What do you think are some downfalls of salespeople?

Being flat out lazy and complacent. If a salesperson isn't self motivated, they need to go.

I think people become too product knowledge based and then talk too much about their product.

I think they don't ask enough questions, open ended questions, and then listen. You need to get clafication on answers, asking why, how etc.

If we ask enough questions, and find out what the real need is and what would the impact of filling that need would be then there is your answer.

In short talking too much, about US and our products and not enough about the customers.

Mary

In most cases you are dealing with below to average sales people. Before I became a head hunter, I owned one of the largest stocking distributors in the twin cities. I had 10 outside sales people 2 were outstanding the 80-20 rule what I have learned being in the recruiting business, you get what you pay for, that hit home. Top performers always seem to be there and successful, that’s my opinion.

Being too "sales-y" and following a set script or pitch. Most people switch off whenever they start hearing a rehearsed pitch. The key is being creative about how to keep the person interested in what you are pitching, without actually pitching it.

Mary,

Thank you for starting the discussion. Some quick thoughts, any one of which could be worthy subject of a longer column or article.

1. Preparation
2. Listening
3. Confusing ‘busyness’ with effectiveness
4. Failing fast
5. Truly understanding the customer’s business (as opposed to remembering and regurgitating the annual report) and tying their offerings to the customer’s goals
6. Inability to marshal resources effectively to quickly solve customer challenges

Robert

Hi Mary,

You’ve certainly asked a very popular question... I would love to establish a rapport with you and discuss your challenges and needs in more detail.

The answers provided thus far are all very insightful. I agree completely with the need for product knowledge beyond its features. Additionally, utilizing strong and active listening skills to match those features to the customers needs is critical to a successful sales interaction.

One of the challenges facing the profession as a whole in my opinion is the inability to evolve “order takers” and “order taker” mentalities to professional sales consultants. Many of today’s “sales persons” are driven by self serving goals rather than understanding that true wealth comes when we help others.

True and long lasting sales is more about educating the customer and responding to their needs and less about persuasion and price. In fact rarely do you encounter a “salesman” who can properly define the word value. The perception that value, cheap and cost are equivalent. Nothing is further from the truth.

Another challenge is the unimaginative way in which we speak with perspective clients, customers, consumers. Sales people frequently jump into the close well before offering the customer a reason to WANT to buy. Many professionals neglect to consider that buying decisions are based everyday on 80% emotional data and only 20% logical data. They speak to features, promotional offer and price. None of these things evoke a positive emotional response on their own.

For ultimate success, this is where the professional must take control and link the features to the customer’s interests and needs to generate imagination and emotion. A true professional then uses their promotional offer to further compel emotion to secure the sale and drive the relationship.

In my humble opinion, the entire profession would grow by leaps and bounds if we lost the title of “salesman” and replaced it with “consultant”. Not only would the consumer’s perception shift, we could very well see a shift in the perceptions of how the job could and should be done…

Thank you for the opportunity to answer this question… I hope you found the information beneficial!

I would love to hear from you!

Kind regards,

Victoria Moye
vcmoye@comcast.net