The Other Common Sales Mistakes

If there is a motto I use in selling, it’s simple: Help me help you. Each day I ask myself, “How can I serve you?”

“Is this something you really would like to do?” I’ll ask a customer.

“Yes,” she will reply.

“How can I help make it easier for you?” I’ll ask.

If your focus is on always going the extra mile to help then you really can’t lose in sales. Yet, I’m constantly asked how to make that possible and how to avoid other common mistakes, so the focus remains on great customer service.

Here are a few great ways to mistake-proof your week:

*Don’t become defensive.

If a sales scenario isn’t going the way you want it to go then the urge to become defensive will be a natural next step. Make sure to avoid it. Take a deep breath and don’t start from ground zero and defensively insist that your product is a must have by going through your entire pitch again. A lot of this is about tone of voice and attitude.  Calmly, ask your client their concerns and answer them in the least defensive way possible. If you’re defensive then you will come off as weak and your product will also seem that way.

*Don’t purge for your client

Just because a client has questions about a product, it’s not the time to purge everything you know about it in one giant “dump session.” Your entire vast memory won’t help you here. You will just overload your client and overwhelm him or her. Too much information will come off as, “I’m scared. I’ve got to get this deal. I’ll throw it all against the wall to see what sticks.” Your client will really need to think about it because he or she won't feel comfortable. Who does when dumped upon? 

*Don’t go on the offensive either. This is worse than becoming defensive. Going on the offense is berating your client. You will overload and overwhelm them with what they might not want to know in the first place. Calm down and have a pleasant conversation. You’re not on a playing field where you have to push so hard to win. A bully won't make sales. 

*Don’t insult your client’s intelligence. I’ve seen sale people have an attitude that indicates to clients that they’re smart and the client simply doesn’t realize what a good deal this is and why they need it. This is the banging them in the head tactic. They will run out of fear because they won’t like you. How can you like someone who insults your intelligence and is basically saying, "You're too stupid to realize what's really good for you." If you don’t like someone then why would you buy from them?

*Don’t talk too much – you must also listen. Perhaps you’ve heard the one that says God was on our side when he gave us two ears and one mouth. This means you’re supposed to listen twice as much as you talk. If you just talk and your client is silent then they won’t feel a part of the process. Become Diane Sawyer here or Mike Wallace. The better questioner you are and listener, the more sales you will make and the better salesperson you will become in a very quick way. Again, listening means you know more information about your client.

That’s the way you can really serve your client.