Being a great salesperson is a challenge, especially because of the rejection. There are many competitors selling the same thing. People frequently buy from the cheapest seller, which makes it harder when a lower price isn’t something you can offer. Avoiding the following qualities will put you in the best position to be a top salesperson not just in your company, but in your industry by helping with the biggest issues.
Inability To Have Hard Conversations With Clients
Everyone wants to be the hero, but sharing good news is no problem. Keeping a client’s trust after telling them something they didn’t want to hear is more important to the survival of any business.
Do This Instead: “Diffuse bad situations with action,” Carleton Dufoe, Senior VP of Trade at Fusion Worldwide says. “One of our sales reps did that and turned a bad situation into a relationship that was worth ten times more than what we had been doing with the same client.” Learn how to deliver bad news in an honest and responsible way. If something is your fault, be upfront about it, and show how you will make it better. If it’s something that can’t be controlled, make sure there really is nothing you can do, and let the client know just how you tried before bringing the problem to them. If you can prove that your best interests are in line with the client’s, they will be more likely to understand your predicament and trust your judgment.
Impatience
Some companies don’t move quickly, and clients can also be slow to react at times too. A lot of sales require multiple calls to get the contract signed and the items shipped.
Do This Instead: Acknowledge that even in today’s connected world, there are some people that work more slowly, whether they’re a large corporation, a small business owner or somewhere in between. Use the downtime to make a few new calls, check in with another client or read up on some of the latest trends and information on your products. You’ll be able to get the most value out of each day that way, even if business is slow with a few clients. “When times are slow, we check with our commodities team to make sure we have both what we need and what we will need in the future,” says Fusion’s Jordan Silver, a Senior Sales Representative.
No Confidence
People can easily hear a self-conscious person on the other end of the phone. If you’re not confident when pitching your product or service, they may not think you have the ability to follow through with what you’re promising.
Do This Instead: Work until you get another “yes” from a client, then document what you did differently to get it. Use that strategy in any similar situations that you come across in the future. Keep track of all of your successes, and talk to a client you’ve worked with to hear what they like most about you. Once you have a record of the quantity and quality of your work, you can bounce back quickly when you’re in a rut.
Desire To Know It All Before You Start
There is an endless amount of information about the various products on the market, and there are also new items being created continually.
Do This Instead: “You need to sell as you learn,” Luke LeSaffre, a Fusion Worldwide Senior Sales Representative says.” If you digest every last bit of news or background info before you sell, you’ll be ready to retire before you pick up the phone.” Achieve a broad understanding of the industry, then start making calls. As you learn more of your clients’ and potential clients’ questions, look into answering those (and similar questions/issues) to have actionable knowledge about the necessary products.
ALSO AVOID: Being Easily Distracted If you get derailed by one bad call or celebrate too much after a sale, you will waste hours of your day on things that don’t help you or the company.
Do This Instead: Realize that each “no” gets you closer to a “yes,” and use the momentum from a recent success to create another one right away! So, do you think you have what it takes to be a great salesperson? If so, Fusion Worldwide is looking to expand its sales team in its new office. (You can learn more and apply directly to their company by clicking HERE >>)
Want An Opportunity To Lead?
Fusion Worldwide is looking for Sales Account Managers in three locations: Boston, Amsterdam and Singapore (among other open jobs). Plenty of promotions have been offered to high-performers within the company in the past, so a crack at being a leader by title could be in your near future.
There's a Sales Account Manager job in Amsterdam waiting for you! Learn more about Fusion Worldwide.
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