By Drew J. Stevens PhD
Have your often thought that although as a sales professional you can place blame on others for slow sales, think you might be the cause?

I recently worked with two very distinctive clients, one a multinational publishing firm and the other a sole proprietorship. Both the sales staff of the large corporation and the entrepreneur makes similar sales errors. When identified I then offered corrective measures; both noticed a sales improvement of 54% in four months.

1- No call preparation – Be Prepared
In many years of sales, representatives have a difficult time preparing for a call. If you are a telemarketer this is a difficult task if you speak with myriads of individuals in a specific time frame. Yet certain market demographics and psychographics can assist you in understanding buyer behavior.

However, direct sales professionals face a different environment. They not only should but must know their customer, the marketplace and the customer’s competition. Sales professionals must read one to two business periodicals per week. And they should read at least one industry specific journal. Further, with the proliferation of in the Internet, real time news and the annual report online are not only convenient but also vital.

2 - Poor opening statements
We all have many personal & professional issues, such as family, bills and school, yet while life is a roller coaster, illustrating our discontent to clients is a flagrant foul. Buyers today want to purchase from whom they trust, whom they know and who excites them. When was the last time you purchased from a monotone bore? When on the telephone, sit up, shoulders back and have good voice inflection. When with a client do the same, show excitement, gain a friend. Gain a friend and sales are easier.

3 - Sending Product Information
You are probably saying, come on Drew, you must have a brochure. Of course I do, yet I will not send a brochure to anyone that wants one. One of the best tricks among prospective clients to be rid of pests like us doing our job is to say “… please send me a brochure.” Rather than waste their time and mine I try to qualify the prospect. I always say to the potential buyer that what can be found in the brochure only summarizes my services. To by truly helpful and better qualify their needs I can answer all their questions during that moment or I reschedule at a more suitable time. This illustrates that I respect their time and illustrates to me sincerity or buyer blow off.

4 - Not Listening to the client
No buyer appreciates a sales professional that does not listen. Our job is to understand buyer’s wants and needs.
Although we are typically anxious and excited to “tell” about our products, it is important to listen. The best solution for this flaw is taken from my seminar and audio sale, “Shut Up & Listen” the Lord gave us one mouth and two ears - use them. Do this by asking questions and many of them. When something is not understood paraphrase so that you understand exactly the client’s issues

5 - Anticipate Objections
Have you ever been on a call, just about ready to sign an agreement and the client raises and objection? If you use the listening approach and really understand the client, you will lessen the risk of objections. I am not saying you will not be surprised from time to time yet if you map out your sales calls and really concentrate on the client you will lessen the occurrences.

6 - Do you know whom you are speaking to?
If you are selling to corporate accountants, there is usually a group of people involved with purchases. Because there are several people involved we sometimes get too connected to our first contact that we forget to ask them about their place in the selection process. Remember there are internal coaches, recommenders, influencers and finally the decision maker. Ask your contact to help you identify the selection board. You must also ask who signs the check for your product or service.

7 - Failure to Establish Rapport
It’s good to be a professional and to try and keep the conversation on track, yet good sales-professionals; one must establish good client relations. I am not suggesting the typical “how ya doing” intro and cold conversation. To ensure you get to establish a relationship ask the contact some general questions. Once you have asked several you might find a common ground that begets a general dialogue. From the point of commonality you begin your professional sales relationship. People want to purchase from whom they know, whom they trust and whom they like. Creating good relations creates faster sales, new friends and future revenue.

8 - Poor Questioning
Questioning is just as important a process as planning. How many times have you written down questions that you ask during a sales call? Simply put, you must plan the questions you will ask. These questions must also have a logical order. Think of your sales call as a funnel and plan your questions this way. Begin with general information gathering and as you continue with the call, become more specific. By planning your questions, your call will have control, order and a flow. By following this step, you will gather more information and a smoother transition to the close.

9 – Review your calls
A flaw often overlooked by many sales professionals and their managers is a failure to review their calls. Similar to a pilot that uses a checklist before he/she flies or an doctor that uses a checklist to perform a diagnosis for an illness, the sales professional must run through a checklist to understand the calls fine and low points. Post call reviews help to understand where you made any errors. They assist in either reinforcing your message or revising for a more consistent one next time. And the review provides you with valuable information the client mentioned that you must not forget. Learn what you did right and what you did wrong so that you can learn from your errors and make more sales.

10 - Forgetting to ask for the order
I remember working for the Chief Operating Officer of a Wall Street software firm. The gentleman has a great mind, he is a great visionary, and is very good with Wall Street CEO’s. Yet he is the worlds most terrible closer. We might spend three hours negotiating a deal and since he was the boss I let him lead the sale. Yet every time we left the call, he never asked for the order.
I implore you to remember the COO. Never forget to obtain what you work for. Even when you think it might be too early simply ask, “Do you want to purchase.”

Summary
I am certain that you do not commit these errors daily. And I am certain that you do not commit all 10. My intentions are to illustrate to you my thought for the Top 10. I believe that by making you more cognizant, I can help your confidence so that you have more sales, faster cash and better customers.

©2007 Drew Stevens PhD. All Rights Reserved.

About Drew Stevens PhD
Drew Stevens PhD is known as the Sales Strategist. Dr. Drew creates more revenues in less time. He is the author of seven books including Split Second Selling and Split Second Customer Service and Little Book of Hope and is frequently called on the media for his expertise. Sign up for Dr. Drew's newsletter The Sales Strategist at (drew3-143901@autocontactor.com) and review his new book Split Second Selling at www.gettingtothefinishline.com/products.asp Also visit Dr. Drew’s Blog located at http://drewjstevens.blogspot.com