Ten Mistakes You Should Avoid in Sales

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If you work in sales, you've probably experienced this: you mispronounce a name, mix up details, or have a blackout at the most inopportune moment. The result? Sales talks fail. The best sales professionals, however, quickly shrug off failures and get back on the phone.

And the very best sales professionals create a "battle plan" to avoid the biggest sales mistakes. None of us are perfect, but with the right preparation and strategy, common mistakes can be eliminated. Whether you're a seasoned sales person or not, learning to avoid the mistakes on this list will set you up for success.

Talking too much
As Run DMC sings so beautifully: "You talk too much." This affects many of us: we simply talk too much. The most important rule in sales, however, is to keep quiet at the right moment. Even if you are not afraid to speak your mind - sales is about understanding the problems and wishes of potential customers. And to do this, we have to actively listen to japan business email listthe person we are talking to.

Don't be afraid to pause for a few seconds longer than usual during a sales conversation. Perhaps the person you're talking to is thinking about something important that will bring you closer to closing the deal.

Pursuing a sales strategy that is too specific or too general
Listening to individual needs is important, but it is not the be-all and end-all. If you focus too much on the other person, it can get in the way of your success. You'll be having one conversation after another without having a real strategy. With the right framework for your sales conversations, however, you can start a real dialogue and address relevant topics based on what your counterpart says. This framework could look something like this:

Greeting/introduction: friendly, polite and professional small talk to create a pleasant atmosphere
Needs assessment questions : a series of questions to get to the bottom of the person's problem, desired area of ​​application and goals
Value proposition: your company's value proposition and the benefits of your product or service (why this should be important to this person)
Further small steps: Introducing another contact person, arranging an appointment for a personalized product demonstration or specifying a schedule
Follow-up or Plan B: alternative strategies if the person has many objections, no clearly defined budget or no interest in general
Act! helps sales professionals execute their sales strategy by recording all past interactions and details about leads and other contacts. This allows sales teams to work on multiple sales opportunities simultaneously. Want to go beyond the sales conversation itself? Read more about the seven-step sales process .

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