A recent editor's note in a sleep products magazine discussed how many people suffer from poor sleep and the editor referred to these individuals as zombies. Instantly, I thought of dozens of salespeople I have encountered over the years who could be classified as zombies, too. Here are seven signs that you might be turning into a sales zombie.
- You no longer ask high-value qualifying questions. Asking questions takes too long and you'd rather spend your time talking about your product so let's not waste time. Besides, prospects won't tell you the truth anyway so it's better just to move past this step.
- You launch into your sales pitch as quickly as possible. Telling is selling and if you're not talking about your product you will lose the sale.
- You make quick assumptions about your clients and prospects. You think, "They said no last time so I won't call them today" or " They can't afford our product."
- You use the same sales pitch with every customer. You have refined your pitch so why so should you change it? It's been working just fine and besides no one has complained. Plus, you're closing about 20 percent of your sales opportunities.
- You frequently refer to the "good old days". Yeah, nothing like the good old days when you could take a prospect out for lunch and close a deal over a few beers. Or you could make a few calls and reach your quota. Times have changed but you haven't.
- You don't seek clarification. Prospects and customer don't always clearly articulate their thoughts but that doesn't matter because you understand everything they say.
- You don't listen for underlying clues. Many people say one thing but mean something else. If you're not listening for those nuances and underlying clues, you are missing sales opportunities.
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Kelley Robertson helps sales professionals master their sales conversations so they can win more business at higher profits. Get a free copy of "100 Ways to Increase Your Sales" and "Sales Blunders That Cost You Money" at http://www.Fearless-Selling.ca.
