Top salespeople don't pitch. They never have and never will. Top salespeople ask good questions. They listen, ask more questions and extract information and perspectives from prospects other less-experienced salespeople miss. They are confident in their solutions and in their companies' ability to deliver.
Top salespeople are willing to walk away if a sale is not a good fit. Actually, they don't walk away. They tap into their referral network and introduce a trusted resource who can best help a prospect.
Hone your sales skills. Many salespeople ask one or two questions and then assume they've zeroed in on a prospect's need. This is rarely the case. These salespeople don't take the time to really evaluate the prospects' situation and understand and define their significant problem or need. This is a sales strategy doomed to fail. Here are some important questions to ask yourself:
- Do you have the skills to conduct an interactive, engaging business conversation?
- Have you outlined a questioning strategy and anticipated potential responses?
Many salespeople rely on PowerPoint presentations and product demos to make their points because they don't know how to have a business conversation. They get anxious that a prospect may ask a question they can't answer. So they play it safe and get stuck in the depths of their cool technology.
