Do you like to be seen as dumb?

You work so hard and come so far to finally talk with your prospect…

And then you do one of these stupid things (fortunately we’ll tell you what to do instead):

1. You Talk More Than You Listen

What you do: Aren’t you supposed to look like the expert? What better way to do that than by talking about everything you know, and spouting all these insane statistics and jargon terms?

How your prospect reacts: They think you’re full of yourself and don’t care about them. They don’t give you their business.

What to do instead: Ask questions and listen. As you gain sales experience, you learn more of the right questions to ask so you can properly identify what your prospect needs from you.

2. Letting the Meeting Go Off-Topic…Too Far Off-Topic

What you do: The client starts talking on and on about various things. One thing reminds them of something else, and that reminds them of another story… You just sit there and listen.

How your prospect reacts: They’re confused as to why you’re even there. They think you’re unassertive because you say nothing.

What to do instead: Start the meeting with a brief agenda of what you’ll discuss – that prevents a lot of going off on tangents. If your client keeps going too far off the road, gently redirect them to the right track.

3. Talking Your Client into Buying Something

What you do: Your client doesn’t seem convinced they need to buy anything from you at first. So you keep pushing inside, trying to convince them why they must buy from you.

How your prospect reacts: They get annoyed, angry, or even defensive. They can feel you trying to “get” them to do something they’re not ready to do. You lose the relationship and the sale.

What to do instead: Again, ask questions and listen. Let the client do the talking. They’ll reveal their needs to you. When they do, then it’s easy to sell.

4. Not Enough Urgency

What you do: You don’t want to “be pushy,” so you politely ask for the sale once.

How your prospect reacts: When your prospect hesitates, you just let them do it. You lose the sale.

What to do instead: The goal here isn’t to be pushy. But if it’s genuinely in your client’s best interest to act now, then it’s okay to give them reason to do so. If they hesitate, remind them of the potential negative consequences of not acting now. And, show them the benefits of acting sooner rather than later.

You could also throw in a freebie or two for a limited time to increase the urgency. Don’t do it just to close the sale though. Do it when you know it’s in your prospect’s best interest.

Please, avoid those sales mistakes at all costs! Your bottom line will thank you for it.