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Leslie Groene Website Homepage June 2019, Vol. 167
 

The Survey Says. . .

Make sure you are aware of your selling weaknesses. . .you may not think that you resemble the pushy, dishonest "used car salesman" stereotype of the past, but sometimes we just might. A new survey from the American Management Association surveyed 1100 buyers on the sales tactics and behaviors that got under their skin the most. Here are their nine answers, ranked from most to least offensive:

  1. Being too pushy
  2. Not taking "no" for an answer 
  3. Not listening
  4. Talking too much
  5. Bait and switch
  6. Reading from a script
  7. Using meaningless sales jargon
  8. Up-selling
  9. Being impatient

Pushiness (24%) and refusing to accept a "no" (23%) were by the most offensive behaviors to survey respondents, with not listening (18%) trailing close behind. On the other end, up-selling annoyed a mere 4% of respondents, and being impatient, a tiny 2%. What are the takeaways? Here are three conclusions:

  • Sell on the buyer's timeline -- don't force prospects to buy on your timeline. You won't have to be pushy if you maintain a pipeline full of prospects in various stages of the buying process. That way, you'll have prospects ready to close -- on their own terms -- each and every single month.
  • "No" isn't a bad thing. Keep in mind that "no" is better than "maybe." When prospects disqualify themselves, you have more time to spend on better fit opportunities.
  • Reps who listen, sell. How will you be able to put together a solution for your prospect if you don't truly listen to and understand their needs? Ask questions and carefully listen to your buyer's answers so you know how to best help them.

Focus Point

95. Overcoming the bumps in the road.

How many of us have known people with one primary personality characteristic that seemed to hold them back in their lives? Do you know the "know it all" who just has to let everyone around him know that he has an answer for everything in life? This person may be perfectly suited to win a fortune on a game show that rewards such behavior but most of us really don't appreciate being around such an individual!

What about the person who can never make up her mind? She can literally be paralyzed by her inability to commit to a course of action or a decision. Then there is the "perpetual student" type of individual who seems to want to avoid ever having to actually make a living. This person takes a stream of endless classes and extends the duration of his collegiate career to five, six or even up to seven or eight years!

Hopefully, most of us don't fall into the above personality types. However, we will encounter things along the way that may throw us off stride. We may experience temporary financial difficulties. We may end up in a relationship that is really harmful to us and to our sense of selfesteem. We may become embroiled in a litigation or dispute as a result of a specific client or transaction.

It is essential not to allow your focus to get stuck in the past on a problem or difficulty. You must maintain a positive frame of mind and continue to keep moving forward in your life. What may seem to be "the end of the world" will often be resolved and you can't focus all of your energy on such "bumps in the road". Make sure that you become mentally tough and surround yourself with individuals who are there for you and will provide the counsel and wisdom that you need when the going does get tough!