7 deadly sales sins

Here's a good article on what not to do in selling:

If after resolving all objections and closing you are still getting the NO, then perhaps you have committed one of these common sales sins. Selling begins the second you answer the phone or enter the appointment. Make sure you avoid these from the start.

1.Telling not selling

Many professionals are eager to show how much they know. A customer asks a question and it’s off to the races. The salesperson rambles on addressing every last detail and then wonders why the borrower is indifferent and disinterested. You either bored them to death or confused them. Remember, it took you a long time to learn everything you know about your business so don’t try to squeeze it all into a 15 minute phone call. At least 60% of your conversation should be the customer telling you what they want. Ask questions and LISTEN!

2. Bulldozing

The hard sell is out. You know why? Because it rarely works. In our age of the Internet and media you are dealing with more educated and market savvy consumers. Many times the customer simply needs some time to absorb everything. Stay away from the idea that more is better. You can lock shaky deals all day and most of the time they will create more headaches and steal more of your time than they are worth. If you locked solid deals yesterday then you will have more time to lock new deals today.

3. Um, err, uh…

These bad habits are surefire ways to lose a deal. They scream, “I don’t know what I’m doing and I’m nervous to ask for your business!” Listen to your calls and count how many times you say these “filler words”. You may have even developed your own like “okay” or “ummm”. Think about the words you are using to sell. Don’t waste your momentum on one of these closing killers.

4. Circling the close

You have just said something that the customer loves. You have hit their hot button and it’s time to close. You can hear it in their voice but you keep rambling on about the rest of your features. You don’t have to keep selling them, they are ready. The object of the game is to close the deal so take the opportunity when it presents itself - SHUT UP AND CLOSE!

5. Silent but deadly

Pauses and dead air in a conversation will generate a very loud “NO.” Although it may only be a few seconds it can feel like an eternity - especially on the phone. Don’t rush the call, but make sure the conversation is moving at a comfortable pace for both you and the customer. Silence implies that you have no direction for the call and that you are waiting for the borrower to pick the next course of action. Control the call with good questions and keep things moving in the direction of a close.

6. Negativity

Nobody likes a negative person, even if that person is offering a better deal. Know your competition but never bash them. This hurts you more than it hurts them. Focus on your strengths and if necessary use narrow questions to allow the borrower to make their own conclusions about the guy down the street. Don’t use phrases like “I don’t know” and “we can’t do that”. These are statements that invite your prospect to go somewhere else. Instead try something like, “That’s a great question, let me find out for you” and “that may be difficult, but let me see what I can do.” Always show the customer that you have the power to act on their behalf.

7. Arguing

Never, ever argue with a customer. This will never win a sale for you. Nobody likes to admit when they are wrong so even if you can demonstrate that you are right; you will still lose the deal by arguing. If you must clarify an issue do it tactfully and remember what personality type you are dealing with. A compliment or confirmation may be in order.

Shawn Buxton has been in corporate training and motivational speaking for the last 10 years. He has trained hundreds of sales people in the mortgage, mutual fund, and promotional products industries. For training or coaching you can reach Shawn via email at shawnbuxton@yahoo.com

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