Common Mistakes Sales People Make
Salespeople are one of the most critical aspects of a business. They are the face and the people factor in reaching potential clients. That is why it is so important they know how to improve their tactics! We have some tips to help you correct these mistakes that you might be making to get that contract signed!
Not investing in your business
Invest in your business with marketing. You can have the best product in the world, but if no one knows about it, what good is it? It’s all about getting eyes on you. The more people who see you, the more they can buy from you. Get exposure by advertising in print, on radio and TV, with billboards and pamphlets, online, and at trade shows!
At the same time, invest in yourself! You are your business. Make sure you look the part and show confidence in your product. This could mean revamping your website to add well-lit and good looking photographs to show everyone the quality product you have to offer. Other things you can do is promote your product through t-shirts, flyers, and pamphlets. Show off your product; the more you promote yourself with confidence, the more people will want to talk to you about it. You and your product represent each other. Invest in both and you will reap the results!
Investing in the wrong places
Wasting your money on a show that doesn’t draw in a crowd, or a publication that’s only distributed to a few places does you no good. Do your research before investing in a marketing outlet to ensure that they’ll get you the results you want. For example, a good bridal show produce would include using multiple outlets to advertise. If you don’t see ads for their upcoming bridal shows on social media, internet ads, billboards or radio broadcasts, or via other outlets, then you can assume that your target audience isn’t seeing it either. Why pay for a booth at a show where no brides show up? Also, great bridal shows will have a significant social media presence. Check the bridal show hashtag and tagged photos of the company holding the show. If there are no photos of the show or consumers talking about their positive experiences, it may be a bad sign!
Don’t worry if you don’t know where to start!
Look online at your target market’s buying habits. This practice can show you where your audience buys from. Look at your competition to see where they advertise and follow suit. Take tips from successful marketing around you. It will show you how to invest your money wisely.
Talking too much
Be an active listener. It is important to keep in mind that Millenials don’t like to be sold to, they want to be understood! Do not try to talk over them, but instead talk to them, make them feel listened to. Your “pitch” should be catered to that specific customer. You can only customize your pitch if you know exactly what they’re looking for. To do that, you must listen. Listen to everything your client says. Not just the bits and pieces.
If you keep talking about how you can provide an amenity, but your client doesn’t want that amenity, there is a problem. Selling a product is a tango with your client. You may lead the conversation, but you have to pay attention to the way your client moves too. If you keep dragging them in directions that they do not care for, they will leave you on the dance floor alone.
Over-selling your product
At some point, saying how amazing your product is and why your client needs it could backfire. It is more effective to let your client discover why your product is the best thing for them, instead of telling them. If they feel they have the power in the conversation and they came out with the idea that your product is perfect for them, they will like it more! Tell them the hard-hitting points of your product and then let them make the connection to how it would help them.
Remember, never promise anything that you cannot supply. If you cannot guarantee the result, don’t tell the customer you can. This unmet expectation can lead to bad reviews, disappointed customers, and an overall adverse effect on the business. Instead, focus on selling the best parts of the product! Let them know the great things your product has to offer, without over-exaggerating. Acknowledge the downfalls of the product to the customer so that they can make an informed decision. If your customer feels informed and that you are looking out for their best interest, then they will want to work with you! If you are loyal to the customer, they will be loyal to you.
Not responding
If a prospect emails you or fills out an inquiry request and you don’t respond within 48 hours, they’re going to move on and assume you’re not interested in their business. We all get busy and sometimes an email will get lost in the sea of other notifications, but this will turn your client off. From their perspective, they will feel rejected and wonder why they wasted their time in contacting you. So make sure you thoroughly look through your emails or set up a filter so you can get to your clients’ emails asap. This can be done quickly by requesting that your clients title their emails to you in a certain way, so they always catch your eye.
Relying on electronic communication
Any person can put an email in the spam folder, but they can’t ignore you in person. When meet them in person at a trade show, you immediately have a more significant connection than an email ever could. The better the connection, the more they like you, the more they want to do business with you.
Direct mail is another great way to reach your audience without getting lost in the internet. This mail can be sent to past, current, and future clients. It’s a great way to reach people as they sift through their mail at home, which is more than anything that they might consider spam. They will appreciate having a piece of mail that isn’t a bill and take the time to read what you send out!
Check out our article on different ways to promote your business to see more ways to connect with your audience more effectively.
Want to try different marketing tactics? We can help!
Not following up
So you’ve met your client at the bridal show or an appointment, and you had a great conversation, but you haven’t emailed them to let them know you enjoyed talking to them. This lack of a follow up is a bad sign; your client could forget about you and move to another business that did get into contact with them. Odds are, they’ve met a handful of other businesses who offer similar services as you. Stand out among your competition by sending a thank you email or note. Encourage brides to reach out and ask you any other question. By doing this, they have confidence that you’ll be available to them throughout their planning process. You want to stay fresh in their mind and get them to sign their contract. Always send a friendly reminder, and you will make them remember you and want to keep in touch with you.
Being impersonal in your follow-up
Every customer wants to feel like they are unique to you. You have to make a connection with your audience. No one wants to feel like a dollar sign, so make sure they feel that you are there for all of their problems. Give them a business card and tell them you will personally deal with any issues they have. If they feel you care for them, they will care for you too! This caring means they will recommend your products to others. Don’t send a generic, mass email to hundreds of prospects. They’ll be able to tell that their business isn’t important to you. Add their first name and mention a detail from your conversation, and consider thank you notes.
Keep these common mistakes in mind when you are doing your next sales pitch. Be confident, personable, listen, and invest in the right places. You will see an improvement in your bottom line!
