Don’t make excuses when it comes to making sales. Your company needs them to survive. There are always challenges to making sales and bringing in the revenue you need to make your business a success. But don’t let those challenges stop you. See them as opportunities, not barriers to better sales.
Below are five of the most common challenges every business faces and how to surmount them without making excuses for lack of success.
Your Prospect Already Has a Solution
This, of course, is probably the case, unless your product or service is so revolutionary, you have no competitors.
But did you know that, even if your prospective client or customer already has a vendor providing a service and even a whole process set up around that vendor, chances are they are already looking for a change?
Need more proof?
Check out Raintoday.com’s “How Clients Buy: The Benchmark Report on Professional Services Marketing and Selling from the Client Perspective.â€Â The study surveys more than 200 buyers in 8 service areas, including accounting and financial consulting, IT consulting and services, legal services and more. According the study, at least 53% to 88% of B2B professional services buyers are looking for (or willing to) switch service providers.
What a great opportunity to sell your alternative solution now.
Your Clients Have No Time
We’re all busy. It’s true. And a clients hectic schedule and apparent lack of availability might even cause you to resort to a simple sales pitch instead of the kinds of meaningful conversations you know you should be having to make that sale.
Don’t do it. Potential clients and customers always have time for meaningful conversations, especially ones that can lead to solving a particular problem or pain point.
Think your prospect is short on time? Don’t resort to the sales pitch.
Instead, take the time to engage your prospect about the issues that are really bothering him or her. Ask them the questions that need to be answered. Then see if you have a solution to help.
Your Sales Process is Backwards
Author and columnist Geoffrey James writes on Inc.com that many sales processes remain “vendor centric†and ineffective in today’s business world.
These processes usually involve finding customers, investigating needs, presenting a product or service, making a proposal, answering objections and closing the sale.
Today all that has changed. A study by the Corporate Executive Board Company found most B2B companies are more than halfway through their purchase decision before ever engaging a sales person from your company.
It’s time to give customers the tools they need to learn about products themselves.
You’re Too Focused on Closing
For as long as most remember, sales has been about closing. As the old sales expression says, “Always be closing.â€
Trouble is, there’s a new way of selling that may be taking over. John Tabita, Director of Digital Strategy at Haines Publishing, Inc., explains the difference between transactional and consultative sales.
The latter are based on communication, trust and the ability to showcase strong value. They allow entrepreneurs to earn respect, credibility and trust - critical pillars to keep a business sustainable and profitable.
You’ve Got No Time for Content Marketing or Social Media
Like it or not, content marketing and social media are a huge part of the sales process a today. In a world where many buyers are already half way through a sales decision before contacting you, these are important tools to answer questions and represent the value of your products and services early on. Here’s more.
Entrepreneurship remains just as challenging as ever - although there are plenty of ways to make it easier on you. The key to success in business was, is, and always will depend on your ability to market and sell to your clients while creating relationships that will help them stay loyal to your business and vouch for your products.
Which of these barriers to better sales do you find the most challenging when reaching your sales goals?
Dollar Barrier Photo via Shutterstock
