question to Ask Every Client. Asking that one question at the right time can prevent you from making mistakes and help open up sales conversations to get to the core of your client’s problem. That question begins with the word “How.” “How” questions “offer an important way for you and the client to clarify the situation and give everyone an idea of how you’d work together,” McLaughlin says.
Another mistake services professionals might make is in thinking they must be a thought leader, says Schultz in his article, Not Everyone Needs to Be a Thought Leader. The truth is, while being a thought leader does have its positive qualities, not everyone can or should do the things required of a thought leader—write, present, publish, etc. In addition, he says, most buyers are not persuaded by thought leadership per se. They’re persuaded by authority.
Professional services firms also should not underestimate the power of their websites. According to RainToday’s How Clients Buy 2009 Benchmark Report, websites greatly influence clients’ purchasing decisions. In fact, websites influence 97% of clients’ purchasing decisions, according to the report, making your website possibly your most important marketing tool. Take a look at this issue’s chart of the week for more analysis and to learn the three things your website can do for you.
In Deal or No Deal: Sales Mistakes That Turn Buyers Away, RainToday shares insights on the most costly sales mistakes you are making—according to your buyers—and tips you can use to improve your selling skills.
