My sales manager says you always walk awayfrom a failed sales attempt with something. Can you explain?
Your sales manager is suggesting that you can learn from every sales experience regardless of the outcome. The key is knowing how to evaluate your efforts. Consider these ideas:
•Victory. The best situation is a customer who says "yes." To have this happen more often, do your research, polish your sales skills, and prepare thoroughly. Remember, we can learn from our successes, too.
Progress. If you cant obtain a "yes," move to the next step. Your next best accomplishment may be to arrange a second appointment. Instead of pushing the prospect and possibly receiving an irrevocable "no," set a date and time for a second meeting.
•Presentation: Your prospect says "no," but how well did you present your products or services? Did you generate genuine interest? You didn't get the sale, but you may learn valuable information about the effectiveness of your presentation skills. Try a different approach with your next prospect to help find a better selling technique.
• Rapport. Does your prospect need more time to become comfortable with you and your company? A "no" today could be a definite "yes" tomorrow if you take the time to build rapport and establish a meaningful business relationship.
•Intelligence. Even when a prospect clearly states he or she will not buy, you can gather important information. What didn't the prospect like about your products or services? What improvements or suggestions would he or she make? You may leave without an order; but you can learn new ideas that can help convert the next prospect who has similar objections.
• Commitment. Ask the prospect for permission to return when you have new information. Demonstrating a commitment to update the prospect will keep the door open and help your contact look forward to future visits.
• Approval. Sometimes a prospect will say "no," but allow you to submit your products or services for approval. This can lead to future business if current suppliers suddenly have any problems.
Does this mean no sales call is ever a failure? No. Here's an example: If you make a presentation, do all the talking, ask no questions, and receive a "no," then this sales call is a failure. In this situation, there is nothing to learn since you excluded the prospect from your presentation.
But if you have a detailed two-sided discussion, let the prospect talk freely, ask many open-ended questions, and receive a "no," it is a different story. In this case, you will obtain valuable information to prepare you for your next sales call. Analyze what your prospect said and put it to good use in the future.
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