Nathan One

sales tactics

Why You Suck at Sales!

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With an increased pressure of filling quotas and achieving numbers, the process of ‘selling’ has become an uphill task for most. As a salesperson, it doesn’t matter where you came from and what school you went to.

With thousands of sales reps stepping into the ring every day, the majority of them are unable to understand even the basics of their job. This is a cold hard fact!

It’s painful to see new age companies using below-average procedures and absurd emails to sell their products and services. That’s precisely the reason why businesses today are tired of dealing with lousy salespeople.

#1 – Is sales as a profession getting worse by the day?

The answer is a straightforward NO. The industry is not going bad. Fact is, with the advent of the new sales tools and methodologies, the salespeople are not being taught the basics and the right way to leverage the modern gear.

That’s why the perception of ‘sales’ is getting worse. Sales reps are in a hurry and forget to talk about the basic problems their target market is actually going through.

“Salespeople have no clue what business problems are they trying to solve? – Jim Keenan”

As a sales rep, you have to care about someone else’s business problems (…and not your own quotas!)

#2 – How does a new sales rep understand the daily problems of a client?

Most sales reps are trained to ‘sell a product’. This leads to an early conversation wherein the sales reps start talking about the product first before even discussing the problem. According to Keenan, your first few questions should be about the problems your prospects are experiencing and not about anything else.

“The salespeople are too focused on what they have to sell and not focused on how they’re going to find a problem and solve the problem for a business owner or a buyer – Jim Keenan”

The real trouble arises when your natural style is not about ‘giving & offering’ and it is only about ‘taking or receiving’.  Then the concept of ‘thinking about other people’ is foreign to you. To begin with, understand and identify the problems your product was designed to fix.

#3 – How to prepare a salesperson for conversation training?

Most salespeople don’t know the correct way to have the right conversations. That’s precisely the reason why all sales reps sound the same. To avoid this, the sales reps need to take responsibility.

First off, make your prospects feel comfortable. Figure out the real problem that prospect is facing. Then lead them, move them, and provoke them, to sell them ‘the need’.

“For example, a millennial sales rep should first try to gain respect from older professionals. That’s where being updated with new knowledge comes in handy. Stay informed about the latest industry news.

You see, wisdom is always the number one competitive advantage. Personality plays an important part in a healthy conversation as well. For instance, it helps if you know how to use humor or any other personal trait.

# 4 – As a sales rep, how should I get my prospects excited?

To begin with, you have to understand their business and solve an irritating dilemma for them. In the first few discussions, you should share a story or an anecdote where your prospects feel they are the main character. The conversation should be enjoyable and interesting leading to a great experience.

For instance, you could share what the common problems your industry is facing. This will create a relevant connection between you as a sales rep and your prospect.

#5 – As a sales rep, how should I assess and improve my performance?

The minute you see a real opportunity through the CRM, open it up. Maintain your numbers and keep them clean. Don’t make something up and put it in the pipeline, being dishonest never helps. Once you’ve tracked those numbers, know them, believe them and only then analyze your performance over time.

Salespeople should treat themselves like baseball cards and from day one, they should know their close rate, their average deal size, and the average time to close.

#6 – How should you find resources and training that relates to sales?

As a sales guy, you enter the grown-up world when you accept accountability for your own actions. You need to be self-aware and have the ability to take your own inventory. Assess your strengths and weaknesses and where you need to improve.

Also, start reading about the industry. Chart out what you should learn and what will help you. Being well-informed prepares you for future success.

At the end of the day, you’ll have to put in the work which helps you not suck at sales. The only way to long-term success is – practice, practice and more practice.

…and we’ve barely dented the surface here!

The Role of Indifference in Sales: How to Appear Neutral

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Indifference can be one of the most effective impulse factors to use in sales and negotiations. Because indifference is defined as having a lack of sympathy, interest, or concern, you might think it sounds wrong or contradictory that this should be an effective sales tool. But before you dismiss the idea of indifference in sales, let’s investigate it a little further and find out how to use it to our advantage.

Indifference in Sales

First, it is important to note the difference between using the concept of indifference in sales and negotiations over indifference in general. What it does not mean is indifference toward your job, the sale, or the other negotiating partner. Apathy toward your job or the sale is the kind of indifference that won’t get you very far, and can definitely hurt your sales. You absolutely should care about these things – and show it.

So, what do we mean? The kind of indifference we are talking about is the ability to appear even or stable in a meeting, and never look desperate for a sale. Desperation and erratic behaviors come off as begging and give power over to the other side. At the same time, acting indifferent toward the sale brings that power back to you.

This can be a powerful negotiating tactic. If you go into a negotiation unwilling to say, “No, thank you,” you will likely put yourself at a disadvantage. Being willing to walk away gives you a certain power in the negotiation process, and the other person will sense that. Your willingness to walk away may result in the other party willing to reopen the negotiations with you on more favorable terms. In addition, feeling and showing indifference toward a sale or business relationship means that if it doesn’t go your way, you can walk away with less disappointment and move on more easily.

How Indifference Works in Negotiation

Most people do not like to feel pushed around, especially when it comes to sales and negotiating. An overly pushy salesperson can cause others to shut down and walk away. A degree of indifference, when used in the right way, will make the other side feel more comfortable with you and less like they are being pushed into a sale or compromise that they don’t truly want. When you put the other person at ease in this way, they feel like they have choices, but at the same time, you have the ability to influence them more easily toward a decision.

Put Indifference Into Action

Here are some actionable steps you can take to put the concept of indifference to work for you in your negotiations and sales meetings:

  1. Practice acting as though you are ok with any outcome. As a salesperson, this may feel counterintuitive at first, but keep practicing, and eventually it will feel more natural. Even if you don’t land the sale, or get the agreement that you wanted, practice being at peace with the outcome. Remember that what you practice eventually becomes your reality.
  2. Keep a busy sales schedule. If you constantly have customers or business deals scheduled, and at various stages of the sales deal, you won’t be as desperate to close each one, knowing you have many more prospects available.
  3. Honestly project your indifference to your prospects. Again, this does not mean you should be apathetic toward them. Project a genuine attitude and let them know that there are multiple outcomes, as well as what those outcomes are. Take the pressure off and let them know there is no consequence if it just doesn’t work out this time. There will always be future opportunities.
  4. Exude confidence. Indifference also does not mean that you lack confidence. Be calm and self-assured, but don’t try to over-sell or over-convince. Show that you feel at peace with any outcome of the deal. Projecting a sense of calm indifference will not only make you more confident but will help the other party have more confidence in you.

With these tactics at your disposal, you’ll be using indifference the right way, and it should lead to greater success for you.

The Psychology of Indifference

While we’ve already mentioned that people don’t want to be pushed around, it’s also well known that people want what they can’t have. An overly pushy sales pitch is a turn-off because it is all too easy to just agree to the sale. People want something that’s harder to get. When indifference is used properly, you’ll make them want what you’re selling, even without the sales pitch.

If you are struggling or desperate for a sale, it shows, and this is a turn-off in customer and business relationships. Desperation will only push your customers away. When you remove the desperation from your face, your customers can see it. You’ll come off as more approachable and fun to be around, and eventually, you’ll be closing more sales with what feels like less effort.

The biggest takeaway from all of this is that you should make the customer feel like it is up to them to decide. Make them feel like they are in the driver’s seat, and they’ll be more likely to buy. This is a sales tactic that works, and you’ll be a more successful – and likable – salesperson when you can implement indifference correctly and effectively.